I moved to Santa Fe, NM a few weeks ago, and my truck has been sitting ever since. Temps have been below freezing for most of that time, and tonight it was requested that I move the truck to a different spot. Fine, I went out there, it fired up right away, let it idle for a bit, then put it in 4WD (it's solid ice in the parking lot) and eased it on out. Then went to stop when I got close to another parked car. Glad I was crawling along..........I had to stand on the brakes for anything at all to happen, and barely got stopped in time. Then had to manuever out and around to a different spot, and the steering was almost immovable, too. Had a H*ll of a time with it. Good thing I've got good shoulders. Tranny and transfer case shifted normally.
This can't be normal in cold weather......can it ?? This is the 1st time the truck's been in weather like this - it's a Palm Springs baby. Maybe rats ate the fan belt ?? What do you guys think ??

Lar.

 

On the breaks, it sounds like a vacuum pump problem. The power steering pump is mounted on the back of the vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is gear drive not belt. It's mounted under the injector pump on back of the timming cover.

Hopes this helps, Rod

 

this happened to me in the extreme cold too.Make sure your steering fluid is up

 

Sounds like a cold truck/has not been moved in a while problem. She should loosen up after you drive her around for a bit. We have a 96 here at work, and it's kinda touchy after we first fire it up, same things that you describe.

 

Look at the power steering pump and make sure everything looks fine. If it does try switching to synthetic oil, it is supposed to help.

 

Both the brakes and steering use the power steering pump output for hydraboost assist. That's the common link between the two.

Rusty