p/s heavy

[glenandemm]

hi my 97 190 lwb minibus power steering feels very heavy comparedto my mates transit,it does feel like im getting somesort of assistance on full lock but no where near it should be, ive changed the fluid coz it looked very dirty then i changed the pump and its still the same,all pipes look ok,no kinked or bent pipes,any advice,cheers glen

[MrMPuk]

What tyre pressures have you got up front?

[glenandemm]

about 60 psi all round

[gemini]

about 60 psi all round

[MrMPuk]

Well it wont be a problem with low tyre pressure.

[schmacster]

Jack the front end up (both wheels) Then turn the wheels left to right, It should have some resistance but not excessive. Mine has been doing this for about a month, today i changed both the lower arm ball joints and both the track rod ends, all seems so much better. Just got to get the tracking done tommoro. All in it took me two hours per side (dodging the rain/sleet showers Going to do the steering fluid next weekend

[gemini]

also could be worth having a look at the uj on the steering column

[glenandemm]

the tyre pressures are what my local commercial tyre fitter set these to due to being a 15 seater minibus,i looked in the manual and theyre only about 5psi above what what 13 seater with 14 inch wheels have,any way will check these things out,cheers glen

[Valsheda]

The tyres i have are 215 65 16 and the pressures all round are 60psi, even when i had the original alloys on i had the tyers at 50psi, reason i have them set high is due to the body roll of the van, i found it wore the outer edge of the tyres, this was also advised by a mate who has had alot of vans in his time.

[Aquanaut]

I had a similar problem when I bough my first transit last year.
The Pump had a slight leak and pipes all looked ok.
But when I looked closer at the tubes running underneath along the power steering rack, they were slightly squashed from the last idiot owner hitting kirbs or mounds of dirt or something.
I replaced the tubes from a scrap yard, problem sorted. Works great.
Eventually replaced the leaky pump months later.
Hope this helps.

[AndyG]

The tyres i have are 215 65 16 and the pressures all round are 60psi, even when i had the original alloys on i had the tyers at 50psi, reason i have them set high is due to the body roll of the van, i found it wore the outer edge of the tyres, this was also advised by a mate who has had alot of vans in his time.

Don't you spin in the wet What's it like in an emergency stop? Is your Traction Control/ABS doing overtime
Was always led to belive you had to reduce your tyre pressures if you go bigger - like the Standard v Tourneo (185/195x14 v 205x70x14)
They went larger for comfort reasons not looks

[crazyscoot]

Mines ex Staffordshire Police and they had the pressures printed out and stuck above the wheel arches (only small stickers) They use 55 front and 45 rear.......or was it the other way round? cant remember.....been respayed, so no more stickers

[AndyG]

Other way round Don't try and confuse me :lol
45 front 55 back
Might try 60psi and see what happens

[crazyscoot]

Other way round Don't try and confuse me :lol
45 front 55 back
Might try 60psi and see what happens

would i

[glenandemm]

i dont have abs on my 97 lwb minibus,found the minibus to drive a little better with higher pressures,may get a tiny bit of spinning if i throw it hard into a corner with no passengers in but its only a bit of back end action which we all love but thats only if its wet,found it drives nicer with 15 people in as well, i actuallyused to put about 50psi in all round untill the place where i take it for tyres put 60psi in so i just left it coz it drove better and it doesnt wear tyres funny either.
p.s carried out the pump mod on saturday went to aintree with 10 people in and found it pulled better than ever especialy over barton bridge!,85mph all the way there