Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Power steering pump R&R

[mistered]

My power steering pump on my '95 has died. From what I've read in these posts, I'll use OEM pump to replace it. My question is how hard of a job is it? it looks easy but a shop that has helped me out a lot in the past says that it's actually a b**** to do. Considering the potential for continued problems after replacement, I might let the shop do the work. That way they assume responsibility and cost for any problems. However if it's about a 30-40 minute job, I might do it myself and save the 150 bucks labor.

Thanks.

 

[Bill Lins]

The simplest way is to pull the P/S pump & vacuum pump as a unit. You'll need the gasket that goes between the vacuum pump & the gearcase.

 

[Briar Hopper]

Yeah, what Bill says. Be aware some replacement pumps get shipped without a drive "dog" on the shaft, the original is not removeable(at least I haven't found it to be, on a '98, and an '01) you want to make sure your new pump does have the dog on there before you dive into the job.

You'll need to have both front wheels off the ground AFTER the installation, before you start the truck, a bunch of lock-to-lock turns to bleed the air out, with no load on the system.

And check the 4 bolts on top of the steering gear box, they like to come loose. (shop manual refers to it as a "side" cover plate)

 

[Chipstien]

If you have a air ratchett then you could remove the pump without removing the vacuum pump. Regardless of how you do it you will save yourself time and grief if you pull the pump with the hoses. When I did mine I could not for the life of me remove the hoses. What a PITA. Don't forget what Briar said about raising the front off the ground and bleeding the pump. I had a pump fail because I didn't do this.

 

[csutton7]

Briar is dead on about that drive dog on the power steering pump shaft--I too couldn't remove mine and I had to buy a new one from the dealer at $90 and then to put it on was a process I don't want to repeat, so make sure it has one or you will need a bunch of washers and pump pulley installer and kind of modify the installer and use some ingenuity to get that dog on---I can't repeat enuff that you don't want to do this---chris

 

[BPonci]

I have changed the drive dog on the pump before to install a rock ram steering system. It's a bear but it can be done.

 

[Briar Hopper]

Maybe so, BPonci, but you got lucky. I see from your signature you have a '96, I think it's entirely possible they didn't go to permanently-attached dogs until around 1998.

Our 80-ton hydraulic shop press got the dog off the original pump shaft of my '01 truck, but after removing it, it was easy to see from the left behind metal that it was not designed to come off.

The main annoyance here would be if you ordered a pump, and had your truck diassembled, only to find out you needed a ..... shaft dog... ... more waiting, no truck until parts come in.....

 

[MGomez]

I have a 1998 Dodge and need to change the p/s pump and I'm curious about this drive dog is this the coupler?

 

[Fistfull]

I have a 1998 Dodge and need to change the p/s pump and I'm curious about this drive dog is this the coupler?

Yes it's the coupler and if you don't have machine tools available, you will need to obtain a pump equipped with the coupler. I replaced my pump yesterday, I didn't do my homework, the new pump I had didn't have the coupler installed, glad I didn't need the old pump for a core charge. I didn't have a puller that would fit in the . 100" gap between the coupler and pump, so I cut the shaft off then pressed the shaft out of the coupler. It's an interesting project if you have or can make the tooling. :-laf