New power steering is weak, they say normal

[imholte]

My pickup wandered very badly on the road so I took it to the local alingment shop and they told me I needed new power steering pump and box as well as tie rod ends.

Well I get the truck back yesterday and the steering is hard to turn. Before I could do it with a finger, now at low speeds and stopped it takes both hands to wrench the wheel around. I took it back and they told me that is how old trucks are and since I have a smaller than stock steering wheel on it I wont have as much leverage. I dont know what to do since I spent lots of money and now it is hard to turn but they say its normal?

Any ideas?

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Get another opinion. I have a small wheel and I can use one finger anytime. It should not take 2 hands with Power Stearing

[bigguy69]

I agree. Sounds like something is not right.
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[71 super]

It should be very easy to turn, one or two fingers is all it should take. All of the trucks that I have with power steering are very easy to turn including the 4x4. I would question their work- it sounds as though they replaced with a manual box.

[landsurvey1]

Maybe it is a bad power steering pump? The same thing happend to me. My steering worked fine and then I upgraded to a chrome pulley system with new power steering pump, water pump and so on. Hooked everything up, jumped in it and the steering was not even close to being normal. Turns out it was a bad pump. I think a way to check it is by starting the truck, and then take the cap off the pump and see if the fluid is circulating? If it isn't, it may be a bad pump. Just my .02

[imholte]

They are going to order a new pump and see what that does and then go from there. But I have to wait till monday for that.

I figured that I would just take it in and have it done by a professional so there is no hassle. I could have done it myself and saved alot in labor but i figured they would do it right and get it done quick. Hope the new pump helps.

[cdowns]

if you have very big heavy oversized tires effort increases

[bigbadchev72]

Originally Posted by cdowns

if you have very big heavy oversized tires effort increases

I am running the stock setup on all 3 of my rigs taht are running 35-38" tires and unless I have them wedged in some rocks it is very easy to turn.

I am betting bad pump or they still have air in the lines. Look in the pump and see if the fluid has bubbles in it or it is frothy. Put the front end on jack stands and turn the wheel back and forth for a while, should get most of the air out.

[VetteVet]

there's a couple of other things that affect the steering. On the top of the gearbox there is an adjustment screw that can be tightened enough to cause binding in the steering. If there is too much tension on the screw then the lock nut can be loosened and the screw can be backed out a turn or so to take the binding out. It is there to compensate for wear in the gearbox.

On the back of the pump under the pressure hose fitting there is a relief valve that may have a weak spring that is allowing the pump to bypass and not build enough pressure to operate the gearbox. Since they changed both of your units then either one may be faulty.