Power steering w/hydroboost problem turning left

[Doubeleive]

this has been kicked around before i am sure but the ol lady is whining so looking for some idea's
2004 suburban 5.3 power steering with hydroboost 214K on the clock, everything in regards to power steering and the hydroboost unit is original, checked the fluid and the level is normal.

she say's that she has been getting hard steering when turning left sometimes, like almost as hard as dry steer. no brake issue's braking seems to be perfectly normal.

I haven't dealt with the hydroboost before but I recall reading about issue's like this before on the forum and I think it may have something to do with a valve in the power steering unit? or the pump? not really sure looking for some input or idea's from anyone that has dealt with this before, any recomendations or test I can do to narrow it down

 

[V30Crewcab]

hard steering only one way is a bad steering box.

 

[Doubeleive]

hard steering only one way is a bad steering box.

ok, well it seems to be intermittent at the moment would that seem normal if it was the steering box going out or would it do it all the time?

 

[R3cord303]

ok, well it seems to be intermittent at the moment would that seem normal if it was the steering box going out or would it do it all the time?

I sometimes have the issue where if I apply the brakes, and shift into R to back into a parking space or driveway, when the rpms drop because of the gear change, if I don't give it a second to react and start cranking the wheel sometimes my steering will get really hard, but if I give it a second to respond to the load from going into gear, steering is fine.

 

[Doubeleive]

I sometimes have the issue where if I apply the brakes, and shift into R to back into a parking space or driveway, when the rpms drop because of the gear change, if I don't give it a second to react and start cranking the wheel sometimes my steering will get really hard, but if I give it a second to respond to the load from going into gear, steering is fine.

I asked her if it was doing it during low idle she said no it was while moving a turning left, but i'll ask her to pay some attention to the rpm's when it does it.

 

[R3cord303]

I asked her if it was doing it during low idle she said no it was while moving a turning left, but i'll ask her to pay some attention to the rpm's when it does it.

maybe your power steering rack is binding?

 

[merlin1128]

I have a similar problem that has me stumped.. I am not having a hard time steering at all and did replace the power steering pump due to it whining and thought that was the problem to this. What happens is when I start it up and start to drive away as soon as I turn the wheel pulling out of my garage I hear this "whoosh" sound and sounds like it is coming from the left front wheel. It will only do it one time and I can drive for hours and it will not do it again. If I shut down the Tahoe and wait a little bit then start to drive away that noise come right back every time the wheel is turned. Not getting why it is only one time it does it and steering is perfect. Brakes feel fine too and all fluids are at proper levels.... Any thoughts?

 

[Doubeleive]

I have a similar problem that has me stumped.. I am not having a hard time steering at all and did replace the power steering pump due to it whining and thought that was the problem to this. What happens is when I start it up and start to drive away as soon as I turn the wheel pulling out of my garage I hear this "whoosh" sound and sounds like it is coming from the left front wheel. It will only do it one time and I can drive for hours and it will not do it again. If I shut down the Tahoe and wait a little bit then start to drive away that noise come right back every time the wheel is turned. Not getting why it is only one time it does it and steering is perfect. Brakes feel fine too and all fluids are at proper levels.... Any thoughts?

weird no idea what it could be unless you didn't fully bleed the system?

 

[OR VietVet]

hard steering only one way is a bad steering box.

The pump puts the pressure out and the box reacts to that pressure. Intermittent makes it tough but IMO it is likely a gear box or possibly one of the lines with an intermittent inside collapse restricting flow. I would also want to lift front end and unload the joints and make sure there is no binding in the joints or linkage.

 

[rockola1971]

maybe your power steering rack is binding?

Rack and pinion on a C/K chassis? What are you smoking?

Could be the STEERING GEARBOX but id also look at ball joints, tierods and even cv halfshaft.

 

[Doubeleive]

Rack and pinion on a C/K chassis? What are you smoking?

Could be the STEERING GEARBOX but id also look at ball joints, tierods and even cv halfshaft.

it does probably need ball joints, did the tie rods and pitman arm/control arm last year, skipped the ball joints i'm probably going to just buy upper and lower control arms with the ball joints here in the some what near future.

 

[R3cord303]

Rack and pinion on a C/K chassis? What are you smoking?

Could be the STEERING GEARBOX but id also look at ball joints, tierods and even cv halfshaft.

I didn’t realize the GMT800 was still on linkage style steering. Thought they phased that out end of GMT400. Linkage steering on my S10 was awesome because you can shove grease in the fittings but I though it fell out of fasion along with the spider style fuel injectors of the 4.3/5.7 vortecs.

 

[rockola1971]

it does probably need ball joints, did the tie rods and pitman arm/control arm last year, skipped the ball joints i'm probably going to just buy upper and lower control arms with the ball joints here in the some what near future.

It is quite possible that you have a ball joint binding up. I had this problem on 99 K1500 (Sierra) and on my 2005 Yukon Denali. The ball joints were shot. The Denalis Ball joints literally fell apart when I remove the steering knuckle. I knew the front end on the Denali needed a full rebuild when I bought it and I used that as a bargaining chip when I bought it. It was so bad that the Yukon would pull to the left hard after you straightened out from turning left then after turning to the right it would pull hard to the right.

 

[rockola1971]

I didn’t realize the GMT800 was still on linkage style steering. Thought they phased that out end of GMT400. Linkage steering on my S10 was awesome because you can shove grease in the fittings but I though it fell out of fasion along with the spider style fuel injectors of the 4.3/5.7 vortecs.

Nope. My 2003 Tahoes and 2005 Yukon Denali all have a steering gearbox. Im too poor to know whats in the 2007 and up so I would have to steal one and crawl underneath and have a look.

 

[shegarty]

Could be the STEERING GEARBOX but id also look at ball joints, tierods and even cv halfshaft.

If a flex or rotational (ball joint, tie rod or CV) assembly is going out it could give you the intermittent problem, only occurring when it hits flat spot or is pulled out of place.