2008 Power Steeringtrying to turn the vehicle the steering got HARD

[Risky Bizness]

My wife was driving our 2008 Sport Trac the other day, and when trying to turn, the steering got hard, like the power steering quit working.

Do these trucks have a "rack", or just a pump?

 

[Risky Bizness]

Seems the harmonic balancer went bad on our Sport Trac.

But, am going to go ahead and have the power steering system flushed too.

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

Check your belt for low tension/slippage & power steering fluid first. There's a hydraulic power steering pump on the engine that's turned by the belt which supplies pressure to a power rack and pinion. If those things check out and you still have an issue, there could be a deeper issue in the power steering system.

 

[Risky Bizness]

About a week ago, I had the shop replace the belt with a new one. I did in fact check fluid level, and it was good. I have a pump on stand-by, and if need be I will get a new steering rack for it.

Thank-you for hour input !!!

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

About a week ago, I had the shop replace the belt with a new one. I did in fact check fluid level, and it was good. I have a pump on stand-by, and if need be I will get a new steering rack for it.

Thank-you for hour input !!!

Sounds like you are on the right track! It also might be worth trying to flush the old fluid out first before swapping parts. I've fixed one car where the pump was getting clogged by sucking old fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster and replacing it with new fluid. There was a lot of trash that came out when I looked at the old fluid. There's better ways to do it, but that was an easy fix in a pinch.

 

[Risky Bizness]

Yes, will flush old pump first. Our tech's/mechanics are some of the top people in my part of the country. Been going there for 18-19 years, so I know them.

(PLUS, I am their service writer for the dealership) {Prob don't make any difference} LOL