It called for some Mopar number but it also says expressly...DO NOT USE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID! I never put the Mopar fluid in my PS system. I used the stuff (I think Prestone or Valvoline) which says it works on Chrysler products. I never had a problem with it. It was clear liquid. I know most of these cars these days use ATF in their PS systems but mine does NOT. I don't think there were many vehicles in 1993 that did use ATF. I'm going to flush it with fresh fluid, fill it back up, then purge the air out. I'm doing a manual flush (without engine running). I'll remove the return line from the pump and plug up the pump nipple. Then I'll attach a clear hose to the end of the loose return line and put the end in a pan. Then I'll go lock to lock with the steering wheel while adding fresh fluid. I'll continue till I see the red fluid is completely gone. This is the only way I ever flushed PS fluid. You?

 

If you have one of those turkey-baster fellers, use that to pull as much fluid out as you can, then re-fill with p/s fluid.... it'll make life a little bit easier.

I know a lot of the 2nd gen rams used ATF in the power steering....... All the car companies shuffled back and forth on that over the years..... It's just hydraulic fluid though..... so, not too much difference between the two. Additive packages maybe? Still and all, flushing and putting in the RIGHT stuff is NOT a bad idea.

 

I was thinking ATF in my system would deteriorate the rubber hoses and any seals in the system. But what do I know?

I just got done flushing out the red stuff. Took two quarts of fresh fluid. The fresh fluid (made for Chrysler products) is clear liquid. I don't know what the fluid capacity is. My owners manual gives me fluid capacity for everything including my master bedroom toilet but nothing on power steering. I'm guessing it's around 1.5 quarts. Hope so because I have only two quarts of fluid left. So back at it to reverse the filter, put everything back together and purge the air. Thanks for the coaching HY.

 

No clue what the fluid capacity is, but, so long as the pump has fluid, and it shows at the right level on the dipstick, that's good enough for me.

Flushing will always take more fluid than the systems capacity. Gotta clean out all the old stuff.

 

Just got done with the test drive. I can say with certainty that the rumble/stutter/shimmy is nowhere near what it was. That said, I think I'm still feeling a very slight shimmy on slow hard right turns. Could be a phantom. Could be something else. I had him do a front end alignment as well so who knows, they may have screwed that up too. I bled the hell out of it...both manually and then with the engine running. By the end, I didn't see any air whatsoever. Probably went lock to lock 15 cycles manually and another 10 with the engine running. I'll keep my eyes peeled and see what happens but early results suggest a marked improvement at minimum. So either the backwards filter, the wrong fluid, air in the fluid or some combination thereof is the culprit.

And yes you're right, the flush took 2 quarts. The refill took 3/4 quart.

 

Your toe being slightly off will give you some odd behavior at full lock..... Did you get a spec sheet from the alignment machine when he was done? (not everyone hands those out.....)

 

No. His printer was down. Probably hasn't worked in months. And yes, I have received those reports in the past. I had one old timer (who I trusted knew what he was doing) said he ran out of adjustment but was able to get it within acceptable range. That was awhile ago and I have done major steering/suspension work since so who knows about now. No one has complained since I did that work. TBH, I don't want these guys touching my truck anymore. He used to have good mechanics but they're all gone and it looks like kids now. I'm calling him tomorrow and lodging my gripes. I have another mechanic I work with and he's always been good. Again, an old timer. Can't beat the old timers, HY. I will be needing new tires soon so I'll get it realigned again. The tires on my truck now are 18 years old. Can't believe they still hold air. Tread is about gone. Back when Michelin was still making good tires.

 

I am surprised they didn't dry rot right off the wheels.

 

Absolutely! Exactly my concern. I had one tire that would slowly lose air. Never found a hole so I just figured it was coming out the sides at the rim. I took some AT-205 and put around the edge and it hasn't lost air since. Tires are ridiculously expensive these days.

 

I'm assuming the toe is adjusted via the tie rods?? Of course, the new rack came with tie rods so those got messed with.