HEAVY STEERING - Bubbles in Power Steering Reservoir - Replaced Low Pressure Hoses. What's Next? (1 Viewer)

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Greetings. New-to-me LX450. Great shape. About the only thing I've noticed mechanically is a bubbling PS reservoir. The 3 low pressure hoses are brittle so I replaced them this weekend with one of the kits floating around. Flushed until nice and clean with new ATF and bled it. No change. What's next? Replace the rubber and metal section of high pressure hose? I'm wondering if the crush washers on the banjo fitting or a gasket in the power steering pump are the culprit for allowing some air in.

Something else I want to mention--the steering feels too heavy to me - definitely heavier than my '93 LC I had before this '97. However, maybe I'm just used to my 2005 100-Series or my 2016 Tundra? I dunno though, seems too heavy. Is it worth it to replace the pump? If I'm gonna pull it anyways to reseal it (based on what you tell me about where the leak my be coming from), I'd prefer to just replace it. Other idea was possibly trunnion bearings? Thanks!

Video below of the bubbling.

 
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I just replaced all hoses also and will be doing this tonight hopefully. Jack the front end up and put on jack stands. Drain your reservoir and cap the small hose side at the reservoir(I’m using a small piece of old hose but with a bolt in the end with a hose clamp on each end. Now fill the reservoir back up and run the hose you disconnected into a receptacle of your liking. Don’t start your truck or you will find out why! Have a helper turn your steering side to side slow is smooth while you watch the reservoir and fill with more atf don’t let the power steering box loose it’s prime keep the reservoir full so this until you have nice clean fluid and all the air is out. Job completed 🤙
 
I just watched your video your a brave man!
 
If you read my post, I've already flushed and bled the entire system after replacing the 3 low pressure hoses--I know how to do all of that jazz. I'm looking for options beyond that now to find the leak that is allowing air into the system. Anyboy else want to chime in? Time to replace the high pressure hose section and reseal/replace the pump?

Thanks!
 
I didn't see bubbles in the video, I saw fluid movement. If you were pulling air it would have foamed quick and made a huge mess. As to your hard steering, I replaced my pump last year when I did a rebuild. I was surprised how much better my steering felt. My pump had more wear than I thought. II rebuilt at about 200k.
 
^^ I agree. I see normal fluid movement but I don't see bubbles in your video. Typically if there is air in the system you will hear a screeching sound while turning the steering. you should also see evidence of foaming after running the engine for awhile. Do you have those symptoms?
 
I've read a lot of posts about foaming, etc but have never seen that with mine. Sounds like I have no leaks but just a weak pump. I'll replace. Thanks for the knowledge.
 
Sorry, @Fj80oregon, that reply to you didn't come out right. I should have reworded. Have a good week.
No worries I read your post it just didn’t compute in my small brain that you had done a proper flush. I have seen guys on hear just refill fluid after new hoses and think that’s a flush! Glad you got it figured out! You have a great week also🤙
 
Finally getting around to looking at this issue further. Lifted the front axle last night, engine running--steering was just as hard to turn as if on the ground. Turned the wheels by hand and did not feel anything odd. I'm going to pop the TRE's and drag link off tonight and check the trunnions. When people are rebuilding pumps, is that basically just to seal leaks? Out of all of the threads I'm reading about rebuilding PS pumps on here vs buying new, nobody is listing hard, heavy steering as a reason they are rebuilding theirs so I'm assuming (I know, I know) they are rebuilding to seal up leaks and not improve heavy steering, etc. Thanks for your input.
 
IME, the '94 steering is much easier than the '95-'97.

RockAuto (surprisingly) is the place to go for the high pressure hose - $40; and if it's not the OEM, it sure does a good job of imitating it. If yours is original, replace it.

Rebuilding the pump is solely for sealing problems. I haven't seen pump vanes/housing out of spec, and I've rebuilt half a dozen, with lots of miles on them. If it's not sealed well, it's pretty obvious.

I will say that if someone disconnected the hoses from the pump, and didn't replace the crush washers, you'll likely have a leak, and this pump will suck air. That will, however, resolve itself, when you replace the HP hose.

You should not need the power steering system to turn the wheels if they're off the ground. If you feel any resistance to turning the wheel, you have a problem somewhere else. Unless you can physically wiggle the wheel grabbing the top and bottom, your trunnion bearings are likely OK.

I'd look at the gearbox, from your previous problem descriptions, if you don't have any obvious rod end problems.
 
Yah, everything feels good and looks good on the front end. No 12-6 slop. Knuckles are lubed properly. Interesting on the '93-'94 steering comment. My previous was a '93. I'll try to find another '95-'97 to drive in my area for comparison.
 
I have a '94 and two '95s that I drive regularly. I can tell the difference when I'm in the '94. I'm biased, but it's my favorite year.
 
So far, I probably liked my old '93 better but likely because it was my first LC and it was cloth. They are/were both locked so that's a bonus for each. I've had 2 100's as well. Still have one of them.
 
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My first 80 was a triple locked '94 with cloth interior. It's still the best of all I've bought over the years.
 
I popped the driver side tie rod end off and it is definitely not the trunnion bearings, at least on the driver side. Man this thing moves smoothly! I’m going to pop the tie rod end and the drag link off on the passenger side and repeat over there for giggles, although I’m sure it is the same.

 
Well huh, maybe I take that back. When I slowly move it back and forth gently from the outer wheel side, it doesn’t want to come out of its “straight forward” trunnion bearing position too easily. But still, I can’t imagine a PS pump won’t overcome that with little to no effort? We’ll see how passenger side does.
 
Passenger side the same. Takes a little force to rotate the knuckle out of its centered position but rotates smooth. Unsure if that centered position “tightness” should be addressed with new trunnions.
 
Replacing HP hose next. Amazon had the Gates in stock you referenced from Rock Auto and it will be here Friday. May replace the pump at the same time or may go step-by-step, start small with the hose.
 

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