First, let me say thank you to everyone here that replies to all of the threads that I have started over the years. You guys (and girls) have kept my truck running, and without this site, I wouldn't be driving the truck today, and if I was, I would be a whole lot more broke than I am right now.
So I was 4-wheeling just now, and I ran across a little tree, and as soon as I got to the other side of it, my power steering has gone bye-bye. I pulled it back over here to the parking lot at work, and I could only see a drop or two of p/s fluid, but my reservoir is bone dry. I can't see if it's just the hose, or if the whole thing has gone out. What do I need to look for and where do I need to look? I mean, I know where my reservoir is and all, but I haven't a clue where to look next.

 

If you are low on fluid it's leaking out from somewhere.

Your best bet is to visually check the hoses where they go into the power steering pump, where they go into the steering box, and the entire length of the hoses too. Also check the steering box itself, somtimes the seals on the steering output shaft (where the pitman arm bolts on) begin to leak.

Most likely you'll see the fluid somewhere, but if you, can't tell where it's coming from, top off the resevoir and start it up and check while it's running.

BTW, the pump and steering box also depend on the fluid for lubrcation purposes too so do'nt run the truck without the power steering fluid in there or you may trash the whole works.

You'll also notice how noisy it is when it's low on fluid. Thats because the sysem is cavitating and pumping air along with the fluid causing it to foam up. When the leak is found and repaired top off the resevoir and check it often because it will take a while for all that air to work it's way out of the system.

Good luck. Let us know what you find.

 

Yeah, I blew something out, because I went from `full` on p/s fluid to `less than none` in about 1/2 a second. What I was asking is, where do I look to see if the seals are blown out? I don't know where the steering box is. I'll check the steering output shaft, though, I found a little black seal laying on my skid plate, and that's about the only place that it could have come from. Any other hints?

 

If itblew it out that fast then my money is on the high pressure hose, it is the one with the compression couplings.

 

I think it's the hose that is directly on the bottom of the pump. It is rubber hose that has the small metal line on the end that goes into the O-ring on the pump. I am going to keep refilling it with fluid so I can get to work and then to the garage (work is on the way to the garage), then I am going to see what I can do with it. I'll post back and let everybody know. Thanks again!

 

If its not the hose then you might have to rebuild my gearbox and it very inexpensive if you do it yourself. Autozone will rent you a pitman arm puller for like $20 and when your done you get your money back. But make sure that you you get the pitman arm off before you unbolt the gearbox from the chasis.

 

Keep in mind that ford in its infinite wisdom has used plastic pump bodies for some time. You might have cracked the return nipple in the pump body. It is the return/low pressure side of the system so unless you broke it completely off you might be able to get it clean and dry with brake cleaner and use an epoxy like jb weld on it if it turns out to be this. The gear boxes are pretty stout and I would think you would have to had bottomed out pretty good to have damaged it.( ofcourse, anything is poss.) I am just think what would be the weakest link in the system and other than the hoses the pump comes to mind.