During wheeling Power Steering starts to act manual at slow speeds

[Romer]

The Romer Caravan (Rachel, Sarah and I) took our 3 trucks to Red Cone. Going up Red Cone a Jeep was coming down and pulled over, I went through some harry rocks to get around him and heard a thud on the passenger side.

After that my steering felt like crap. It would jump, Turns to the passenger side were hard and I had to make 3 point turns were I shouldn't have.

Looked underneath and nothing looked bent or broken.

Drove OK on the highway, was less power in turns and more manual.

Making the turn into my garage took several efforts feeling like a poor manual steering at 1 MPH. In other words at speed it does better, less pressure I assume.

No loss of Power Steering fluid

No shimy or noise on the highway. Did 70 MPH on the highway and it stayed in track

Going to put it up on jacks later and try and see whats binding

My guess is it will be something in the steering rod to rack that I won't be able to see.

Thinking it has to be something on the passenger side as that's where I heard a thud (Rock hit I assume) and that's the direction turning is harder

Any thoughts on potential problems?

 

[Romer]

with one tire jacked up and the other on the ground, how much slip should there be on the one in the air tuning it by hand? Mine only moves a couple of inches and then locks, no matter which tire is in the air

Power steering seems normal with one tire in the air and turning the steering wheel obviously standing still. Doesn't matter which tire is in the air, wheel turns easy

Put both tires down and I can't really turn the wheel standing still

 

[Romer]

Belt seems tight, haven't lost any fluid.

Seems there is some fluid, but not significant where the steering wheel assembly ties into the rack

Much harder to turn driver when going slow. Put it in neutral and revved engine and didn't make a difference

I would think Pump except I can't see how it would make one side harder than the other

When going slow and turning Driver hear air escaping sound (Best way to describe), don't hear same sound when turning passenger, maybe air control valve? but can't see why turning passenger is much harder

 

[Mike6158]

Sounds like a check valve isn't working but that's just a guess

 

[Romer]

Mike thanks for the response

I talked to Robbie and he agreed it is likely the rack based on what I told him

He mentioned two things that make sense

Sometimes the passenger Bushing Clamp gets loose and it allows a misalignment making it easier to damage

The run to the passenger side on the rack is longer making it harder to turn passenger this complicated by the fact the binding is most likely on that side

 

[Mike6158]

Good deal. My last gearbox issue was with an '83 CJ7 so I have no experience with rack and pinion steering other than my TLC. The CJ was and easy fix, replace the gearbox and install an aftermarket pump. It didn't have power steering

Looking at your sig- I could add NE5U

 

[Romer]

To update, the shop said the pump isn't working well and they think that is the cause of the problem. Since the rack is weeping, I told them to replace both. I should have a good steering system when I get it back

 

[mikeLTU]

What is the update? How much was the Rack? My 04 experiences hard steering at full turn radius (pulling in and out of parking spots). From what I remember, that means the rack will need replacing. Anyone been through this. I am at 141k miles.

 

[Romer]

I had them replace both the rack and the pump just to be done with it. No proof which one it was