Ford 5500 power steering

[Scooby340]

Hello All,
I want to test the oil pressure on the power steering pump.
Can I hook the gauge directly to the pump outlet and run the pump for a few seconds for a read? Or do I need to tee the gauge into the outlet line, and run the pump, and monitor the gauge as I turn the steering wheel?
I assume I should do the test with hot fluid??
I have intermittent power steering now, that seems to get a tiny bit better when I rev the engine a little.
Are these pumps rebuildable??
THANKS All !!!!!

 

[jimg984]

that usually is a sign of low on fluid or the filter is stopping up,,, filter is located in the back of pump housing

 

[Scooby340]

Mine draws the fluid from the main hydraulic tank and there is a screen on the suction line that I cleaned when flushing out the tank. My parts book doesn't show a filter on the back of the pump??

 

[El Hombre]

My 5550 broke the snap ring that centers the spool valve in the valve body. The symptom was what you're experiencing. Do you have the service manual for your beast? It tells all Dearborn knew....

 

[Scooby340]

No I don't have a service manual. When you say spool valve/valve body, are you talking about internal parts of the pump, or the steering unit(Hydraguide)??

 

[El Hombre]

No I don't have a service manual. When you say spool valve/valve body, are you talking about internal parts of the pump, or the steering unit(Hydraguide)??

The steering gear at the bottom of the steering column. The spool valve moves up and down and lets the oil go where ever it wants, so no power steering. I could twirl the steering wheel and nothing would happen, then it would. The fact you have internment power kind of indicates the pump is working, it's just a vane type of pump. The snap ring was NLA 25 years ago from Ford, it was a special piece, thicker than what you could buy at a hardware store. I should of taken two of them and sanded them down to the OEM thickness, but the single thin one works. It's only when I use the bucket to lift the front wheels off the ground can I see the front wheels turn to the left on their own. Otherwise I'd never know anything is different.

 

[Scooby340]

I can't spin my steering wheel. It either turns normally or it is almost impossible to turn. I can turn right, with power steering, then if I turn left, the wheel will turn if I manhandle it. As if it has no power steering. And vice-versa..
I had obtained a service manual for the steering motor itself from the manufacturer, "Hydraguide". I disassembled the steering motor to clean it and check for any broken parts inside it. Didn't find anything out of the ordinary. The hoe had this problem when I got it, so I am quite sure that I assembled the steer motor correctly. I do see a "retaining ring" in the exploded view in the manual....I am quite sure it is still in place, but not 100%
Do you still think it is in the steer motor??

 

[El Hombre]

If it has assist in one direction, pumps gotta be working for that to happen. So it's the steering gearbox that isn't working in one direction? The spool valve moves up and down on the shaft to divert the pressurized oil in the correct direction. If you're pretty sure the box is OK, then the only thing specific to the left side is the ram out at the front axle. If that's messed up, no assist. Agreed? Also the hoses, those are always a possibility. Try putting the bucket down and lift the front axle off the ground and see if the wheels turn by themselves. If they do, the spool valve isn't centered in the flow path.

 

[Scooby340]

Thank You El Hombre!!!
I will try lifting the wheels and see what that shows. , I believe you are right that the steering box is suspect. The hoses are all new and the steering cylinders were rebuilt, so it seems to point to the box. After looking at the manual again, I don't think I paid enough attention to the settings and adjustments, so I will probably end up pulling it out and disassembling it again. Did you have a difficult time with yours???
Also, I saw an old post that you were in on regarding repairing the swing arm. The side to side bushings and pins on mine have a lot of play, so I will be getting into that after the steering is repaired and I finish painting the rest of the chassis. If you have any input on that, I would appreciate it!!:notworthy
I will let you know how the steering issue goes!!
THANKS AGAIN!!

 

[El Hombre]

Good luck with it, are you sure the rebuilt rams are 100%? With them being rebuilt, there's always a possibility of a faulty seal and the oil is bypassing the piston. It's stuff like that, it encourages me to only do a limited amount of repair at one time. If I messed with everything, then it's a real job to diagnose where the faulty new part is or where I messed up.

If you've already had it out, should be easier the second time. I did mine 26 years ago, didn't seem that hard at the time...

 

[Scooby340]

Well I got under the front axle and noticed the front steer cylinders are leaking at the seal... SSOOO, I guess I will start there and rebuild them!!!!
I got to thinking, when I got this hoe, one of the previous owners had eliminated the stock 2 front steer cylinders and replaced them with one small cylinder. And they plugged off two of the fluid lines. I am wondering plugging off the two lines might have damaged the steer box??
They cut off the stock cylinder brackets from the front axle and welded on a half-assed single bracket for the single cylinder.... Looked like hell and I am surprised it stayed together!!!!
Thanks to Rustfarmer sending me pics of his front axle with measurements of the bracket locations, I was able to restore the front axle to stock.