I went out and had some fun in my truck this weekend and now the power steering is acting up. I can't turn the wheels easy up less im on the throttle and i checked it for fluid and it is full still. is the pump starting to go out now?

Jack the front end up off the ground and block it up start the truck and try to go lock to lock and see if it has any issues. Binding ball joint, tie rod end binding? Check the wheel bearings while you are there. If it's hard to turn lock to lock and you don't have anything binding it might be a bad gear box or pump. 

Sounds like the pump is getting weak. Does it stearin fine going down the road?

ok i will try blocking it off the ground and see if anything is wrong and tell you my findings. it doesn't seem to bad going down the road but you can feel the pump is trying to work but right when i start turning it is the big problem.

So it's having a problem while your moving? My experience is if your moving the stearing will work fine. Maybe moan or groan if you are going slow, but highway speeds it works fine. Sounds like you've broke, bent, or bound something.

I've been told to do a system flush and see where that gets me. Might be worthy for you too.

ok just did the test and it moves just fine when on the jacks back and forth i did this about 8 time each way and then when i put it back on the ground it would move easy a little bit then it would go back to hard as crap to move and i could never get it all the way over because it was to hard to turn. i think the pump is just starting to go out

Well yeah if it's easy to turn while in the air and hard to turn on the ground then it could be the steering box or the pump.

Also it could be the power steering fluid is breaking down and/or the fluid is getting loaded with debris and plugging up small orifices in the power steering gear box. I would attempt doing a fluid flush and see if it clears up.

I need some opinions on which powers steering box to replace my bad box with. I can get a rebuilt one from rock auto for 139 bucks.Borgeson and redhead are pretty pricey. Are they worth it for average driving ?, I don,t abuse my truck.Just wondering whateverybodies opinon is.

Edited December 22, 201410 yr by hodag56

It may have overflow valve, than it could have a weak spring, just thinking out loud.

Or over pressure valve.

Edited December 22, 201410 yr by Dieselfuture

It may have overflow valve, than it could have a weak spring, just thinking out loud.

Or over pressure valve.

This is on a 12 valve, but it's pretty much the same.

 

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94-98-powertrain/1387641-power-steering-pump-explained.html

 

Also

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/94-98-non-powertrain/1262601-how-remove-power-steering-box.html

http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1997/19-10-97.htm

I need some opinions on which powers steering box to replace my bad box with. I can get a rebuilt one from rock auto for 139 bucks.Borgeson and redhead are pretty pricey. Are they worth it for average driving ?, I don,t abuse my truck.Just wondering whateverybodies opinon is.

I replaced mine with a rebuilt one from Advance Auto about six months ago. I haven't had any problems yet. Make sure you flush the system really well. As for the Borgeson, my guess is that they are better built and probably last a long time if you service the system regularly but I didn't have that kind of money to spend.

I replaced mine with a rebuilt one from Advance Auto about six months ago. I haven't had any problems yet. Make sure you flush the system really well. As for the Borgeson, my guess is that they are better built and probably last a long time if you service the system regularly but I didn't have that kind of money to spend.

thanks.

I can't justify that much money for a Borgeson even though they will probably last longer .MnTom suggest aNapa box .They are  on sale till dec. 24.th  He has  one and has never had  a problem. It has a 1year warranty.

Edited December 22, 201410 yr by hodag56

thanks.

I can't justify that much money for a Borgeson even though they will probably last longer .MnTom suggest aNapa box .They are  on sale till dec. 24.th  He has  one and has never had  a problem. It has a 1year warranty.

If it was me, I would consider rebuilding it myself, I'm not sure how much more you would have to take it apart from what I had in that thread, but it really is a simple design, and rockauto.com has a rebuild kit for less then $20.