well its not that bad but my brakes have become very weak. They are very spongie. also when i am pulling out of a parking space it seems like i have no power steering. i took it to the dealer tuesday and they say there is nothing wrong and there is nothing to fix. they said it is normal for my truck to not have power steering. WTF??? also i have about 80% of my brake pads left. so can anyone help me with this? please my brake are really bad and i really need to get them fixed.

Get you power steering pump repaired. Your brakes runn off of it too.

Try another dealership or independent repair facility if you are out of warranty. If you PS is out and that dealer tells you its normal, you know what he's full of.

The dealer says the power steering pump is fine and the pressure is in range of what it is supose to be in.

The steering and brake systems balance off one another. Check your hydro boost for a leak. Just run your hand below it where the brake value assembly bolts on. If there is oil there it should be replaced. I have had both my 2002 and 2004.5 boosters replaced. The first indication was spungee brakes.

I see you have a 2002. Have you changed your PS fluid? Mine is a 2003 with 40,000 miles. I changed mine a month ago. What a BIG difference in the steering and a slight improvement in the braking. The fluid that came out was BLACK and thick.

Johnny....what type of fluid did you add? dot3 for brakes or power steering fluid? since it does both%$%^.

I had my ps pump pulley shaft shear 3 weeks after I bought my truck, caused simmular symtoms. Try pulling outward on the pulley.

Whats involved in changing the power steering fluid?

Johnny....what type of fluid did you add? dot3 for brakes or power steering fluid? since it does both%$%^.Good point. I changed the power steering fluid in the power steering reservoir.

To explain for those who may not be familiar with the system:
The hydroassist brake unit uses the power steering fluid to assist (boost) the pressure to the brakes. The two fluids are separate and never mix with each other. DO NOT put power steering fluid in the brake reservoir! Use the recomended brake fluid. If a mineral based fluid like power stering fluid is used in a glycol based brake system. it will ruin the brake system.

For the power steering unit, I used the STP power steering fluid brand.
For the brake unit I used Ate Super blue.
The power steering reservoir is by the front of the engine on the left side and is belt driven.
The brake reservoir is mounted on the hydroassist unit on the left side fire wall.
Do not mix the two fluids.

Max Owner, the shop I work at has a power steering flush machine, basically a cleaner is added to the system and you cycle the steering wheel several times stop to stop to get it in the whole system and then two hoses are dropped into the power steering reservoir, one sucks out the fluid at the bottom of the reservior and the other adds synthetic p.s. fluid in the top. No lines to remove and it really works well, while the truck is running it is steadly circulating. The machine we use is made by BG.

brakes run off the hydorboost. so chec the ps pump or hydroboost for leaks.. may not be visable, could be internal.... but dont quote me.

Thanx Duramx Man.

Is there a way an amateur can do this? Like a turkey bastor? Drain some out. Add some?

Thanx Duramx Man.

Is there a way an amateur can do this? Like a turkey bastor? Drain some out. Add some?Yep I did it. It's not hard.
The Turkey Baster Method:

Ingredients:

One turkey baster
Two qts of power steering fluid
One empty 2-liter soda bottle
A few sheets of news paper
-----------------------------
Recipe:

Crumple sheets of newspaper and place around PS reservoir. This keeps from dripping fluid all over the place, particularly from getting on the belt.
Place the opened, empty soda bottle next to the PS reservoir. It fits well into the space. It's nice and close now so you don't drip too much.
Now use the turkey baster to suck out the fluid and put it in the soda bottle.
If you carefully insert the baster on the right bottom side of the reservoir, you can get very far down the reservoir between the pump and the reservoir side.
You can get out about 20 oz.
Refill with fresh fluid.
REMOVE bottle and newspaper and put cover back on PS reservoir!
Drive around a day or two
Repeat process until the 2 quarts are used up.
It's pretty clean by then.
Oh! most important! when you are all done, DO NOT put the turkey baster back in the kitchen drawer.-:t
----------------------------------
If you want the process for a full manual flush, I can write that up too.

JohnnyO,

Does the turkey baster method (using brake fluid, not Pwr Str fluid) work for the brake system, or is the fluid circulation insufficient to replace the fluid in the lines over time?

Also, I found one of your old threads titled "Brake System & Fluid Maintenance". Unfortuneately, it appears most of was cut off during the system conversion in December. Do you still have a copy of source for reposting? Here is a link to what is left.
http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2379

Thanks.

Johnny O; spend lots of time in the kitchen?

Thanx for the info. Have to hit a dollar store and get one.

JO

I haven't changed the PS fluid, good idea. Did you just use a siphon gun to get the oil out of the PS reservoir?

RVC, The turkey baster method that Johnny is talking about is a sort of siphon. It is a large tube which tapers on one end and has a squeeze bulb on the other. Siphon gun would work just as well, they both perform the same function.

JohnnyO,

Does the turkey baster method (using brake fluid, not Pwr Str fluid) work for the brake system, or is the fluid circulation insufficient to replace the fluid in the lines over time?

Also, I found one of your old threads titled "Brake System & Fluid Maintenance". Unfortuneately, it appears most of was cut off during the system conversion in December. Do you still have a copy of source for reposting? Here is a link to what is left.
http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2379

Thanks. Unfortunatly it won't really clean out the stuff in the calipers. That's because the system really does not circulate the fluid. You really have to bleed or flush. if you flush, you use a turkey baster to remove as much of the old fluid from the brake reservoir, then fill the reservoir with fresh fluid and flush the fluid through each caliper.
An absolute word of caution here!!
DO NOT use a turkey baster or any other suction device that has previously been used with any mineral oil. The slightest amount of mineral oil will ruin the seals and o-rings in the brake system. Use only a new suction device or one that is only used with the type of brake fluid in your system.
( Sorry if I sound so authoritive here, but I don't want you to ruin your system.)

Is see that the original brake post was mostly cut off. I looked and don't have a copy. I'll find the time to write up a new one over the weekend and post it.
- Johnny O

Unfortunatly it won't really clean out the stuff in the calipers. That's because the system really does not circulate the fluid. You really have to bleed or flush.

That's what I kinda figured. I was just hoping for an easier way.

Maybe one of the moderators can restore the old write-up. I think they had some success on other posts.

Thanks for all the info.