Hello<br>When it gets cold, only then, do I have a problem. I lost the PS pump last year, it was replaced under warranty. Thats when I noticed the problem. 1998 12 V BTW.<br><br>On a cold morning or evening, I have NO power assist. The brake pedal is as hard as a rock, and the steering wheel takes two hands to turn.<br><br>If I get the truck rolling forward, like 5 feet, then it will be ok.<br>After the truck warms up, then it will be OK.<br><br>Moisture in the system?

 

You may have moisture in the system,try flushing the system, then refill with synthetic fluid, the synthetic fluid will flow better in the cold and is less prone to moisture inhibition.

 

If I remember right on the 12V's, the vacuum pump is driven off the power steering pump and is mounted behind the PS pump.(my 89 and 95 were this way) If the 98's were that way and you have vacuum assist, could be a problem with the vacuum pump. If you have a 3500, something is amiss with the PS pump because it supplies to hydraulic force for the brake system, at least it does on my 99.

 

I know on mine or my dad's, when your at a dead stop on a cold morning, or even when it is warm out but the engine is cold, the steering wheel is hard to turn. I've always attributed it to the weight of the big tires, the weight of the engine, and the fact that the fluid hasn't quite made it's rounds thru the pump.

 

Sounds like a PS pump problem. Both brakes and steering are assisted by hydrauling pressure produced by the PS pump. It may be a difficult problem to find since it only lasts a short time. Have you checked with the dealer regarding any TSB's for this? You might have a look at Dave Fritz' site as he has a listing of TSBs on there. Good luck.<br><br>Casey