Project X = Power Steering with AGR Pump

Good to hear!

Ted, Bill Tharp here...the dead guy in La Crescenta. I just finished reading the whole thing here about the trials and tribulations with the AGR pump. I wanted one about the time you put yours in. Instead, I went with a Cordone re-manufactured pump and gear box. A lot cheaper and I am only a some-time off roader. At first, the slop in the steering was terrible. I reset the adjustment on the gear box and it helped but there was an off/on whine and the steering seemed to have a mind of it's own. I inspected the reservoir with the engine running and I also, with a standard pump, see the cavitation that occurs when the fluid re-enters the pump housing. I also am using the Royal Purple PS fluid and have bled the system as you have suggested in the first posting. I have noticed that first thing in the morning, when the steering fluid is cool, the steering is much better. After 5 - 10 minutes of use, it goes south again. I am beginning to believe that the $10.00 fix will work with the standard OEM set up. I am going to try it and will let you know. If it does, you guys fixed more than you intended. How many complaints have you heard about the Exploder's sloppy steering?

..Not as many as complaints about it's whine..

..I was right by your house today..Just a heads up, the guy I introduced you to at the sandwich shop passed..

..I need to maybe one day get you to work on my factory tape unit and you need to get your steering finalized so you and the Mrs. could come out to a meet and greet..

I've an extra factory (Ford) am/fm tape player that works if you want it.

My steering is so sloppy that it is becoming dangerous to drive. I MUST replace the cheap Cardone rebuild I put in 18 mos. ago. Any suggestions?

..Besides the usual suspects of the links (drag link and end links), the steering shaft and connector themselves are sometimes overlooked..

..It never hurts to verify you have no loose front bearings and the ball joints are good..When jacking the front tire up you may notice an extra amount of movement from the tire, this usually means the bearings are loose. Recheck and tighten as necessary..

..Usually rocking the lifted front tire from 12-6 will verify ball joints and rocking the tire 3-9 will verify steering linkage..

..It is always helpful to have another good set of eyes while doing these simple test as the slightest odd movement can tell a lot and is sometimes hard to see when you yourself are in motion trying to make the tire move..

ALL mentioned by you have been replaced within the last 18 months with new MOOG parts. The front end is tight. The alignment people say the steering box is SHOT! A Cardone rebuild only 18 mos. old. I spoke to Larry at AGR (really knowledgeable guy about steering) and he said to try an AGR re-manufactured Steering box since I have a new pump but the Cardone rebuilt steering gear box has in the last few months become increasingly sloppy. I ordered the AGR billet steering gear box for Ranger/Explorer/F-150, and should have it within five working days. I'll then install same and let you know how it goes. I'll take pictures and a diary as to what tribulations I may have <GRIN>.

..Did you mention to him we fixed his steering pump?..:

..We will be watching for your write up but please leave a link to it in here, for future reader to easily find..

Just replaced the pump in my wifes, made a slight improvement. Also had a bad bearing in the right wheel, believe the rest of the issue is there. Purpose in commenting is i had a mechanic tell me that the ford are "sensitive" and you must let the vehicle idle for an hour after putting the new pump in without turning the wheel at all. I bleed the system the way the above instructions said. Any truth to what he said??

..I myself haven't heard of that and if I am reading your post correctly, the steering pump would actually be sucking air which would burn up the pump..:scratch:

Purpose in commenting is i had a mechanic tell me that the ford are "sensitive" and you must let the vehicle idle for an hour after putting the new pump in without turning the wheel at all.

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Steering questions

While on my last wheeling trip I was flexed out pretty hard, using all of my down travel for sure. I felt a akward sensation in my steering wheel. It felt like the passenger tire (at droop) was trying to turn inward or left. Since then I have noticed some slop in the steering about 3/4" - 1" of play in the steering wheel at center and also some popping when turning right (passenger) and when it recenters. Drag link, wheel bearings, ball joints and tie rods are all new with less than 500 miles on them. Could the loose steering, akward feeling and popping be from the steering box?

cmhaah06 said:

While on my last wheeling trip I was flexed out pretty hard, using all of my down travel for sure. I felt a akward sensation in my steering wheel. It felt like the passenger tire (at droop) was trying to turn inward or left. Since then I have noticed some slop in the steering about 3/4" - 1" of play in the steering wheel at center and also some popping when turning right (passenger) and when it recenters. Drag link, wheel bearings, ball joints and tie rods are all new with less than 500 miles on them. Could the loose steering, akward feeling and popping be from the steering box?

