Steering Issue

[Jimjific]

So I have a weird one.

First let me tell you what I have.
- Bone stock 69 SWB Step.
- Power Steering
- Power Drum brakes
- Stock ride height
- 350 A/T

I noticed a while back that every so often my steering felt a little sluggish. I checked the fluid level and all was good. Over the last couple of months it seems to be getting worse. It is very intermittent. I drive 20 miles each way to work with the truck and some days it is perfectly fine (like this morning) and others it seems to have the problem about 70-80% of the time. The steering gets so "sticky" that it won't return to center. Then, I little later it will just free up. It doesn't seem to be one direction or the other or related to where I am in the steering travel. I figure it is either the pump or the box. The pump makes no noise. Can the balls in the steering box get worn and jam up then recirculate to free up? The only other thing I can think of is, the upper bearing in the steering column grinds and needs to be replaced. I have the part but it's been so freaking cold I haven't gotten to it. I guess it's possible for the bearing to cause the issue but it just seems like it wouldn't have the mechanical advantage to cause the issue.

I'm hoping it's the pump since that is the cheaper fix.

Thoughts are appreciated,

Jim

[BugzC10]

I'm thinking the pump. Check your belt....

[Jimjific]

Can a pump go in and out like that when they fail? Also, if the pump stopped working would the steering just feel like a manual steering or does the fluid in the system make the steering tight. I guess I could try taking the belt off and see it the steering feels like what I experience.

Thanks for the reply,
Jim

[michael bustamante]

You could be getting air in the system causing bubbles in the fluid.

[BugzC10]

If it's not low on fluid, I believe it can. You may have air trapped in the system.
The procedure for filling the pump is to have the front wheels of of the ground, fill the reservior, start engine and slowly turn steering wheel all the way to one direction then back all the way to the other direction a few times. Checking the fluid as you go. This works any air out of the system. Maybe give it a try, see if it helps.

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by Jimjific

Can a pump go in and out like that when they fail? Also, if the pump stopped working would the steering just feel like a manual steering or does the fluid in the system make the steering tight. I guess I could try taking the belt off and see it the steering feels like what I experience.
Thanks for the reply, Jim

I would say yes to both questions. The pump going out will actually cause the steering to be a lot tighter than manual steering.

Word of warning. If either the pump or gearbox are going out, I would try to get it fixed asap. Many years ago I had a van with a bad gearbox and it would lock up occasionally. Got to be too dangerous to drive it until I had it repaired.

One other thing regarding the ball bearings. They stay in place and are there to make it easier to turn the steering worm gear. They just sit in place until you move the steering wheel.