Vacuum pump/Power steering question

[RipnRam99]

I have been having some issues on with hard steering at idle, along with intermittent 4wd, and slow, or non responsive heater controls... I have been trying to track down vacuum leaks, but havent come up with anything, but a very tiny line with a break near the passenger side firewall...

I am wondering if the pump may be bad? I did find a receipt in the truck for a new PS pump installed in 2015, and I know the guy only put about 2000 miles on the truck in all that time...

could one have something to do with the other? are they a single unit?

Thanks for the info, and help guys!

[Mopar1973Man]

Heater controls is a vacuum pump or vacuum leak problem. I would check vacuum leaks first.

 

Hard steering is most like the gear box needing to be rebuilt because seals are blown out or passages are plugged up. Most likely both being rarely do I find anyone that changes the power steering fluid at the recommended 30k miles intervals. Being you most like pass debris from the old pump there the system it most likely plugged ports up so you'll end up pulling the steering box out to rebuild it. I highly suggest you do not replace steering box but rebuild it. Most boxes can be rebuilt fairly cheap around 30 to 40 bucks and made tight again like OEM new box.  

[RipnRam99]

Thank you.... The steering box in this truck is a bit loose... But I'm used to that... No truck in Mendocino county is a pavement princess....

I do have replacement parts galore on my old truck... Same year... I miss my old truck. Somehow, it was better... In nearly every way...

I have the option to look at this new truck, then look at my old truck. (Both 99 2500 diesel auto club cab)... And my old one is somehow different...

Cleaner, in the mechanical way....

I am getting frustrated... I'm a one man army out here with this... I am not a newb... I had my old truck for 16 years... I still got it... Its just a foot and a half shorter on the drivers side... I hit my own tree, on my own land... 500 hp... 7800lbs... Mud... Down hill... Fir trees got no give... 

"Throw it in the gutter, and go buy another"... Easy E...

Well... Seems it's not exactly that easy... Easy E! LOL!

 

[Dieselfuture]

Off subject but your profile picture looks like fun, where is that at.

[RipnRam99]

On 1/26/2018 at 8:13 PM, Dieselfuture said:

Off subject but your profile picture looks like fun, where is that at.

That was on a pontoon boat, on Clear Lake in northern California.... That was a major wild weekend!!! Dual bachelor party in a weekend rental house, with 5 boats... And strippers!!! 

We rented the party barge... I was Captain lazy ride... I liked driving it. It only had a 30hp motor!