Power Steering Replacement Cost - Too Much?

Is it possible for you to jack the truck up in the front .

With the weight off

See if it still has the tight spots

How is the rest of the steering linkage

Ball joints ever changed??

Did you some how manage to be driving around in 4 High ??

What your feeling is torque bind??

4x4 light burn out ??

CV axles about to fail and binding in random positions??

Granted your fluid looked bad and after only a few years says something is not right in these either.

Could be a few different issues .

 

Excellent questions. We are getting it on jacks tomorrow afternoon and will be testing with weight off the wheels. So I will update after we do so tomorrow.

Tie rods look a bit worn.

I have no idea if the ball joints were ever changed.

Not driving in 4H (havent even had the chance to test that out yet, sadly D: )

The tightness in random spots happens when im on and off the gas. So not sure if thats Torque Bind.

From what I could tell, the CV's looked okay. I didnt see any seepage, but will get a better look tomorrow when its on the stands.

Can the cv axles bind in random positions when turning both right and left?

I just find it odd that one day it works fine and the next, it says NOPE.

 

We got the truck up on stands yesterday afternoon. We think we finally have a direction of the issue: ball joints.

This is your regular ball joint:


This is my ball joints (uppers):



Minus the blueberries. But otherwise a pretty spot on representation of how they look. haha.