D17 power steering

[Toddwp]

Power steering intermittently locks up on my D17. Any ideas what might cause that?

 

[funky_g00]

If "intermittently locks up" is the same as jerky/weak steering, then I would say the seals on the the main shaft in the power steering pump are leaking and letting fluid and pressure bleed off or bypass from where it is needed to go. I hope you have bad seals and not a pitted or grooved shaft as my dad went thru this with his D17 and bought possibly the last replacement shaft left after years of searching. It was pricey and the dealer did not want to let it go without the old core in hand. He also could not find a machine shop that would fix or make him a new shaft as it is a rather complicated design, but he does not have many machine shops in his neck of the woods anymore.

 

[Toddwp]

Not so much weak or jerky, but every once in a while the power steering stops working and I have to give it everything I have to steer. But after a bit it's like the pump starts working again and all is well

 

[DrAllis]

HAVE YOU CHECKED THE OIL ??????? Located ahead of the radiator behind the grille screen. Is this a gas or diesel?? What series is it?? Is it a belt driven PS pump?? If so, the belt might be loose enough to cause this.....seen that before.

 

[Toddwp]

Oil is good, belt is tight, gas series 3

 

[DrAllis]

If it is a wide front end, I'd suggest jacking up the front wheels off the ground and grease the spindles really well. You don't say what you are doing when this occurs ?? Does this have a loader on it ?? Knowing that no one ever changes the oil on those PS systems ( supposed to be yearly), I would highly suggest that you drain it and replace with Universal Hydraulic/transmission fluid. Takes 4+ quarts maybe 5 quarts. the oil used to be dexron, which is very thin. Maybe the fresh oil which is a 10W-30 wt will enhance a system that is worn. I've used this type of oil for 40 years and think it has always worked better than dexron.