Power steering help...

[Freshmeat]

Okay- my power steering consistently overheats. Last weekend I replaced the steering box and ran the low pressure side through the OEM external transmission cooler.

Today within half an hour on the trails it was moaning and getting tough to turn the wheel. My pump IS leaking, but the fluid wasn't low.

Is there anything I can do to keep it from overheating so quickly?

 

[Flip4ford]

Put a tranny cooler on the low pressure side. I have heard of allot of people doing that.

 

[Freshmeat]

Did you read my first post?

 

[BWTGUY]

Hi Freshmeat. I also have a 92' EB Ex. I am about to replace the entire (Whole Damn Thing) Power steering on my Ex. I intend to replace the pump, steering box, both hoses, add a LARGE transmission oil cooler in the return line and a filter in same. It will take me at least three months to get all the parts (I'm on a retired budget) but I'll let you know what parts and how the results work out. I'm 76 years old so I'll move slow but not too slow. I suspect that the real culprit in the Explorers is the gear box. There has never been a performance gear box made for this vehicle, just rebuilds. A well built power steering pump is available but at $250.00+ is beyond my means.

RockAuto is where I intend to get the parts and modify as needed. If you have any ideas on this, please share them. I suppose an electric fan could modified to blow across the cooler so if heat is still a problem I'll try that. What do you think? A small 12 volt fan would probably be cheap and help some.

 

[Freshmeat]

Hi Freshmeat. I also have a 92' EB Ex. I am about to replace the entire (Whole Damn Thing) Power steering on my Ex. I intend to replace the pump, steering box, both hoses, add a LARGE transmission oil cooler in the return line and a filter in same. It will take me at least three months to get all the parts (I'm on a retired budget) but I'll let you know what parts and how the results work out. I'm 76 years old so I'll move slow but not too slow. I suspect that the real culprit in the Explorers is the gear box. There has never been a performance gear box made for this vehicle, just rebuilds. A well built power steering pump is available but at $250.00+ is beyond my means.

RockAuto is where I intend to get the parts and modify as needed. If you have any ideas on this, please share them. I suppose an electric fan could modified to blow across the cooler so if heat is still a problem I'll try that. What do you think? A small 12 volt fan would probably be cheap and help some.

I think the gearbox is fine, in all honesty. It's my understanding that the stock pump simply doesn't build enough pressure to do what it needs to do and everything else therefore works harder to compensate.
A lot of guys are using the Saginaw pumps, but they are no longer in production and no longer available as remanufactured units. The only option is to find one at a junk yard and have it sent in to be rebuilt. That's the route I plan to go for my pump.
I'm also going to look for a larger oil cooler, but I honestly don't believe it would need its own fan if the system is set up properly.
As for the filter... that's actually a grand idea and I'm going to dig around to see if I can find an oil filter relocation kit for cheap that I could use for the power steering system.

 

[Tbars4]

...BWTGUY, This thread may be useful when swapping out your steering stuff..It has some good info at the bottom of the first post including steering noise...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240227&highlight=agr

 

[Willard]

I'll just say the steering box should pose no problem if the pump is providing sufficient pressure. The steering box used in these trucks was also used in FSB's, Full size vans, and trucks up the F-450 Super Duty flavor.

 

[Freshmeat]

...BWTGUY, This thread may be useful when swapping out your steering stuff..It has some good info at the bottom of the first post including steering noise...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240227&highlight=agr

I can't believe I knew nothing of this pump before. Given the price of a rebuilt Saginaw, this is very reasonable.

 

[Tbars4]

..Summitracing.com is the best place to currently get them..

My pump IS leaking, but the fluid wasn't low.

...But I am hoping you can find your answer between "Eliminating Noise in the Power Steering System:" and "Special Conditions:" in that thread..