Power steering!

[long stroke]

Hi All
Just finished reconditoning the isuzu motor and gearbox in our county.
When we drove it the steering had developed tight spots.we have slackened off the steering box adjuster but made no differance,any ideas welcome could it be the power steering pump?

CHEERS TIM...

[JDNSW]

The most likely problem is partly seized u-joints on the steering column, but a second possibility is air in the power steering fluid. this usually bleeds itself eventually if not properly bled, but there is a possibility that it won't, and also a possibility that it is getting air in from a leak on the suction line (and make sure this is not kinked, as a blockage on the suction will have the same effect). While I suppose it could be the pump, I would expect that problems with it would show up as an ongoing lack of assistance rather than what you describe.

John

[Blknight.aus]

if you havent touched the power steering box it should be fine. to check it lift the front end (engine off) wrap a length of fishing line around the steering wheel and pull on it with a 0-1kg spring gauge it should max out starting it into motion but once moving should pull from lock to lock with less than 1kg of pull applied to the steering wheel.

if it binds or maxes out the steering wheel its time to investigate.

did you get all the UJ's on the steering shaft in alignment and are they all working normally. pull the steering shaft out and physically check them damage to the UJ's/steering shaft is fairly common when the donks are pulled or the steering box is removed. if when you put the shaft back together you slide the Uj's into the wrong position they can bind.

if you dont have binding on the shaft while its off drop off the drag link from the pitman arm and try to turn the box by hand first from the pitman arm and if its smooth from there try it again from the steering shaft side (you may need to put the Uj on from the shaft to get a grip on it)

see how that goes for you. if the box is smooth then the problem is either in the power steering pump which might be pulsing the relief valve or you might have a sticking steering component.