Ford 3000 steering cylinders

[New to Blue]

73 Ford 3000 factory power steering.
Trouble shooting my harder to turn left problem.
I've completely rebuild steering gear box and steering valve because of a leaking upper shaft seal, this included all new bearings, seals, and even a new power steering shaft.
I truly believe that I followed the I&T manual for removing all the play from the sector shafts, assembling the valve plungers and tightening then backing 1/6 turn off and staking the steering shaft nut. Steering gear assembly operates beautifully not attached to drag links.
Lines are correctly hooked up. Verified by removing steering cylinders from drag links making sure cylinders they operate the correct direction as commanded by the steering wheel.
I noticed the left spindle had a lot slop so I though maybe there was some binding because of bad geometry, so I completely rebuild the left spindle to include new bushings, new spindle and thrust bearing.
After all this it is still harder to turn left than right.
So my question. Is there a way to test the steering cylinders themselves for "internal" pressure leaking? is this even a problem/possible?
What else should I consider? What have I over looked?

Thanks!

 

[Texasmark]

My experience with hyd cylinders. and I had a great deal of it rebuilding a well worn out JD 95 Combine....seemingly every kind of "how do you get into it" imaginable, is that the packing gets worn out and that manifests itself by fluid coming out the plunger shaft end. Other than that there isn't anything in there to go bad...just a hollow cylinder with a push rod with fluid seals (packing).

 

[sotxbill]

My experience with hyd cylinders. and I had a great deal of it rebuilding a well worn out JD 95 Combine....seemingly every kind of "how do you get into it" imaginable, is that the packing gets worn out and that manifests itself by fluid coming out the plunger shaft end. Other than that there isn't anything in there to go bad...just a hollow cylinder with a push rod with fluid seals (packing).

Since the ford has two way cyls,, leaking seals would make either direction hard???? Just thinking and thats scary.

 

[New to Blue]

I did have one idea come to mind. Swapping the cylinders from one side to the other side and see if the problem follows. If it does, it has to be a bad cylinder. If not the only thing I can think of would be that the steering valve has a problem either my rebuild or actual mechanical problem.

 

[Texasmark]

Since the ford has two way cyls,, leaking seals would make either direction hard???? Just thinking and thats scary.

Maybe, maybe not. Load on the piston may be lower in the suck than in the push so the packing would be distorted in the direction favoring the lower load.....I would imagine.

 

[sotxbill]

Maybe, maybe not. Load on the piston may be lower in the suck than in the push so the packing would be distorted in the direction favoring the lower load.....I would imagine.

Still thinking its a valve problem... but trying to rationalize the cly problems..Since both cyls are tied together, a leak in one will drop pressure on both cyls, thus both sides... but the likelyhood of a one way failure is still a bit.. foggy.... an oring on a piston... could happen?? Or how bout a rusted or damage outer cyl only in one spot. in a location.... that would affect going right vrs good on the going left sections..?? Now that would be interesting.