Power Steering Leak

[TomRox]

I am running tracks for snow season on my 2022

there is no doubt that the set up is straining the power steering

Today, Power Steering Fluid was running down the shock tower on to the snow, it seemed like the PS Pump was whowling like low fluid, and the power assist seemed intermittent
I did not pop the hood out in the field

I got it in the Garage just now and all the hoses are dry, PS pump is dry
the Fluid level is at Normal

there was fluid on top of the fuel filter canister and around up high on the power steering reservoir

apparently the fluid was overtopping the reservoir?

does any of this make sense? can someone give me an idea of what might be going on ?

 

[Longslyde]

Sounds like you overheated the pump. P/S pumps works hard intermittently on a regular tire steering. they get warm even under those conditions but generally not a problem. If you have tracks, there is substantial strain on the pump and it would overheat, expand the fluid, and the inherrent heat pressure would push fluid out of the cap. Just a guess, but that's what it sounds like to me. If you have a temp gun, you could check it after a run. If it's to the point of actually BOILING the fluid, that a VERY high temp, like 600 degrees. But anything over 250 is really not good on the P/S system. A cooler would be in order if that's what you actually have going on...

 

[TomRox]

I think you nailed it

I was picking my way thru to the timber, so lock to lock back and forth

There are 100’s of variants of power steering coolers online, so apparently this isn’t the first time it happen to someone

I think I can fit something in on the return line

Thank you

 

[1BB]

Those tracks are way too much for a PS system to have on a vehicle. There was another post a while ago where someone did this and I shared my experience with them while at the South Pole in Antarctica. We mounted them on one-ton Ford pickups, and EVERY TRUCK with tracks, had the PS system TOTALLY destroyed.

There's theory and then there's practice when it comes to these things. On paper at first glance, they seem great, but sadly they're just the opposite.

Also, you need to change that PS fluid NOW. Once it gets so hot that it expands and comes out the top, you have seriously overheated it, and it has lost almost all lube properties and is or has ruined your PS pump, as well as other components. Transmission and PS fluids like to run around 200 degrees or so. A little warmer is okay, but not much more. You want the fluids to get hot enough to burn off things like moisture, but not so hot that it breaks down the fluid itself.

It would be cool if they designed them as a sort of halftrack like in WWII. Tracks on the rear, but wheeled on the front, and if you need too, add chains to the tires in the front. Although I'm not sure about the math and turning tracks traveling the same distance across the ground, as a rolling tire would, which would destroy drivetrains if one was turning faster than the other.

 

[TomRox]

Thank you for the tip

There were no noticeable issues last year but we were always in deep snow

This year….. not to much

 

[TomRox]

We had about 4ft on the ground last year
Now 6”-12”

the steering gear and pump were jammed in the snow most of the time

Now 1-2ft away from the snow

 

[1BB]

Okay, that has me grinning like a rat eating cheese. That's just so cool, but a shame it's so hard on the PS system.

 

[TomRox]

 

[TomRox]

Ok, I flushed out the fluid and put new

She seems to steer just fine

I ordered a transmission cooler set up

That should help

Thanks for the tips guys

 

[Longslyde]

If the pump ain't howling or making noise now, you're prolly good!