i am having a hard time turning my wheels with my brakes applied. i have been taking it to gm and they all say that gm says it is normal and they cant do anything. one deal replaced a hose i think and it did nothing. also my brakes feel weaker but no one else can tell. any ideas as to what this can be? or is there a fix and how can i get GM to replace what ever under warrenty

After going from the 2003 6.0L CC to the 2003 6.6L Duramax CC I noticed how much harder it was to turn at parking lot speeds (285/16Tires). I had the truck in twice to have it checked out. The replaced the steering gear box. No change. They tested everything under the sun but still no fixy. Then someone on this forum suggested to up my tire pressure and poof. It's 10 times better. The DMAX is much heavier than the 6.0L was. So all of that extra weight sits right on your steering axle. If you have bigger tires like I do, then turning is even harder. I merely upped my tire pressure from your typical 35psi to the max load 65 psi, and it is practically perfect now. Hope this helps

:lol:

Mine was really tough too until I flushed the power steering fluid. Made a huge difference!

I'd never heard of it before, but you are supposed to change your power steering fluid every 30K miles or something like that. I've never done it to any vehicle I've owned, till now. =)

When you take the fluid out, you'll see why it is a good idea. Nasty stuff.

You might have the following problem, even though your truck isn't an '04.

Make : CHEVROLET Model : SILVERADO Year : 2004
Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 04V045000 Recall Date : JAN 28, 2004
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 68875
Summary:

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND PASSENGER VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, ?PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.? SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION BRAKE HYDRO-BOOST HOUSING RELIEF VALVE BORE.

Consequence:

CONSEQUENTLY, THE VALVE O-RING SEAL MAY FRACTURE. STEERING EFFORTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY INCREASED WHILE BRAKING OR PARKING. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, A FRACTURED SEAL MAY REQUIRE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE SAME VEHICLE DECELERATION RATE AS PRIOR TO THE SEAT FRACTURE.

Remedy:

DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE HYDRO-BOOST RELIEF VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; GMC AT 1-866-996-9463; OR HUMMER AT 1-866-486-6376.

Notes:

GM RECALL NO. 04004. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

I have had to have 2 power steering pumps replaced on my 2003 Duramax. I just posted in the Ask The Techs to see if this was a problem. I noticed it was getting hard to steer while the brakes were applied, and then one day I couldn't hardly turn the wheels without the brakes applied. When they towed it in they told me the pressure was low, both times they replaced the pump. I check the oil every week, and it wasn't discolored. That is why I asked the Techs. I have had to power steering pumps replaced in 2 years.