Lost all power steering while plowing.
 

I was almost done plowing all of my driveways when all of a sudden the power steering just went from 100% to 0%, normally when the ps goes it's a gradual thing. The fluid was a bit low but at least on the lowest setting. I topped it off and it maybe went to 3% assist. I seemed like I could see the fluid flowing inside the reservoir a little bit. I have been noticing small drops of tranny fluid under my truck for a few months and thought it was the new tranny cooler lines I replaced this summer but now I realize it's from the steering pump area. I just had a new pump, gearbox and new Lines installed in February. Everything was great except when I had my Blizzard plow on it would leak a little bit. I tool the plow off and attempted to cycle the steering wheel left to right but it was very difficult. After a few cycles the power assist was at 5% if that. I managed to get it home since I live one street away. I jacked up one wheel to make it easier to cycle the wheels left and right several times thinking that maybe I've got a bunch of air in the system and was praying this would fix the problem... nope. Just backing the truck up into my driveway was nearly impossible. It was definitely a lot easier to turn the wheel with one tire up and what was very odd was that every time I turned it all the way to the left the truck would chime and flash the brake light and the ABS light while it was maxed out to the left then would go out but would come on every time maxed to the left. Hmmm, then I remembered while plowing this would happen randomly. I can't remember what chain of events would happen to set it off but it seemed like it would mostly be right after I plowed into a snow bank and was about to back up or during that. Another thing to note is that the parking lot I plow has frost heaves that act like 2" sidewalk and when my plow hits them it's like an atomic bomb! My plow lights usually plop off and a few times I've heard that chime and those lights have come on but go out immediately afterwards. My plow is sitting in the middle of my neighbors driveway and I've got one lady with a foot of snow still in her driveway and I'm lost at what's the problem. Did my pump just die just like that? It's almost like the belt snapped and it's just not turning which is not the case. The truck is currently on stock wheels and tires. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you continue bleeding and still no good, tthe cheapest route would be to buy an aftermarket pump, rebleed, and hope for the best.

Jack both tires up, making sure pump is full. Lock to lock until its easy to turn. Reservoir will / should be full of bubbles, but they will subside over time.refill to full level.

Update:
 

Ok with the tires both jacked up I was surprised to find that it’s just as difficult to turn the steering wheel back and forth as it was with only one tire up? I really need to muscle It if I’m turning it at a normal pace but if I go real slow I have 75% assist. But... if I rev the engine to above 1000 it turns normal. The brake and abs light still come on at full left. I cycled it at least 25 times and the level of fluid dropped maybe a 1/4”. So I just turned the truck off to check fluid and restarted it and it’s idling at 1000 and it turns pretty easily but now the brake&abs light are on all the time? What the heck.

I know that my truck, when I replaced the steering gear, hose a and pump, that in order for me to bleed the system properly, I had to have

Both wheels off the ground
The engine revving at 1200 rpm while turning the wheel lock to lock.

If I didn't do this, I couldn't get the air to purge.

Does your truck have hydroboost? If so, your air purging process most likely will be different.

Might not be the pump........I would check the front end.............




47

Good point.

IF the axle U joints are frozen, you won't be able to turn the wheels back and forth with ease.

Get both wheels up, and manually turn the wheels back and forth at the tire. Look at the front axle joints. they should turn with ease.

My right side axle joint locked up a few years back. I would make a right hand turn, and then I had an almost impossible time turning the wheel straight again. once I removed the axle, and bench tested it, it was completely frozen on one side of the axis, while the other side had grease in it. Replaced it with new Spicer units, and it's been trouble free ever since.

You most likely overheated the system and cooked the pump. Plowing is extremely hard on PS systems. Your brake lights come on because the power steering and brake boost share the same pump. When the pressure is too low the brake warning light comes on.

After you replace the pump fill the system with synthetic ATF. This will help it survive hot temps better.