Broke my truck already-no power steering

[IRSmart]

So let’s just say me and a Rubicon we’re having some fun in a construction site tonight. At one point I went to do donuts in 2WD in the dirt and did about three circles. When I stopped I noticed it was a little harder to steer, then when the truck came to a full stop I lost all power steering. When I turn the wheel at idle, the pump makes the same sound it would make if the wheels were at full lock (they aren’t). The weird thing is that if the engine is idled up it’ll steer fine. It has plenty of fluid so I know I didn’t blow a hose. I limped it the few miles back to work and left a note for my service manager to look at it first thing in the AM. The service department closes for a week starting Thursday, so I’m afraid that if I need a new PS pump I won’t have my truck for a week or more. What do you guys think? Did I just overtax and overheat the PS pump at WOT and hard lock, and once it cools down tomorrow it’ll be fine, or did I royally **** something up?

 

[MADDOG]

You might have kicked up a rock into the steering assembly or between the belt and the pump pulley.

 

[IRSmart]

You might have kicked up a rock into the steering assembly or between the belt and the pump pulley.

That’s certainly a possibility. Would this explain why I have power steering at higher RPMs?

 

[MADDOG]

That’s certainly a possibility. Would this explain why I have power steering at higher RPMs?

Nope...it doesn't. In the scenario I described it would probably stop the pump from turning at all so you'd not have any regardless of RPM. Did you look at the belt or pulley when this happened?

 

[IRSmart]

I did, belt looks fine, and the fluid reservoir is still full. At idle, the pump makes a lot of angry noises if you try and turn the wheel. Do the same with a higher RPM and it’s fine.

 

[GsRAM]

Sounds like you somehow trashed the ps pump or steering rack, if you have hydraulic power steering? My 15 Silverado had electric ps. Good luck.

Don't feel too bad, doing what you describe should not cause a steering failure. ,sounds like you just exposed a weak link

 

[spoon059]

Ahhhh... good ole Carroll County recreation! When we used to do that, it was with old trucks, not brand new $60K trucks!

 

[McBroom]

Ahhhh... good ole Carroll County recreation! When we used to do that, it was with old trucks, not brand new $60K trucks!

What’s the fun in that?? Lol... If we spend $60K plus for a toy then it should be fun to find Ram’s malfunctions...LOL
I have an 18 2500 that keeps begging me to find a mud puddle or some fresh plowed ground...
It’s all funX4

 

[SHOOT2KILL]

Mine sat at the dealer for 2 weeks waiting for a repair of the P.S. and Power Brakes....Blew the High Presure hose and clogged the booster pump...Originally the service writer told me the parts were on backorder for 6 weeks...It's good to have friends in high places @ Chrysler albeit retired...He made 1 phone call and had the hose pulled off the line in Mexico and sent to me...All of a sudden after telling the story to the Svc Mgr, another hose showed up the next day...Only 600 miles on the truck when this all went down...

 

[IRSmart]

Ahhhh... good ole Carroll County recreation! When we used to do that, it was with old trucks, not brand new $60K trucks!

technically we were in howard county lol

and my coworker i went with brought up a point this afternoon. he said that a google search of "no power steering after mudding" yielded the same answer over and over again: clean the underside of your truck off, power steering will work fine after that. can it really be that simple?

 

[IRSmart]

Verdict is in: power steering pump grenaded. Why, the tech has no idea. He said they should be able to withstand what I was doing. A new one is ordered and is “supposed” to be here tomorrow. But if it’s not, it won’t get here until Wednesday and the shop will already be torn down by then, so it won’t get fixed for a week and a half. Cross your fingers everyone!

 

[GsRAM]

Good luck, man. As I said, you exposed a weak link sooner than later

 

[IRSmart]

Good luck, man. As I said, you exposed a weak link sooner than later

Hopefully it was just a weak unit and not a weak design. If it fails again I’ll throw an upgraded pump at it. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

 

[GsRAM]

Hopefully it was just a weak unit and not a weak design. If it fails again I’ll throw an upgraded pump at it. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

That's true man, I hope that' not the case also

 

[mohemipar]

I have seen some PW's beat on way worse than a few donuts. I would agree it was probably just a defective unit that would have given you problems down the road any ways.

 

[IRSmart]

Got the truck back today, good as new. Tech said it was blew one of the seals out. I’m wondering if it was building so much pressure at WOT that turning the wheel blew the weak seal. Oh well, all is good now, so let’s go out and have more fun! If I didn’t want a truck to beat on I would have bought a 1/2 ton! Lol

 

[LB3711]

new truck and already ******* it up LOL

 

[IRSmart]

new truck and already ******* it up LOL

Just for that, you don’t get to touches it

 

[LB3711]

oh ill touch it

 

[IRSmart]

oh ill touch it