need some steering gear help

[gman]

Truck is a 72 K10, pwr steering, 350 motor. Original pwr steering assembly. Not aftermarket.

My gear was leaking fluid all over the place and had 3/4 of a turn freeplay in it. Scary.

So today I replaced the gear. Gear has the same part number as old. Drained all the fluid out of the pwr steering pump. Everything went together pretty easy. Took some time since I've never done a steering gear before. Put front end up on stands to turn wheel back and forth a couple times each way. Seemed to turn fairly easy. Took the truck off the jack stands.

Now the steering wheel will barely turn and moans something fierce when trying to turn it. Fluid in pwr steering pump is really foamy. When turning the wheels with the pwr steering pump cap off, I can see the fluid disappear and then return to normal level when the wheels are returned to straight.

Any ideas what is causing the extremely hard steering (next to impossible to turn it either way) and the incredible moaning when I just barely try to turn the steering wheel?

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Not sure what to do now other than take it apart and then not sure waht to look for. should the fluid disappear like that when turning? I would think the return line would bring it back into the pwr steering pump just as fast as the pressure line sucks it out. But I'm just guessing.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[D'Animal]

Originally Posted by gman

Put front end up on stands to turn wheel back and forth a couple times each way. Seemed to turn fairly easy. Took the truck off the jack stands.

Thanks.

You did not do this long enough.


30 turns minumum Lock to Lock (Left to right) and keep adding fluid.

[joe231]

yeah what D'Animal said
get the wheels in the air and turn it lock to lock
your problem is you have air in the system and this should take care of it

[gman]

Thank you for the quick reply!

30 TURNS?

Man, if that fixes it, I am an idiot. Do you really think that that is the only problem? Would that in fact cause the extremely hard steering?

Never changed a steering gear so I'm totally new at this. Sorry if this is a bone-head question.

[gman]

Well, looks like I better go try this. Thanks Animal and Joe.

I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow or tuesday.

[joe231]

yeah, I believe that this is definitely your problem
it is very difficult to get all the air out
the technique mentioned above is the best i have found

no problem
glad to help

[gman]

Thank you gentlemen. I'll give it a try.

[MotorSeven]

I just did this twice(first gearbox had a freeze crack in it & blew). Turn the wheel all the way
(right or left), shut it off, fill reservoir, start it up go back to the other lock & repeat. It should only take a few times to top it off. If it is a used pump or gearbox make sure there is no water in the fluid, pump out & replace.

RD

[gman]

I'll do that. Thanks.

Pump is new (Checker rebuilt).

[Classic Bowties]

Another tip to remember is that if you are getting much cavitation (air back to pump/fluid reservoir) the pump will keep pushing that back to the gear stretching this whole bleeding process out. Let it set a bit between bleeding cycles so that all the air bubles have time to dissipate, once the ps fluid has a good solid looking color to it then try again. I like doing these later final bleeding steps without running the motor (cuts back on pump cavitation), with the truck still up on stands and both front wheels in the air, crank the steering wheel (slowly) back and forth lock to lock, just keep an eye on the fluid level and condition, once that air bubles are noticed in the pump/fluid reservoir then stop and let it set, come back to it in 45 minutes or so and repeat this cycle, usually two - three times like this and you will be ready to roll.

[gman]

Just an update.........

As I'm sure those of you posted know, your suggestions worked.
Actually, after cycling the wheel back and forth a couple times the other day, today I only needed to cycle the wheel a couple times and the foaming up was gone. I continued to do it another 10 - 20 times and then drove it. Mucho difference. To be honest, its not as easy to turn as the previous one that was leaking fluid but I figure a few days driving it might help it some. We'll see.

But I wanted to post an update to let those of you that replied know that what you posted worked. I also wanted to thank all of you for the help. It is greatly appreciated.