Ok here is the deal. I have a 2002 dodge ram 1500 with a 5.9L in it. The power steering setup is rack and pinion. I took her to the shop, because she was squeaking pretty bad. They told me it was the power steering pump. So, I bought a $50 pump from advance auto, installed it, kept the old pulley and pressed it back on, and put it all back together. It still squealed. Replaced the belt, and the tensioner. It still squeals. They tell me it has to be the power steering pump PULLEY. Now, here is the horrible part. On my '02, it is a SMALL PLASTIC pulley. Nobody on the planet makes these plastic pulleys. I have searched high and low. Thought dorman made a steel one, they said it would fit my 02, but I received it and I could fit the entire plastic pulley inside the new steel pulley. Not even close to the right size. Shaft diameter was completly wrong also. From what I am told, only dodge makes this replacement. And you HAVE to buy the pump and pulley, which costs $400. Anybody ever gone through this before? $400 is an insane price to replace a plastic pulley problem. How do these plastic pulleys even wear out? It doesn't make much sense to me. I ran chalk on the bottom of my belt and it made the squealing go away, but only for a little bit until it wears off. I've tried replacing the belt again in case it was a bad belt, but no luck. It has to be the pulley. Squeals more with higher rpm. The stethoscope says its the pulley too. Anybody have any ideas? Any places to get the plastic right size pulley? Perhaps a custom place to cut a pulley from billet? Even that'd be cheaper than $400. Im almost to the point where I'm going to spray some rubberizer on the pulley and see if it fixes it. Bah, any ideas? I really need the help! Thanks!

 

there was a guy on here a few weeks ago who went through 4 or 5 pumps because the shop kept installing the pully incorrectly... from what i've heard, the pullys are very tricky to get torqued right, but im not sure if the same goes with the plastic ones. so even if it is the pully, and you get a new one, make sure you are extra careful when you put it on or you will be buying a pump anyway...
i guess this wasnt really any help, but maybe you fudged the pump when you put the pully on

 

Looks like this guy had the same problem as you.


Also, here's a Dorman, but i would cal up and ask to a sales rep.

 

FOUND a used one with a pulley $39/obo.

Here's just a pulley

You need to buy a 2001 pulley likely because the '02 year was the start of 5.7L era i believe.

 

That is the wrong pulley you posted up. That's the one they sent me, which is way too huge. Dorman doesn't make a pulley for my truck, I called them up. They removed it from their website. The HEMI didn't go into ram's until 2003. My 02 has a 360 5.9 in it. HOWEVER, it uses rack and pinion steering as it's a 3rd gen, which uses the different PS pump and plastic pulley. Also, the used PS pump w/ pulley you found is also for the older Ram's, that don't use a rack and pinion. I'm not sure why all the parts places messed this up, maybe they are thinking it's a 2500 or 3500. I'm on the verge of using CAD to design a pulley and have it machined.

 

Oh and the guy who had the same prob as me on ebay, that's completly correct so far. I'm told by the shop you can only get it as pump + pulley through dodge. And it's $400. It's completly insane. If I make a CAD drawing and have it machined should cost way less, and being aluminum instead of plastic will last forever, vs. 80,000 miles.

 

He shouldn't of used a hammer to get the pulley off. Or, shouldn't of used a hammer to press the new pulley on. You can rent a PS pump pulley puller from advance or autozone for free. If you bang on the pulley, you will most likely damage the bearings in your new pump. I used a puller for removal and a press for installation.

 

im the one that used 5 ps pumps in a year all remfg thinking it was the pumps so i went to the dealer and got one the list price was 169.99 let me have it for shop cost at 130.00 pump/pulley/reservor good luck

 

They must of marked me up like mad then. The quote from Midas was $400 for the PS Pump + Pulley and install. Labor was only $80. I did the first swap myself, and now it's a high of 10 degrees out, so I don't want to do it again outside.. Lol. So was your pulley just bent or crooked? Because a worn out pulley won't wreck bearings in a PS pump, that doesn't make any sense to me. I can see how a wobbily pulley would, but they are made of plastic and I don't see how that can naturally occur. They usually wear out because the plastic grooves wear away. But then it just squeaks due to lack of traction for the belt. I'm boggled.

btw: I designed a pulley in CAD, made of aluminum-so it should last forever and look nicer, and free up some horsepower due to weight. I'm waiting for a machine shop's estimate. If anyone is interested in buying, I can hook you up. Prices will come soon.

 

Just wondering have you checked your belt tensioner??