Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2010 13:02:58 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Power Steering parts
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Advice....
one thing, check the toe-in/toe-out of the front wheels,
and check the camber....whether the tops of the tires tilt in or out .
if it's too toed out ....or badly toed-in ...that can contribute front inner
tire tread wear.
So can cornering really hard a lot.
use a carpenter's level and a small ruler, with van on a flat level
surface, to see how vertical the front tires are ....suspension settled
too.....after just stopping it gently ..
if they're much more than 1/8th inch from vertical ...
I'd say perhaps the camber is off.
and they should be equal side to side.
leaking PS rack ...
try Lucas brand Power Steering treatment and sealer. It won't hurt anyway.
There should not be fluid in a rack boot..
that means the seal at the end of the rack is leaking ..
choices are ..
squeeze some more life out of it with fluid treatment and psychic healing,
install good used PS rack.
and the right way ...and you have a month yet..
put in a good rebuilt PS rack, and have the front aligned.
the end play on the PS pump ...
I don't like to see that especially. That by itself, isn't a problem ...
'but' .........I had a pump like that cause a perfectly good rebuilt PS rack
to just blow out ...
so on 'used PS pumps' ....
there's always risk when they have super high miles on them.
The PS system is seldom serviced that I know of by most owners or shops.
there is a filter screen in the bottom of the PS res that should be at least
checked and cleaned.
and ...
at anytime it's good to undo the return line to the PS res and pump,
.....run the engine, pump out old ATF and feed in new. And add Lucas brand
treatment.
there are rebuilt PS pumps for sale somewhere I imagine.
it's normal to rotate tires-front-to-back if they are the same size and load
rating ...spread the wear that way. I suspect your front end is out of
alignment though.
good luck !
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Potts" <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 8:51 AM
Subject: Power Steering parts
> Hi Frank,
>
> My 87 is not playing nice with its steering... The pump is groaning and
> the rack leaks from a torn boot on the driver's side. I pulled the belt
> off the pump and there's about 2mm of fore-and-aft play on the pulley.
>
> I also noticed that my 18month old tires (probably 35,000 miles) have the
> inside 1.5" of tread missing. Grrr. Tie rods and suspension seems tight
> when I have the front wheels off the ground.
>
> I need this thing to be running right for the trip to Watkins next month.
> Plus there's the fact that it's my daily driver. Meanwhile I guess I will
> drive it with the belt off the pump.
>
> Advice appreciated.
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> www.pottsfamily.ca
> WWW.BUSESOFTHECORN.CA <--- NEW .CA DOMAIN!!!
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender hardtop Vanagon
> 1988 Wolfsburg Weekender hardtop Vanagon
> 1973 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
