steering rack

[homer simpson]

hello i dont know if this has been posted before but my power steerings a bit hard to steer sometimes and sometimes its easy to steer and when you turn the steering wheel it groans no matter what you do and how full the fluid is and it sounds like its comming from the rack and underneath what could cause that. im taking it to my mechanic but i might ask yous as well as yous may know. also why does the power steering fluid leek all over the place, where would the leak be comming from, the front of the pump or the resivor

[aussieghostrider]

ok well first how many k's on the car ...

power steering rack leaks slightly on mine but nulon stop leak helps that , also it sounds like your high pressure hose might be cracked and not supplying enough fluid into the rack which happened to mine cost me like $170.

if u follow the hoses that go from the pump to the rack , degrease and hose it there then go for a drive then pull over and shine torch where hoses meet the rack , you will see fresh pink fluid if stuffed.

the hoses crack from old age and if you drive a few mins will gradually get worse with making noises etc.

also stuffed tie rods ( bent ) can put more pressure on the steering.

[homer simpson]

well its done nearly 263000kms anything else you can think of so how much for above, just a rough idea is all i want at this stage ant its comming from the top i dont know where to and it drips down the bottom

[AttaBoy]

Your pump could be starting to fail. There are steering pump repair kits available.

[homer simpson]

i put another secondhand pump in and when i turn the pulley by hand it seems ok is there any other way to tell if the pumps no good some bushes are cracked as well and what will need fixing and how much is that the steering rack causing that as well as the bushes and the boot on the right of the racks craked so what does that mean and how do i tell if the rods are bent