Having a problem with power steering and brakes. Did some research on the site and didn't find anyone who reported back with what they found. Dangerous situation. Hit brakes and power steering goes and so do the brakes. :eek: Replaced the power steering pump about a year ago, and still had same problem. Think I put the original pump back, and kept flushing and I think thats what got it to go away. Its back. Wonder if its the 285/50/20 tires that nobody seems to want to take off my hands. No leaks in the hydro boost that I'm aware of but I was thinking of rebuilding and this http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13682&highlight=hydro+boost mentions MBM-MFG. No luck with that link. Rut ro.....

Odd that this starts back up after I've been wrenching under the hood. hhmmmm.....
Did I mention that I love my 78 VW Beetle, simple car, very easy to fix. Just can't seem to get 3 kids in it. That rust free 1975 Suburban from Georgia with out a motor is looking for me to put a 12V cummins in it I think....
I know stop whinning and fix it.
Found the link http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/Images/web-catalog/pages/kit501.htm

I believe I posted the original link...re-built mine about a year or so and 40,000km ago and no problems as of yet. (touch wood)...

http://www.mbmbrakeboosters.com/

Had to search for one of my old posts but check these guys still make a kit IIRC GMCTD sent me to these guys

:duh: Asnow you got it at bottom of your thread

I'm still a relative diesel newbie, and was wondering how the power brake booster works on these truck. I know diesels do not have vacuum, and in most gas cars the power brake booster is powered by engine vacuum. So what powers the brake booster in these diesel trucks? Is it electric? The master cylinder and what I think is the booster certainly looks a lot different than most cars I've had.

Hydraulic pressure from the power steering pump, adding to leg pressure

Ah, I see. Thanks. So does it run power steering fluid from the power steering pump to the brake booster, or does it run brake fluid to the power steering pump, and the pump pumps both fluids?

PS & Brakes are independent resivoirs, need to keep an eye on both, brake fluid leaks occur in same place as in normal vehicles. I don't think there is a way for them to intermix

So I call up sales at MBM and the person I spoke with says that they don't make kits for vehicles that are newer than 1990. I told him about this site and he said he will check it out as maybe someone knows more than him. Sounds like maybe I spoke to the wrong person or there was some other misunderstanding. Got to do something soon as my power brakes and steering are bad at low engine speeds. NAPA offers a rebuilt unit for like $230 but they said they don't have any and the vendor is out also.

Was just reading the original post by steelydan and it does say that this kit is for older vehicles, interesting....
Dave

I ordered the kit from them a while back for my 95 suburban. I didn't get a dealer price if I rememeber correctly but they did ship the kit. I did the seal replacement and no leaks since.

I had emailed sales this past weekend and then I get this email (from Pirate Jack?):

Hello MBM marketing sent me this email for Kit-501 the cost of the kit is $64.50 plus S&H $12.50. Best Regards, Jessica King Pirate Jack

Sorry to disappoint anyone, but I can't mess around with this problem, I took the quick and easier (hopefully) approach and I ordered a rebuilt booster unit from Parts America this afternoon for $207 and it will be here at 7:30 am tomorrow. Hey its got a Lifetime Limited warranty. Fingers crossed. Brakes and steering are not a luxury.

I had emailed sales this past weekend and then I get this email (from Pirate Jack?):

Hello MBM marketing sent me this email for Kit-501 the cost of the kit is $64.50 plus S&H $12.50. Best Regards, Jessica King Pirate Jack

Sorry to disappoint anyone, but I can't mess around with this problem, I took the quick and easier (hopefully) approach and I ordered a rebuilt booster unit from Parts America this afternoon for $207 and it will be here at 7:30 am tomorrow. Hey its got a Lifetime Limited warranty. Fingers crossed. Brakes and steering are not a luxury.

I guess they are looking to keep up with inflation. I paid 38 bucks delivered.

asnow, i was just wondering what kind of problems you were having specifically. i was camping this weekend and the truck drove fine there for about an hour and a half, then it sat all weekend. it only moved as my buddy took it on a 10 min beer run and i moved it to jump another truck and used 4x4 as not spin the tires and tear up the grass. Then when i got in to go home, the power brakes and steering were pretty much gone. but i had to drive it (not fun) to get back to school. i don't know what is wrong, brake and steering fluids seem fine, don't see any leaks on the ground after sitting over night, can't tell if it is leaking anywhere in the engine bay as it is pretty dirty and oily from previous oil line leak. but i don't know where to start, or any good mechanics here, nor do i have many tools at all. debating on whether to try and drive it home 2 1/2 hours.
any help is appreciated

when i first got the truck 2 years ago this fall I had issues. flushed the fluid, new belt, new pump, back to original pump and then it went away and I can't remember how. think it was after the belt. Well, now its back. For me it effects both the steering and brakes and its getting worse. Low RPM's are terrible, but its getting weak sometimes above 600 rpms. Very dangerous at it happens intermittenly, in fact I'm not driving it anymore until its fixed. To the point were I'm actually thinking let someone else fix it, but I'll take another swing at it. I'll bet the booster takes care of it. I've done some reading online and think that its the booster. I don't see mine leaking, but I think it may be either leaking by internally effecting my working pressure, or the accumulator has issues. Will let everyone know the results. Think the unit I'm getting is a Cardone. Hopefully not rebuilt in China. Did I just think that? Got to get rid of those 20" tires!

frig, wasn't the problem :mad: Well the old one had very small leaks. What a pain in the arse. Wish I could stick a pressure gauge on the output of the power steering pump. I've got a 3000 psi pressure gauge, just need to adapt it safely.

