Hey all!
Noob here. First time user.
I have an '06 2500 4wd with a Cummins. Only mod is a Smarty tuner and muffler delete. Anyways, recently I was towing a travel trailer home when my PS gearbox decided to bust a seal and dump all the fluid out. I learned the hard way that the power steering pump also controls the pressure to the brakes. After multiple stops to refill the reservoir, I limped the truck/trailer back to my house and found the leak...from the output shaft that connects to the pittman arm. I replaced the gearbox and, not surprisingly, cooked my pump in the process of getting it home. I bought a remanufactured pump which immediately squirted fluid out from the pulley shaft when I turned the steering wheel. I traded that one in for another remanufactured pump which worked for about 100 miles then decided to quit pumping and building pressure for steering/brakes. I used a pulley puller and vacuumed all the air from the lines on both replacements so I know there wasn't any air in the system or damage to the pulley shaft during the install. Is there a "beefed" up pump that I should be using to keep these things from going out? Do you folks see any other issues that I'm overlooking that has caused the second pump to fail? I know I'll have to replace the pump for a third time, but I also want that to be the last time. Suggestions?

 

PSC, Borgeson, and a few others make meaner pumps. Of course, they are made of unobtainium, and are hideously expensive.

 

Seriously!! I paid $70 for my pump in hopes to get at least a few years out of it, but I can't even get a few days. I guess I get what I paid for. Lesson learned. I've decided $200+ for a pump is a little silly so I've decided to try and find/use an OEM part off a wrecked Dodge or one that has been left out to pasture. Hopefully I can find something that works.