GEN 1 Binding or tightness in steering

Recently purchased a '14 and the steering hasn't been right since I got it. Figured the steering pump was going because the fluid was milky and stunk, and it was tough to turn. Mix in some grittiness and I figured it was time.

Pump and fluid changed, no more grittiness, but still hard to turn and slow to return to center as if the steering shaft is bound up. Happens driving or sitting still. Sitting still the pump is working real hard to turn, even makes the RPMs (and gas gauge) dip.

I figured I would grease up the intermediate steering shaft and see if that helps, and get an alignment to check caster. But does anyone else have any experience with this? Don't want to burn up my new pump from whatever is causing all that tension in the steering.

Appreciate any thoughts, hate to throw money at a problem on the wrong parts

i would check the belt, check the pulleys, check voltage, and then make sure the pump is good

Belt seemed good when I pulled it to swap the pump, will take a look at the others. Thanks

I saw you had tight steering in yours when searching, did the new rack make your steering loose/normal again?

There is a nut on the steering rack to adjust backlash I believe. If you over tighten it the steering will get hard to turn. Wonder if it’s been over tightened.

Oh wow, thanks, didn't know you could make that adjustment. It definitely doesn't want to spin back to center easily. And dont think there's much slop at center, just tight, so you may be right

One of the YouTube comments said their '14 didn't have that adjustment? Thought the part numbers were all the same. Looks like a pain in the ass to drop the rack with handtools, read somewhere there was a 375 lb/ft bolt

Sort of sounds like maybe someone had been swimming that truck and water got in the system through the steering actuator maybe. You might take a hard look at the actuator.

I confirmed again that there isn't any play at all at the center of the wheel, it's stiff from the word go. Going to grease the lower U-joints and see if that helps first.

Does anyone have tips on adjusting that steering rack nut? Going at it with handtools so any tricks would be helpful

I adjusted mine with channel locks. It’s been a while but I think you just gotta remove the skid plate. The nut itself isn’t very tight.

Sernas said:

I adjusted mine with channel locks. It’s been a while but I think you just gotta remove the skid plate. The nut itself isn’t very tight.

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Oh nice, I thought the video was saying to drop the rack, but if you can get to it without that's easy enough. Thanks again

agdaniels said:

Figured the steering pump was going because the fluid was milky and stunk, and it was tough to turn. Mix in some grittiness and I figured it was time.

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I would have serious concerns about the rack. You don't mention if you flushed your system before installing the new pump. I would think that whatever was in your old pump was in the rack and now that you put on a new pump on it's in your new pump.