I have a ford ranger and the power steering pump just crapped out on me. It runs on a serpantine belt. The question is, is it alright to run it without power steering or will the pulley eventually seize up and shut me down? If it shuts down at the canal it will be kinda cool but work will be a little pissed.

Fixing power steering (http://www.mopar.com/muscle/tech1002.htm)

And I know how you like Car Talk...

Dear Tom and Ray:

My son has an '87 Ford Escort wagon with about 80,000 miles on it. His recent visits to two different mechanics read like an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." One said, "You went to that guy??" And the other said: "You went to that guy?? His dad sneaks over here to have me work on his car." Anyway, the problem is the power steering, which went out. My son had it disconnected a couple of weeks ago. One mechanic says he can probably drive it without the power steering for a couple of years, and it's not worth hooking it back up to diagnose it. The other mechanic predicts dire consequences if he doesn't hook it back up and get it fixed. Any ideas? He just finished being unemployed for nine months, and would like to hang on to the car until he gets a leg up on life. Thanks. -- Cindy

RAY: Well, I'd have to side with the guy who predicts dire consequences, Cindy.

TOM: A lot of people say: "Well, we all used to drive cars without power steering ... so what's so bad about having the power steering disconnected? It's just a little harder to steer, right?" Wrong, actually.

RAY: Driving a car with a broken power-steering system is harder than driving a car that never had power steering in the first place. That's because the two systems use very different steering racks.

TOM: The steering rack on a car without power steering has just two pieces: the rack and the pinion gear. You turn one and the other one moves. But a power-steering rack has all kinds of valves and seals inside it that add resistance and make the rack harder to move. So, dire consequence No. 1 is that the car is a lot more difficult to steer.

RAY: If your son has to swerve to avoid a little kid or a guy gabbing on the phone and driving an SUV, he might not be able to do it, especially at low speed, where steering effort is increased. And you know as well as I do that if he hits a kid, he might never get a leg up on life.

TOM: The second potential dire consequence is that the power-steering fluid that WAS running through his steering rack -- until it got disconnected -- is what lubricates the steering components. So right now, they're not getting any lubrication. And if he keeps driving it like this, eventually something could bind up and he could lose all ability to steer the car.

RAY: So, he really should fix this, Cindy. As his mom, you might have to loan him the money to make the car safe enough to drive.

TOM: Oh, and as a parent of three, I can also offer you this advice: Before you loan it to him, spend a private moment with it so you can kiss it goodbye!


Perhaps you should fix that biatch before ya die or hit someone. Or drive really far to go fishing. Because you know if you're stuck, I can't get time off work to go save you. Hitler's orders.

I have a ford ranger and the power steering pump just crapped out on me. It runs on a serpantine belt. The question is, is it alright to run it without power steering or will the pulley eventually seize up and shut me down? If it shuts down at the canal it will be kinda cool but work will be a little pissed.
The pump will most likely seize eventually.

I live my little (extended cab) ranger. I had the power steering thing go (and replaced). It was REALLY hard to steer without the power steering, actually undriveable

Usually what happens when a ps pump go's is that the shaft breaks inside the pump, so eventually the pulley will walk out of the pump and bad things will happen! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Go to the salvage yard and replace it. Don't expect it to stay alright.

I got a new pump and went to work with it. had a customer who has the same truck try to install it while i was workin. He came highly recomended. Well it took him 7 hours to break the new pump. he bought the replacement and installed it but needed a pulley, he broke the new pilley i bought so its sitting at work right now, hopefully i can fix it up before i start work today.

ford a fancy flower pot. :ss:

Next time I suggest you cave and get a real mechanic first thing if it's a complicated job. They're not that badly priced, considering they make your truck work again when stuff goes awry. Sorry my jack of all trades repertoire doesn't include expert mechanic.

I got a new pump and went to work with it. had a customer who has the same truck try to install it while i was workin. He came highly recomended. Well it took him 7 hours to break the new pump. he bought the replacement and installed it but needed a pulley, he broke the new pilley i bought so its sitting at work right now, hopefully i can fix it up before i start work today.
WTF did he do, put the pulley on with a hammer!???
Should have just had Clammer do the job, he's real good with a hatchet. :wall:
There is a special tool to install and remove the pulley.

WTF did he do, put the pulley on with a hammer!???
Should have just had Clammer do the job, he's real good with a hatchet. :wall:
There is a special tool to install and remove the pulley.

Word, Auto Zone's tool was stripped, so it was no renty/no borrowy and do it the hard way. The VERY hard way.

Should have just had Clammer do the job, he's real good with a hatchet. :wall:


"$(*$&)& I forgot the bat" so I says ":devil:This looks like it will work even better....." The rest is history :behead:

Word, Auto Zone's tool was stripped, so it was no renty/no borrowy and do it the hard way. The VERY hard way.

you can also use a bolt/nut/washer, poor mans pulley installer.

you can also use a bolt/nut/washer, poor mans pulley installer.

Yeah, sweet idea. :wiggle: That's what I attempted to do, it's just that the pulley kept going on crooked, and you needed midget hands to get in there. Trying to fix a truck (on the main drag) is a great way to meet some nice folks, but otherwise...screw that!