Gotta love air ratchets for the hydro mount nuts. Was tempted to cut off the extra 2" of threads on all 4 mount bolts. Nice snap clip too on the brake ped assembly. Why isn't a washer and cotter pin good for this type of connection. The engineers that design this stuff really must like torturing technicians.

So I got a used power steering pump from the junk yard and the first thing I noticed when looking at the two is that the power steering fluid return tube on the original pump was bent which pinched it an may have caused back pressure. At first the new/used pump seemed like it was working good with just a little back and forth movement on the side of the driveway, only turning the steering wheel when the vehicle was rolling. Then after a few minutes the steering started getting messed up, basically get locked up. Put the front end of the truck on jack stands and start flushing with more power steering fluid. Something just didn't seem right as even with the wheels off the ground it just didnt seem as strong as it needed to be and sometime when turning it to the right it would stop and I could hear the pump working. :confused: I'm thinking must be trapped air. So I'd get some air, stop the engine and let it sit for 45 minutes. Start it up, repeat, repeat..... Seemed like I could get it to were I like it but then it would act up again especially if i turned the steering all the way close to one end. So I'm looking at the fluid which is now clear with the new fluid and I see metalic looking particles. WTF? All this flushing and particles. I put a glass filter in between the cooler and the pump which is on the return side of the power steering loop. System did like this as when the filter started to plug, which didn't take more than a few minutes, it blew the line off. Lots of flow man. Nobody hurt, truck oK. At this point I'm steaming and at about the point of giving up with power steering fluid everywhere.

Take a dinner break, even a nap. Been working my arse off on this truck, and its been kinda hot and humid lately. The remaining 4 Delphi's are in on the turbo side and its running great and I wanna drive it!

So I'm thinking when did these particles start? Looked inside the old pump and guess what I see.
http://asnowsquall.smugmug.com/photos/72671168-M.jpg

:eek: WOW. I actually pulled the pump completly apart and its not in bad shape considering but the key is what I believe to be the pressure regulating piston in the bottom of the unit looked to be stuck. This could be because of fine particles. Thinking now that the new/used pump must have finished off the power steering gear box. Now I've got to decide on if I should get a rebuilt unit or a used one from a junk yard. Wondering if this may be cause by the huge 20" tires and maybe the previous owner wasn't careful to only turn the steering wheel when rolling. I can take my wheel with it up in the air right now and move it side to side about 1 inch before the steering linkage even moves. Not sure if this is normal or not.

Looks like the bearings in this picture may be the bearing that went bad on mine, maybe...
http://off-roadweb.com/tech/0501or_steer08_z.jpg

More info on the saginaw here http://www.off-roadweb.com/tech/0501or_steer/

Looks like a thrust or roller bearing to me Dave. You're probably right.

Yes, I'll bet that bearing has something to do with the play in my steering. Glad I stopped driving the rig. It never was as bad driving it as it got after I started working on it.
By the way, back when I was looking for power steering pumps I checked with the dealer just for laughs. They told me "it's been discontinued" but we found one in WA and they will ship it to us and we will charge you $625 for it. :eek:
Wonder what they get for the steering gear box. May start removing mine and shopping for replacement today. This http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8043387029&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT actually looks interesting with the "Lifetime Warranty" and after shipping it will be about the same price as local junkyard.

Safe to say I found the problem in the power end of the of the steering gear box. Looks like some staining from water at some point in time. Also looks like its not a good core for a rebuild as far as I know. Local junkyard has one for $175 with a claimed 82K on it. Still thinking. http://asnowsquall.smugmug.com/photos/72807369-M.jpg
http://asnowsquall.smugmug.com/photos/72809383-M.jpg

Great photos, Snow . Sorry to be informed of the demise of your gearbox.

I installed a junkyard gearbox in mine ; though it had 100K Mi , it was a nice improvement.

Might consider plumbing an oilfilter in the return line ... or at least plan on some more flushing intervals. good luck with it.

I'm done under the dash looking for electric power steering control modules and asking questions from different dealers. The more I ask the more confliction, confusion, etc.... Picked up a gearbox off a 97 with 8-lug rims from the local junkyard and it goes in today. If it doesn't workout then they said bring it back. Seems to have the same ratio turning it by hand as the original. This whole thing makes me want to -:t

Does the MBM booster business sell retail? The website indicates that they are a wholesaler / supplier. My hydro unit is barfing oil out onto the nice pavement the city just put along the side of my house.