Replaced my power steering fluid last night and wanted to share what I pulled together to make the job VERY easy. I purchased several feet of clear hose and some brass fittings to attach to the power steering fluid box and the return line.
First let me explain what has been explained a few times in this forum. The best way (for me) to change power steering fluid is to replace it ALL rather than do the chicken baster method of sucking out what you can from the reservoir and refilling.
This is how you do it:
1. First suck out as much of the old power steering fluid from the reservoir and pull the hose that is closest to the top of the reservoir. This is the return line from the pump to the reservoir.
2. Take your short hose with the stopper at the end that you have made and slide it over the plastic reservoir barb. This will keep fluid from coming out of the reservoir.
3. Take the long piece of hose (3 to 4 feet) with the brass barb on one end and slide the barb into the return line you removed from the reservoir.
4. Run the long hose down through the fender well to the ground and place the hose into something that fluid can drain into. I used one of my wife's many flower vases..
5. Next jack up the truck and place jack stands on the frame so that the front tires are off of the ground. PLEASE make sure you set your emergency brake and chalk the tires.
6. NOTE: DO NOT START YOUR TRUCK FOR THIS PROCEDURE. You can do the next step by yourself or it would be much easier with another person. I have done it both ways before. One person fills the reservoir with fresh fluid. Once it is full, the person in the drivers seat slowly turns all the way left and all the way right. As this is done the fluid is going from the reservoir to the pump then out the return line you have dumping into the "Vase". MAKE SURE the person who is poring the fresh fluid in the reservoir does not let it go empty. When turning the wheel the fluid drains out fast so keep up with it when filling.
7. continue to do this procedure until the fluid coming out into the "vase" looks nice and clean.
8. Once done, remove the short plug you have put into the reservoir and be quick to put your finger over the hole or all the fluid will drain out on you..
9. Pull the barb out of the return line and put it back on the reservoir as you found it at the start of this procedure.
10. Now turn your wheel all the way left and right a bunch of times to purge the system of any bubbles and check the level of fluid. Once you feel you have purge the system enough, you are done.
11. Remove the truck from the jack stands, Start truck and turn wheels left to right again a few times.
12. Check levels after driving, but you should be fine.
Hope this was helpful. Attached are pictures of the hoses I made and a picture of the return line you need to remove that is on the reservoir.
First let me explain what has been explained a few times in this forum. The best way (for me) to change power steering fluid is to replace it ALL rather than do the chicken baster method of sucking out what you can from the reservoir and refilling.
This is how you do it:
1. First suck out as much of the old power steering fluid from the reservoir and pull the hose that is closest to the top of the reservoir. This is the return line from the pump to the reservoir.
2. Take your short hose with the stopper at the end that you have made and slide it over the plastic reservoir barb. This will keep fluid from coming out of the reservoir.
3. Take the long piece of hose (3 to 4 feet) with the brass barb on one end and slide the barb into the return line you removed from the reservoir.
4. Run the long hose down through the fender well to the ground and place the hose into something that fluid can drain into. I used one of my wife's many flower vases..
5. Next jack up the truck and place jack stands on the frame so that the front tires are off of the ground. PLEASE make sure you set your emergency brake and chalk the tires.
6. NOTE: DO NOT START YOUR TRUCK FOR THIS PROCEDURE. You can do the next step by yourself or it would be much easier with another person. I have done it both ways before. One person fills the reservoir with fresh fluid. Once it is full, the person in the drivers seat slowly turns all the way left and all the way right. As this is done the fluid is going from the reservoir to the pump then out the return line you have dumping into the "Vase". MAKE SURE the person who is poring the fresh fluid in the reservoir does not let it go empty. When turning the wheel the fluid drains out fast so keep up with it when filling.
7. continue to do this procedure until the fluid coming out into the "vase" looks nice and clean.
8. Once done, remove the short plug you have put into the reservoir and be quick to put your finger over the hole or all the fluid will drain out on you..
9. Pull the barb out of the return line and put it back on the reservoir as you found it at the start of this procedure.
10. Now turn your wheel all the way left and right a bunch of times to purge the system of any bubbles and check the level of fluid. Once you feel you have purge the system enough, you are done.
11. Remove the truck from the jack stands, Start truck and turn wheels left to right again a few times.
12. Check levels after driving, but you should be fine.
Hope this was helpful. Attached are pictures of the hoses I made and a picture of the return line you need to remove that is on the reservoir.
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