Weird power steering problem
 

Hey all,

I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?

That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.

I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
get the old new one off.

My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).

Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

It may be the clutches operating the valves, but usualy it's air
around the piston, to solve this I loosen the bolts holding the cap and
adjustment screw, enough to let the oil pressure leak past the "O" type
gasket.
There's a especial puller for it, but I get by with a thin open end
wrench and chain the claws of a regular puller tight to that wench. Then
because there's something weird about the treaded hole in that shaft, I
heat the pulley's hub and slip it on by hand.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

It may be the clutches operating the valves, but usualy it's air
around the piston, to solve this I loosen the bolts holding the cap and
adjustment screw, enough to let the oil pressure leak past the "O" type
gasket.
There's a especial puller for it, but I get by with a thin open end
wrench and chain the claws of a regular puller tight to that wench. Then
because there's something weird about the treaded hole in that shaft, I
heat the pulley's hub and slip it on by hand.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

It may be the clutches operating the valves, but usualy it's air
around the piston, to solve this I loosen the bolts holding the cap and
adjustment screw, enough to let the oil pressure leak past the "O" type
gasket.
There's a especial puller for it, but I get by with a thin open end
wrench and chain the claws of a regular puller tight to that wench. Then
because there's something weird about the treaded hole in that shaft, I
heat the pulley's hub and slip it on by hand.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

It may be the clutches operating the valves, but usualy it's air
around the piston, to solve this I loosen the bolts holding the cap and
adjustment screw, enough to let the oil pressure leak past the "O" type
gasket.
There's a especial puller for it, but I get by with a thin open end
wrench and chain the claws of a regular puller tight to that wench. Then
because there's something weird about the treaded hole in that shaft, I
heat the pulley's hub and slip it on by hand.
God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

You could easily be describing a steering damper shock gone bad or a
front axle u-joint gone bad.

If you jack up the front and turn the wheel to each side and hand spin
them, you will see if a u-joint is binding.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

You could easily be describing a steering damper shock gone bad or a
front axle u-joint gone bad.

If you jack up the front and turn the wheel to each side and hand spin
them, you will see if a u-joint is binding.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

You could easily be describing a steering damper shock gone bad or a
front axle u-joint gone bad.

If you jack up the front and turn the wheel to each side and hand spin
them, you will see if a u-joint is binding.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

You could easily be describing a steering damper shock gone bad or a
front axle u-joint gone bad.

If you jack up the front and turn the wheel to each side and hand spin
them, you will see if a u-joint is binding.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

mslug wrote:
>
> Hey all,
>
> I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
>
> That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
>
> I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> get the old new one off.
>
> My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
>
> Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Weird power steering problem
 

Bill,
Regarding the clutches operating the valves, is that in the steering
box or steering pump? If its the steering box, will I have to take it
off the jeep to relieve the oil pressure.

For some reason the old pulley would just not budge no matter how much
pressure we pushed/pulled on it. It actually warped, but not a mm of
movement off the shaft. Installing a new one was fairly easy since the
pump came with a simple pressing tool.

Thanks

L.W.(ßill) ------ III <----------@cox.net> wrote in message news:<40B40A94.2AF8876B@cox.net>...
> It may be the clutches operating the valves, but usualy it's air
> around the piston, to solve this I loosen the bolts holding the cap and
> adjustment screw, enough to let the oil pressure leak past the "O" type
> gasket.
> There's a especial puller for it, but I get by with a thin open end
> wrench and chain the claws of a regular puller tight to that wench. Then
> because there's something weird about the treaded hole in that shaft, I
> heat the pulley's hub and slip it on by hand.
> God Bless America, ßill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> mslug wrote:
> >
> > Hey all,
> >
> > I have a 93 4.0 Wrangler that has had a power steering problem for a
> > while. Sometimes it would work and then out of the blue it stops
> > working. Its never actually stopped working while I'm driving, only
> > after I turn off the car and restart. I checked this forum and it
> > seems like the culprit was the steering pump. So i went ahead and got
> > a rebuilt pump and installed it. The "new" pump worked great but I
> > still felt a very light tight spot. Today after playing some golf I
> > started up the Jeep to go home, and I was blessed with manual steering
> > again. I checked the fluid level and belt, but everything is fine. No
> > leaks or anything. Could it be the steering box itself that may be
> > bad? The jeep does have almost 200K miles on it. Or am I just really
> > unlucky and became the recipient of a bad rebuilt pump?
> >
> > That reminds me, has anyone been successful in pulling the old
> > steering pump pulley off? I tried a pulley puller, a press, and torch
> > but that sucker wouldn't come off so I ended up buying a new pulley.
> >
> > I'd like to know if theres anyway to check if its the steering box
> > itself before I go ahead and try another pump, cause I'll probably
> > need another $30 pulley for another new pump since its impossible to
> > get the old new one off.
> >
> > My ride has a 3.5" BDS lift kit and 32" tires, with the stock pitman
> > arm (the dropped pitman arm would have made the track bar less
> > parallel with the drag link so I never installed it).
> >
> > Thanks for listening...this forum is like the encyclopedia for jeeps.
> > Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.