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If you have replaced the box, check the mounting bolts. Next thing to check is whether the adjusting collars have been snagging on your sway bar mount.

Also check the bolt that holds the pitman arm on.

There is a pre-load adjuster on the top of the box. Slot head bolt with a lock nut, but if you get it too tight you can feel it drag and it won't stay centered (feels like a hump at center).

The only remaining suspect would be the sector shaft and you DON"T want that to fail :roll:

..I second the mounting bolts on the steering box as I've seen them tear thru the frameif they get loose..

..Try to isolate where the popping is coming from..

..I have a similar but not so severe issue on my X...Now that everything else is tightened up, my issue is at the steering shaft between the P.S. box and the firewall...

..I could not locate this without someone else throwing only the slop in the steering back and forth while I closely watched the movement of parts underneath..

..This thread may also be worth the read..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368380

I know this an older thread, but in I'm wondering if the AGR pump will work a 99 4.0 OHV

I do not believe they have a model for your year..

..I was just asked how this pump is holding up after a few years..

I must say it was sketchy at the beginning but after the elbow hose add on fix, its been so good I don't even know it is there...:biggthump

Just bumping this.

I put an AGR pump in my 92 last year? and have been dealing with the aeration everyday. I'm wondering how Phil's hose fix is holding up? I talked with the guys at NAPA and they were concerned that using a coolant hose for an oil application would make it swell and get soft.

So, what do you say? Coolant hose holding up or not so much?

Thanks

Benjam

.I can't speak for Phil but am eager to share..

...My hose has lasted for a long time but I would have to check this thread for actually how long, yet it is due to be changed out soon due to those conditions finally showing up..

..The reason I looked for an off the shelf hose would be for cheap price and readily available for when it does fail..

..As for the aeration, never had an issue since and I still am running the original Royal Purple in it..

..I just had a hose failure in my Ranger which I changed out both hoses as one was severly leaking and I now found out the pump is leaking also...

..Will I do the AGR pump again with the hose fix?

..Since they are special order around here now, I am hoping to have enough money when I run up to Reno next month to drive right up to Summit Racing's door and pick one up in person for the Ranger..(They are the cheapest I've currently found)..:biggthump

Edit:

Found it in post #88 of this thread..It's been just shy of 3 years with the hose fix and it works still..

Benjam said:

Just bumping this.

I put an AGR pump in my 92 last year? and have been dealing with the aeration everyday. I'm wondering how Phil's hose fix is holding up? I talked with the guys at NAPA and they were concerned that using a coolant hose for an oil application would make it swell and get soft.

So, what do you say? Coolant hose holding up or not so much?

Thanks

Benjam

Click to expand...

My extension is still good too.

I know the fluid gets real hot, you can smell it at the later part of a long trial, especially in summer. I even have an Aux trans cooler for it and it still gets hot, but the hose still looks good. It's just a reservoir, not pressurized.

Mr. ALBINO 94LTD, I recently (11 mos ago) installed the AGR pump in my 1992 Eddie Bauer. At the instillation, I also added a section of 2+ inch hose to the filler tube and tightened it on with a stainless steel screw clamp. The hose was cut so that with the filler cap/measure installed, I still had about 1 inch clearance to the hood when closed. This allowed me to add about 3/4 of a pint Royal Purple steering fluid in addition to the standard amount. Fluid in the PS is very warm but much cooler than the standard pump without the add on filler space. I have NO bubbles in the pump when I observe with the cap off and run the steering from lock to lock. I'm saving my pennies for a new lower steering shaft which will remove the last of the steering "slop". I rebuilt the lower steering two years ago but the lock to lock slop is creeping back as the rubberized fabric joint ages. The original X (1990 - 1991) built, had a solid shaft with universal joints. Ford saved pennies by using the fabric joints so 20 yrs later we get to suffer. Flaming River will build a custom, two U Joint shaft for $350.00... This is called, getting the shaft... But how much is your life worth?