I fitted a new PS pump last year around August If I remember correctly, always seemed a little underpowered at idle but I thought it was down to my tyres.

 

Yesterday I delivered a mower I'd sold to a guy 40 odd miles away using a 12ft trailer, anyway missed the house so had to do a U turn at a T junction, it was a bit tight and to be fair I held the steering on full lock for too long and too hard, all of a sudden steering and brake pedal are both hard, I got straightened up checked for leaks , no leaks but steering hard at idle, delivered the mower and drove home with no steering or brakes at low revs.

Took the pressure pipe off and the fitting to get to the relief valve and the relief valve is stuck right in and won't come out, after fishing with a strong magnet I had to remove the PS pump

 

Once on the bench I managed to get the valve out, cleaned everything up with brake cleaner and everything is ok and moving as it should, polished the valve with very fine wet and dry to be sure

Did the power steering pump mod before refitting it and wow what a difference it's like a totally different truck.

 

In the article below it mentions about being careful not to block the small hole when drilling the centre of the fitting, this is a good tip as mine did block and I did have to redrill it

 

 

If you chose to run a filter in the return line don't use this kind in the picture. I got 2 of them from ebay I believe and both did the same thing, split overtime where they were put together with glue ? or melted together. I'm now using the one in ibmobil article. 

  On 2/24/2021 at 4:10 PM, wil440 said:

In the article below it mentions about being careful not to block the small hole when drilling the centre of the fitting, this is a good tip as mine did block and I did have to redrill it

Did did it get blocked by shavings from the other hole you drilled ? A bit confused on how can it get blocked. Thinking I'll do this mod over the weekend just for fun, it's been a few days since I worked on the truck 

  On 2/24/2021 at 10:00 PM, Dieselfuture said:

Did did it get blocked by shavings from the other hole you drilled ? A bit confused on how can it get blocked. Thinking I'll do this mod over the weekend just for fun, it's been a few days since I worked on the truck 

Yes the small side hole got blocked while drilling through the centre 

 

 

 

 

 

Blow guns and compressed air are a good friends to have around.

  On 2/26/2021 at 3:53 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

Blow guns and compressed air are a good friends to have around.

I have compressed air and blow gun but that and several tries with brake cleaner wouldn't shift it, I have a spare pump in pieces so took a at that and looking from the side through the small hole I could see  light from the ends if that make sense, the one I drilled there was no light but brake cleaner would spray through it in a fashion so redrilled by hand not power

  On 2/26/2021 at 8:15 AM, wil440 said:

I have compressed air and blow gun but that and several tries with brake cleaner wouldn't shift it, I have a spare pump in pieces so took a at that and looking from the side through the small hole I could see  light from the ends if that make sense, the one I drilled there was no light but brake cleaner would spray through it in a fashion so redrilled by hand not power

Good to hear that this mod has worked for many people and easy to do. 

I've researched it some more and some claim that it may shorten the lifespan of a pump, what do you think. 

I did see a picture somewhere the other day with the pump shaft sheared off.

 

Me personally after looking at the relief valve the mod does nothing to actually raise pressure as no springs are shimmed/stretched the only thing the mod does is make a bigger path for pressurized oil to get out of the pump as in less restriction after the relief valve.

Both my steering and brakes feel better at low rpm as you would parking etc

Mine oe still works after almost 20 years. I am afraid to touch it.

  On 2/26/2021 at 1:14 PM, wil440 said:

Both my steering and brakes feel better at low rpm as you would parking etc

I'm thinking just drilling it out a hair instead of to .2" something in between.

  On 2/27/2021 at 1:01 AM, Dieselfuture said:

I'm thinking just drilling it out a hair instead of to .2" something in between.

Closest drill I had was .203 so that's what it got, this is the hole down the centre, the 2 other holes one which is already there and the new one opposite you drill got .125 as instructions say

If you want a little more easy steer, take the plunger inside the pr valve & grind the end that narrows down to where it gets straight with the rest of the plunger, about 1/8". This gives you more flow.

  On 2/26/2021 at 10:22 PM, dripley said:

Mine oe still works after almost 20 years. I am afraid to touch it.

 

Yours held up quite well my friend mine on the other had gave up. I've still got my factor power steering pump I might tear it down and see about fixing my OEM pump which work wonderful all these hundreds of thousands miles. 

  On 3/2/2021 at 1:01 PM, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Yours held up quite well my friend mine on the other had gave up. I've still got my factor power steering pump I might tear it down and see about fixing my OEM pump which work wonderful all these hundreds of thousands miles. 

Yes it has. My oe steering gear has finally started leaking at the input seal. Figure the output is next. I would send it to Blue top for rebuild but cant park the for 2 or 3 weeks. Weighing my options for now. It does need a rebuid or replacement.