Power steering virtually non-existent when parallel parking.

[EatCba]

I recently picked a 1986 Land Cruiser in great shape for the most part. I'm using it as a daily driver / work truck in Chicago. One of my concerns is the power steering when parallel parking but works fine once you're moving. Is this just the way it is with a big truck and fairly large wheels, or is it something with the power steering box or pump? Initially I thought it may have been the weather. I searched the forum without finding the answer.

Thanks in advance.

1986 FJ60

• EatCba
• Feb 27, 2016

 

[Output Shaft]

You could try flushing the power steering fluid and replacing it with fresh ATF, but the likely cause is a dying power steering pump.

Some of the reasons that it's a lot easier to turn the wheel at speed is because the tires are rolling, so they are easy to turn anyway, and the power steering pump is spinning faster because the engine is reving faster.

Parallel parking is the hardest on a power steering pump because the tires aren't really rolling and the engine revs are low.

You should try parallel parking a manual steering truck. ¡Ay, Caramba! Your arms are guaranteed to get big and buffed. It's a LOT of work!

 

[brownbear]

Well they did make these without pwr steering.. you don't have one of those do you?

You could be low on fluid, it could have air in the system. Does it squeal at all?

I'd check the fluids and work it back and forth.

My 80 series with a 3fe used to leak and I'd have to top it up all the time. When the fluid levels got low it would suck in air and be useless for parking.

When it's working properly the power steering is pretty light and isn't an arm workout that badly.

 

[EatCba]

Ha, it does have power steering. It's fine on the road. It's just getting in and out of parking spaces. I will flush the ATF and replace it with fresh Dexron III to see if that has an effect. I'll search for any troubleshooting techniques to isolate the pump.

 

[morganism]

Idle set too low, bump it up a bit....

 

[EatCba]

Idle set too low, bump it up a bit....

Did that already. Could bump it up a little more I guess.