Replacing power steering pressure lines

[EL TATE]

No pics, so "it didn't happen" but I had to replace the high pressure booster to gear PS line yesterday. It was a slow dripping leak that I could live with for the time being, but I decided the prudent thing to do would be to put some seal conditioner in there and temp fix for now. Bad choice. The seal conditioner did it's job, and pressurized the leak between the steel and soft line, taking it from a drip to a gush. Once I determined the wheel and fender liner had to come out it wasn't so tough, but let me make a couple observations that you may already know:

If you're going to do one line, do both. The passenger side line often will rub against the intercooler pipe and ruin your weekend, so check for wear while you're at it and get a chunk of foam or rubber, (I used an old hose piece) to protect the intercooler pipe from the new line. My line on that side was already new, but the driver's side line, (from booster to steering gear) was the main offender. in order to remove this line, you have got to disconnect the other line at the steering gear or you won't be able to get the pre-bent steel line free. Don't loose your o-rings in the steering gear; this is frustrating and loooong to correct. make sure to put new O-rings on and also to check the steering gear FIRST to see if the o ring that was supposed to be on the end of the old line isn't stuck inside it. 2 O-rings might sound better, but they're not, they just make it impossible to get the fitting to start on the threads.

When hooking the lines back up, connect at the steering gear first; if you hook up to the booster first, it's nearly impossible to get the angle right to start the threads, even after you clear the old O-rings. Once re-connected, raise both wheels up off the ground and fill PS reservoir. Don't fill it too full, because when the air bubbles burp up the first time it will dump fluid all over the garage floor and the dog will most likely try to lick it, then when shoo'd away will slip in it and run inside the house, tracking it all over the upstairs carpet.

SLOWLY turn the steering wheel lock to lock around 20 times. In my case about 40 times because the first 1 or 2 times were too fast, and created a bunch of little bubbles in the fluid. Refill PS reservoir and make sure to overfill it because you think it's going to drop another 1/2", but doesn't, so you can steal your wife's turkey baster and suck out the superfluous fluid. Wash it well and throw it away after she finds out what you used it for.

Start up the motor for just a few seconds to purge up any more bubbles, and wait around pretending to work so you can hang out in the garage with the neighbor for another 20 min to finish your conversation and beer. Check fluid levels again, because hey, why not, button everything up and take it for a nice drive, enjoying the fruits of your labor with smooth steering and no more pump groan. all in all my 4-1/2 hr project with 1.5hr book time wasn't that bad.

On second thought, maybe this should be in the humor and redneck practices rather than DIY...

[EL TATE]

Next step will be un-freezing the lower shock bolts to replace the worn factory suspension. I'll try and get some pics in this time. Check list: Pittman arm
Idler arm
inner and outer tie rods
ball joints uppers and lowers
upper control arms

I'm doing most of this stuff with hand tools, no air and no shop, so I'll give as much info as I can about how to do these things the hard way.

[stlaser]

I'm doing most of this stuff with hand tools, no air and no shop, so I'll give as much info as I can about how to do these things the hard way.

Tate, hats off to you. I'm a weenie at this point. To not have air tools at my disposal for a truck suspension overhaul is not something I would want to undertake ever again. The thought of cheater bars & lots of penetrating oil etc. not to mention sore muscles after the fact......

[KensAuto]

I'm with Shawn X10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I won't even change plugs without air tools nowadays. I think tate might still have a bit of youth on his side tho....
....no better way to build muscles in your 20s-30s!

[JR]

I just did the pittman on the S10, what a pain! You have to remove the box to get the arm. All in all around 2 hours (dork on youtube said 4-8). Air tools were used sometimes but not other as it was late.

Now for spark plug, OMG those are worse on this thing. For the wires you need to be a contortionist and you have to unbolt the steering shaft for another.

Great for toning when you are young. I fractured a wrist at 18 and they said I needed no rehab since working on farm equipment worked great.

[EL TATE]

I don't know about that "young" business any more. I'm graying up pretty fast, legs arms and neck are sore as heck from leaning over the frame rail for over an hour trying to thread the connector with two o rings in the inlet, but that's probably from my soft office life and lack of workout. I'm using mallets, pickle forks, breaker bars and jack handle extensions on breaker bars, but at least I don't have a broken rib to slow me down this time, and all this work doubles as a free gym membership right? I've also got a fuel filter to change out and am going to change the thermostats while I'm at it since I am able to clearly hear them opening and shutting with gentle upper rad hose pressure applied.

[KensAuto]

..........I am able to clearly hear them opening and shutting with gentle upper rad hose pressure applied.

I certainly hope not! You're probably just hearing the little air bleed valves in the t-stats....not the stats themselves...perfectly normal.

[TexasRedNeck]

Maybe I missed it, but what are you working on?  DMAX?

[stlaser]

Wife's suburban I believe.....

[KensAuto]

.......Only if the burb has an intercooler pipe. :)

[EL TATE]

Yeah this is the DMAX. Thanks Ken, I'll keep the Tstats for later on down the road when I'm sure i'll run into it. I know I cleaned the stack and all, but I thought running consistently under 185 might have been an issue. maybe I just need some cardboard up front during the colder months?

Wife's Yukon is currently running like a top.

[rpar86]

.......Only if the burb has an intercooler pipe. :)

It would if it were a duraburb ;)  Man i want one of those someday...

[TexasRedNeck]

Yes. A 2014 would be awesome. If I ever sell the dually .....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EL TATE]

I'm tellin' ya, as comfortable as that Denali is inside, wife, 2 kids, lab, heated leather captains chairs in the 2nd row, room for our stuff in the 3rd row or xtra friends, if that thing were a 6.6L I would trade my lb7 in on a commuter in a heartbeat.

[Dawg25385]

I loved my Tahoe... had the LT3... very comfortable rigs.

My wife wants a new Tahoe as her kid-hauler... I'm trying to convince her into a 4runner though.

[moto123]

What year is your Yukon denali and how many miles?  We got my wife a 2010 denali xl a couple weeks ago with 78,000 mi and I am going through everything on it.  Cruise control worked intermittent, replaced brake switch solved that.  There is a whine noise that I believe I have traced to the front differential.  Lots of people complain about the axle carrier bearings going out.  When I dumped the fluid to check, there was a lot of metal shavings in there.  More than could even be collected on the magnetic drain plug.  Just curious if you have had any issues with yours.  My transfer case and rear diff looked clean.

[EL TATE]

What year is your Yukon denali and how many miles? 

2004 124k. Replaced the suspension air compressor a total of 3 times, Alternator a couple months back, but it was factory Delphi. Tires and brakes, battery, transmission last year, but I fault the previous owner and myself for not checking. factory seal and filter on the original trans w/ clearly no service EVER done to it before I thought towing a 29ft camper over the cascades was a good idea.  ??? Other than preventable maint issues and regular service items, it's had no problems at all.