power steering pump or gearbox?

[saint60]

i have been having a little problem with my steering and have never messed with any of it. i don't know anything about the steering. here are the symptoms i experience: when i am not moving the steering wheel jerks and is hard to turn, it squeals sometimes when i turn the wheel, and the steering wheel shimmies at speeds above 50. i know that the shimmying might be due to improper balance or something, but what about the steering? do i just need a new power steering pump or a gear box? what are the symptoms of both? thanks for any thoughts on that matter.
nate

 

[dd113]

Buy a new OEM PS pump. Replace the belt. Pull, re greae and re torque the wheel bearings, adj the relay rods, check all joints, check torque on the knuckles, balence tires

 

[60wag]

The squeal is the belt slipping. If its squealed for a while, the belt is probably trashed and worth replacing. The hard to turn wheel could be from the belt slipping but is more likely a worn out pump. My luck with rebuilt pumps leads me to also rec' buying a new pump. Someone (dd113?) recently suggested I check out the NAPA BeckArnley option. Its like $250 rather than the Toyota $430.

The shimmy at speed could be tie rod ends, knuckle bearings, wheel bearings or tires. After you've checked/fixed all the bearings and are left with the tires, try changing the tire pressure. I've noticed on a couple of sets of BFG ATs that the lower the pressure, the more they shimmy. Its most noticable with light cornering. After an offroad run a few weeks ago, I aired my tires up to about 25 rather than the usual 32. The shimmy was significant. I pumped them up to 32 and its much better. As the tires wear out it seems to get worse.

 

[swank60]

Ahhh, I've noticed a shimmy at speed here lately, too, and my old BFG ATs are starting to wear thin - figured it had to be tire related.

My vote for the squealing is the belt, also. And the jerking/hard to turn thing sounds like a worn out pump. The PO of my truck put in a cheap rebuild and it leaked horribly after just a short time. I'd go OEM for a replacement. If you can't pony up the big bucks, you could consider a used unit from www.cruiserparts.net. That's where I got mine and it's been great.

 

[lovetoski]

Well, in the spirit of "a few heads are better than one" let me offer another possibility on the "squeel." Gamberro80 might be using the word "squeel" to describe the noise that a PS pump makes when it's low on fluid. Low fluid gives a "jerky" feel to the steering - and is most notable at low rpm (ie - when not moving, as he describes). So, suggest you check the PS level to make sure it's high enough. If it's low, remember to use ATF, not PS fluid.

On the highspeed shimmy. As others have noted, this can be caused by many things in the steering. You need to check them one at a time, fixing as needed as you go, until you eliminate the shimmy.

 

[saint60]

Buy a new OEM PS pump. Replace the belt. Pull, re greae and re torque the wheel bearings, adj the relay rods, check all joints, check torque on the knuckles, balence tires

i rebuilt my knuckles about a month ago. i didn't do it because of te hshimmy, but because of the leaks. so i know the bearings are all well greased. like i said earlier, i don't know what is what when it comes to stearing. what joints do i need to check? what are the relay rods and how do i adjust them? what do you mean torque on the knuckles? thanks.