Ford Thunderbird 1966 - Power Steering Gear Diagnosis Guide

PART
3-1
-SUSPENSION,
STEERING,
WHEELS AND
TIRES
-GENERAL
SERVICE
3-3
Fluid
Leaks.
With
the
engine
idling,
turn
the steer
ing
wheel
from
stop
to
stop
several
times.
Check all
possible
leakage
points.
Tighten all
loose
fittings,
and
replace
any
damaged
lines or
defective
seats.
Turning
Effort
With the
front
wheels
properly
a-
ligned and tire pressures
correct,
check
the
effort required to turn
the
steering
wheel.
1.
With
the car
on
dry
concrete,
set
the
parking
brakes.
2.
With
the
engine warmed
up
and
running
at
idle
speed,
turn
the
steering
wheel
to
the left
and
right
several times
to
warm the
fluid.
3. Attach a
pull
scale
to
the
rim
of
the
steering
wheel.
Measure
the
pull
required to
turn
the
wheel one
com
plete
revolution
in
each
direction.
The
effort required
to
rotate
the
steering
wheel should
not exceed
3.5
pounds.
TABLE
2
Power
Steering
Gear Diagnosis
Guide
JERKY
STEERING
Low
fluid
level
or
fluid
leakage.
Loose
steering
gear mountings.
Obstruction in power
steering
lines
Incorrect
steering
gear
adjustment.
or within
the
steering
gear.
HARD
STEERING AND/OR
LOSS
OF POWER
ASSIST
Low
fluid
level or
fluid
leakage.
Insufficient power
steering
pump
.
. .
pressure.
Air in
power
steering
system.
_,
,.
Incorrect
steering
gear adjustment.
Obstruction in
power
steering
lines
or
within the
steering
gear.
Steering
gear
valve
spool
binding
or
out of
adjustment.
HARD
TURNING WHEN
STATIONARY
Low
fluid level or
fluid leakage.
Insufficient power
steering
pump
Obstruction in
power
steering
lines
pressure.
or within the
steering
gear.
POWER STEERING
GEAR
DIAGNOSIS
GUIDE
Low
fluid level
or
fluid
leakage.
Loose
steering
gear mountings.
Air in
power
steering
system.
Insufficient power
steering
pump
Obstruction
in
power
steering
lines
Pressure-
or
within
the
steering
gear.
Incorrect
steering
gear
adjustment.
LOOSE
STEERING
SHIMMY
OR
WHEEL TRAMP
SIDE-TO-SIDE
WANDER
Loose
steering
gear
mountings.
Incorrect
steering
gear
adjustment.
BINDING
OR
POOR
RECOVERY
T
ef-
.
, .
Steering
gear
valve
spool
binding
or
Insufficient power
steering
pump
out of
adjustment.
pressure.
T
.
.
..
Obstruction
within
the
steering
Incorrect
steering
gear
adjustment. __
8
BODY
SWAY OR
ROLL
Incorrect
steering
gear
adjustment.
POWER
STEERING
GEAR
DIAGNOSIS
GUIDE
Steering
gear
valve
spool
binding
or
out of
adjustment.
ABNORMAL
OR
IRREGULAR
TIRE
WEAR
Incorrect
steering
gear adjustment.
Pump-Fluid
Pressure
Test.
A
fluid
pressure
test
will
show
whether
the
pump
or
some
other unit
in the
power
steering
system is
causing
trouble
in the
system.
Steps
outlined
below should
be
followed to
deter
mine
the
cause of
the
trouble.
1.
Measure
the
pump
belt
tension.