hard steering

05DURAMAX

Geaux LSU Tigers!
Jun 29, 2009
10
0
0
Louisiana
Help! I am a first time diesel owner. I have an 05 dmax and have had no problems until now. When not moving or moving very slow, my steering wheel is extremely difficult to turn. It take me both hands to turn the wheel when it does this. I do not hear any noise from the p-steering pump when this occurs and the fluid level is good. It does this intermittently, any ideas??
 

jraymer

<--Tree Hugger
Oct 31, 2008
1,421
0
0
Las Vegas, NV
Is your truck lifted? Put your truck details in your sig so we all know what you have. Belt slip maybe? Its always a bit harder to turn when stopped with my 35"s.
 

jmoore

POOR BOY
May 29, 2009
131
0
0
46
VA
Welcome, Maybe your power steering fluid needs to be flushed. I have a 06 and it started doing the same thing your talking about, so i flushed it out and put in some new fluid with a additive call BG power steering conditioner, SO FAR SO GOOD!!!:D
 

05DURAMAX

Geaux LSU Tigers!
Jun 29, 2009
10
0
0
Louisiana
No lift on the truck, torsion bars cranked up. Tires are 305/70 on 16in M/T Classic II's. Not 100%, but I think it has done this when NOT pushing the brake pedal. I Will try flushing the p/s fluid and adding additive as suggested to see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestions and I will try to update my truck info in signature. Hey jraymer, is yours so hard that you need both hands to turn it? I have never had a truck do this before. I can understand some extra tension when you get into bigger tires but damn, what I got goin on is rediculous!
 

05' Ditry Duramax

New member
May 3, 2008
1,294
0
0
42
Port Orchard Washington
No mine has never been that hard, usually one hand, or more like 3 fingers even when barely rolling.

Mine too. Never had to hang on the wheel to make it turn. Even when I had a wide set of 37's on it. There's something going on with the system. I would also sugest NOT putting that much effort into turning the wheel. Unless you like to buy steering parts. You should let the truck start to roll before you try and turn the wheel at all.
 

LBZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 2, 2007
9,903
149
63
46
B.C.
No lift on the truck, torsion bars cranked up. Tires are 305/70 on 16in M/T Classic II's. Not 100%, but I think it has done this when NOT pushing the brake pedal. I Will try flushing the p/s fluid and adding additive as suggested to see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestions and I will try to update my truck info in signature. Hey jraymer, is yours so hard that you need both hands to turn it? I have never had a truck do this before. I can understand some extra tension when you get into bigger tires but damn, what I got goin on is rediculous!

When stopped, my '05 was just like this with 285's and so is my '07 with 35 x 12.5's on pavement. If it is moving it is fine.

If it is tough when idling through a parking lot and trying to turn, I would suggest your pump is on it's way out. You can try the flush, but I would be surprised if it helps.
 

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
10
0
Wyoming
mines terrible too. Sometimes its worse than others, I have no idea why. Im running massive 265 tires, but they are pretty bald so I guess the scrub radius is a little bit more significant than if they had deep lugs on them.

Yes, still does it with my foot off the brakes, ive tried increasing rpm, etc...still hard to turn when completely stopped. I might try increasing the pressure a bit by stretching the spring, or flushing out the fluid (never done it before, ill have to figure out how to do that).

ben
 

TrentNell

Finally underway !!!!!
Jul 7, 2008
7,543
0
0
44
slc tuah
mine was improved when i did my hydro boost and flushed my power steering . cant say if it was the flush or new hydro boost but it is better now .
 

S Phinney

Active member
Aug 15, 2008
4,008
18
28
Quncy, Fl
That is a typical problem with the HD truck. There has to be a defect in the system that causes it. When I replaced my gear box it got a lot better but still did not go away. Since then everything has been replaced and it still occurs on occasion.
 

bmzero

New member
Dec 6, 2009
1
0
0
I have a '06 with a leveling kit installed. I went to stock Hummer H2 wheels and tires after the lift and immediately started having this problem. The only time it's an issue is when I'm trying to line up in a parking spot. That's the only time I need to turn when it's not rolling.

Yesterday, I had the pump replaced and it didn't affect the problem whatsoever.

What I don't understand is, from my understanding, the H2 is built off of the 2500HD chassis. One would assume that vehicle uses the same steering components as the truck and it obviously turns the larger tires with no problems. So, that begs the question, what is different with the steering on the H2 than what is on the 2500 trucks? Obviously the pump is different, but not necessarily the output of the pump.

Anyone have any solid fixes for this problem?
 

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
10
0
Wyoming
I have a '06 with a leveling kit installed. I went to stock Hummer H2 wheels and tires after the lift and immediately started having this problem. The only time it's an issue is when I'm trying to line up in a parking spot. That's the only time I need to turn when it's not rolling.

Yesterday, I had the pump replaced and it didn't affect the problem whatsoever.

What I don't understand is, from my understanding, the H2 is built off of the 2500HD chassis. One would assume that vehicle uses the same steering components as the truck and it obviously turns the larger tires with no problems. So, that begs the question, what is different with the steering on the H2 than what is on the 2500 trucks? Obviously the pump is different, but not necessarily the output of the pump.

Anyone have any solid fixes for this problem?

no, the pump is not different.

the ease of steering on an H2 is due to the fact that the 6.0 and 4L60 weighs over 400lbs less than the duramax/allison.

try flushing out all the fluid with new fluid. If that doesnt work, then adding hydro-assist is really the only option.

ben
 

jmar243

07 lbz
Sep 20, 2009
23
0
1
pa
does anybody know where to get a good steering box that has no backlash in it
i bought one from autozone and it is not any better than what is on it know
i want to be able to drive and not have to turn the wheel half a turn before the truck responds, all the other steering components have been replaced so it has to be the steering box
 

Great White

Great White
Jul 16, 2009
93
0
0
Show Low Arizona
I saw a SB that was indicating an ongoing problem with the HydroBoost system in these types of trucks. I had this hard steering problem, adjusted steering box, checked fluid level in power steering pump. I'm running 285/70/16 Goodyear M/Ts at 45 psi. I replaced the hydro boost but I'm still having difficulty with hard steering. I may replace the Power steering pump to see if that is the problem. Good luck. Otherwise be sure to only turn when the vehicle is moving and not at a dead stop.