steering and braking

[russfixr]

I have read all the threads abouth this topic I could find and am still slightly confused. I recently experienced the problem of losing power brakes and steering at the same time. What an experience when trying to make a corner with a 9 foot plow on the front end! The truck also wanted to pull to the right and it has always tracked true until now. On the trip home, everything felt relatively normal. Is my power steering pump failing or is some relief valve mounted on the pump failing? I'm ready to replace the pump and associated hoses, but I want to feel relatively comfortable that my wife won't have the same problem with the horse trailer on the back. Any info about this problem and tips for replacing and bleeding the pump would be appreciated.

Thanks
russfixr
'98 GMC K3500 dually, 6.5 turbo, PMC cooler

[GMCfourX4]

The first thing to do would be to check the fluid level in your power steering pump, and make sure its correct. The power steering pump supplys power to the brake booster and the power steering gear. If you lost both, the most likely problem would be the fluid level being too low, or the pump going bad. The pump generally doesn't just go all of a sudden though, so most likely your fluid level is low. If you find end up deciding to replace the pump, you can save a lot of money by buying a pump with no reservoir, and just moving the old reservoir over to the new pump (its only 4 screws, if I recall....). You should also trace all of the lines and make sure they aren't leaking. If any are, its probably a good idea to replace them, maybe replace them all if you plan on keeping the truck for a long time. I ordered my new P/S pump from www.rockauto.com

-Chris

[russfixr]

Yeah, I checked the fluid first thing. I was just below the full mark for hot. I've never had to add any fluid to the steering or brakes. I'm assuming it's the pump since it works most of the time and I had trouble when I went to idle which would indicate to me that the pump is getting weak. I have the new pump minus the reservoir. Hope to get to it tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for the feedeback.

Russ

[BobND]

Carefully check your belt and spring-loaded tightner.

If the arm hangs up at all, and the belt loses tension, or if some snow got on the belt, and it sliped for a few seconds, you'd lose all power brakes and power steering.

[JohnC]

Are you running the plow hydraulics off the steering pump? If so, they may be bypassing or something...

[GMCfourX4]

To further what BobND said... I had problems with belts going slack almost as soon as I installed them. A week or two after I put on a new belt, the tensioner would be back almost to the point where it wasn't putting any tension on the belt. When I removed my vacuum pump (after installing the Heath boost control) I got a different belt (since I need one that was 1" shorter) and it keeps the tensioner right in the middle of the area where it's supposed to be.

-Chris

[rjwest]

If you are using non gm belts, they will stretch,
especially Gates,

Need the correct Belt GM ( was made by Good year )
And the correct Tensioner/pully,

Some After market 'fits many ' are slightly different,
Swapping just the Pully also may not work.

I have been thru the whole process of non oem,
Belts stretched, sli[pped etc.

Installed GM belt and tensioner asm. alls well
last 40K miles...

[russfixr]

The plow runs off of it's own pump and it was just in the air at the time.
The belt and tensioner look good. I've never heard any squealing from it.
I've got about 150K on this pump.

I guess I need to dive into the pump. The hoses look like they aren't made to be removed from the reservoir. Has anybody had luck replacing them without replacing the reservoir assembly? It's about 120 bucks more to buy the pump with reservoir vs. the bare pump. I've got access to hydraulic hose, I just don't know how I'd get another clamping band on tight enough.

Thanks,
Russ

[GMCfourX4]

Russfixr;
The hoses that connect to the reservoir are low-pressure return hoses, the high-pressure hoses are connected with nuts directly to the pump itself. You only need a spring clamp to hold the return hoses snug, and they shouldn't leak.

-Chris