I haven't  been driving my truck for a long time, but went to the lake and the steering just seems heavy. It always was if you ask me but even worse now. Considering changing  the PS pump. Anybody care to chime in? I would hate to change it and not get an improvement. 

Do you also have hydroboost brakes?

14 hours ago, Great work! said:

I haven't  been driving my truck for a long time, but went to the lake and the steering just seems heavy. It always was if you ask me but even worse now. Considering changing  the PS pump. Anybody care to chime in? I would hate to change it and not get an improvement. 

 

When was the fluid changed last? I would at least do that before anything else. I recommend Red Line synthetic after a good drain and flush.

 

 

 

 

Hydroboost yes. I changed the fluid 2 or 3 years ago because it was noisy in the winter.

418k miles changed every 30k miles. OEM pump is still going. Using only PETROLEUM Walmart Super Tech or NAPA power steering fluid. Steering box was in excellent condition when Ryan at @Blue-Top Steering got mine just needed new seals and he sold my old box in mere minutes of getting my box. I upgraded to quick ratio. So I'm never suggest synthetics because is much cheaper to change often with petroleum than spending big money on synthetics that your going to waste in changing every 30k miles. Basically for my old travels that was every 6 months being I covered close to 60k to 65k a year. I might still be at that level being all the long haul I've been doing. 

 

418k miles... That should say quite a bit.

Edited August 22, 20204 yr by Mopar1973Man

If you still have good brakes and the steering still has poor assist, it likely isn't the pump. They really do not like dirty fluid. Not a bad idea to flush the whole thing, you may find a good flush has it back to normal.

Just replaced mine on Friday night, I had brakes getting softer and steering was only really useful if you had it off idle. Got tired of touching the throttle to turn into a parking lot or backing a trailer. 
 

the pump reseal kit was cheap, only $18 at Cummins, came with instructions of how to Rebuild the vacuum pump apart. For the pump I found Napa was the cheapest, even with the core price. Which got returned the next morning. Used the Walmart super tech fluid. 
 

about 2 hrs of my life and steering can be done by my finger at idle, and brakes are strong again. 

We have the kits here too...

 

My brakes are weak too. I'll drive it some more and change the fluid and see what happens. 

Brake fluid is hygroscopic. As the brake ages it will collect the moisture from the air. It lowers the boiling point and adds moisture to the fluid and cause rusting and pitting of the wheel cylinders, master cylinder and calipers. As the moisture builds it will start to break down the rubber seals which is the black color your seeing. This means hoses could be thinning inside and cause one way blisters that block flow. 

I mean the power assist is weak. It's a hydroboost type. The brake fluid gets changed regularly every time a line rust through lol.

Gotta love that salt. Does sound like a new pump may be in order then.

Edited August 25, 20204 yr by That Guy