eb290

I posted this message over at the TDR board and no one seems to want to answer. I'm at the end of my rope.

I had to replace the power steering pump again, this is the third pump on this truck. This time the shaft that holds the pulley broke back inside the pump causing a loss of fluid, and of course no steering, braking, and rapid overheating.
Since the first of the year I have replaced the power steering pump, the rack and pinion, and the hydro booster. Is anyone else having problems like this? There has to be something in the system wrong. I have replaced everything in the steering system and still am having problems. It is bad enough that I have spent over $2000 since Jan. but every time I go in the shop I lose work. Today, I was just starting off on a 400 mile run and didn't make it 25 miles. Besides the $534 the repair cost me, I lost around $600 on the run. I'm to the point that I'm going to start looking for another truck and as much as I hate it, it won't be a Dodge. I'm going to look for a heavier truck like a 4500 or 5500 series truck and Dodge doesn't make one. If this was the only repairs I was looking at I wouldn't be so upset, but it isn't, it's also the work I lose. This is a list of the other things that need to be fixed in the near future. I need both upper ball joints, a fan clutch, for the second time, and the ring and pinion gears need to be replaced. Someone figure out a way to talk me out of changing trucks. I just don't think this 1-ton truck will stand up to the miles and loads I put on it. My mileage us now up to 197,500.

Anyone have any ideas?

PThree

Get a new truck you have near 200,000 miles things are going to break

Peterbilt

Maybe your hyd winch is overloading it?

Pete

eb290

PTHREE;
Truck is worth $10k on a trade-in, payout is over $18k. Kinda makes the new truck very expensive. My last truck lasted over 400k miles with very few problems, was expecting this one to do the same.

Peterbilt;
The winch just bypasses unless it is being used. I haven't had it hooked up for the past month.

I have pretty much decided to continue to fix it and take my lumps until Dodge comes out with a larger truck unless it completely goes to pot. If that happens, l'll look for a used small Freightliner or International. I can't see taking the hit I would have to take to trade this one.

AirGrabber

*Warning* Long Post. Here is my guess on your steering woes. When using your winch you probably not using it wide open all the time. Which is what its designed to do, thats why it has a spool valve with a lever. But, when you move the lever just a little bit ( to work the winch slow) that will generate more heat than wide open, lots more. Even with a empty cable. Add what ever your pulling with the winch and I bet your way past the temp rating or the atf4 and pump pretty quickly and straining your pump, and not enough oil to compensate. Thats probably why you keep losing pumps,ect.. When you lost your pump( pick a time), you probably also had contaniments in your oil, remember there is no filter but a strainer in the system. Those contaniments were in your lines, hydraulic motor of your winch, steering gear, hydromax for your brakes and just love to eat up seals and stuff. I would also have to bet that the oil is also getting aireated even when recirculating. which is probably why you were losing your brakes and blowing off caps when you drive. (heat,air and oil dont mix well) Did you use the hoses that they supplied you with or did you put longer, bigger ones on for routing purposes? There's alot of things that can cause your problems and the winch manufacture should be able to diagnos this problem with ease. I would definitly find out whats causing this before you put this set up on another truck regardless of brand. A simple trip to a good hydraulic repair shop would probably get you fixed as well. Just looks to me like you keep replacing stuff without actually fixing the problem.

MikeyB

Good info AirGrabber. Maybe EB is better off with a PTO driven pump or winch?

MikeyB

eb290

I did put on longer hoses in order to mount the winch in the bed of the truck. The winch is activated with an electric thumb switch just like the ones that the electric winch has, it is either moving wide open or it is off, you can't work it slow. I tried to get through to Milemarker tech support several times today, finally gave up and left a voice mail message. Hopefully they will get back to me tomorrow. I have a filter on my return line that was sent to me from Winches Plus, where I bought it. It is magnetic and paper menbrain, should stop most of the trash in the system.

At this point I believe that the hydroboost was the problem, it is the first accessory after the pump. I believe that the shaft breaking off was a result of the fluid kicking back and locking up the pump and feel (hope) that the last time, the shaft was cracked from previous kickbacks and just snapped. There have been a few people that have said that the hydroboost had caused similar problems on other brands, not just Dodge.

I am back to running now and have used the winch with no problems so far. I could put quick connects on the hoses and winch and just hook it up when I need to but I really don't think that is the problem. Hopefully Milemarker will get back to me tomorrow and can answer some questions.

Thanks for your input Airgrabber, it all made sense, just so everyone will know there is a filter that will fit the Dodge return line, but it must be a 1/2 inch size, they are hard to find. If anyone is interested I can tell you the brand ect. It is actually made for automatic transmissions, but it is sent out with Milemarker winch.

Thanks again.