Steering wheel hard to turn, what can I expect to happen now?

My 1996 2.4 power steering is going out (hard to turn the wheel, does not snap back in place when I go around a corner). I have siphoned out the old fluid and put in fresh Dex/Merc ATF, but that didn't do anything.

Pump is making NO noise of any kind. Has never leaked a drop of fluid, ever. So I'm guessing I have a while before the pump gives out.

Has this happened to anyone here? If so, how much time do you think I got before it goes out? It's my daily driver with about 150 miles a week on it

Should I change hoses along with the pump? I've heard not to use rebuilt steering pumps because the pressures will make the thing fail again in a couple years.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

If the power steering is not assisting the steering, the pump has already failed (or something else, but most likely.) There are two major components in steering assistance, of course the pump and the steering rack itself. It's one or the other. In the best of all worlds the FSM recommends an SST, power steering pressure gauge, attached inline to check the pressure produced by the pump, which most of us don't have. Someone here may suggest other tests to confirm, but if it were me I'd just get a new steering pump.

Overstating the obvious, you're sure the belt isn't slipping, right?

You shouldn't have to swap out the hoses and that's a bigger job than it sounds. You'd have to remove them from the steering rack which requires flare wrenches and it's tight in there without removing the rack, very easy to bung up the flare nuts in the process. If they're not leaking leave them alone.

 

Check the steering shaft universal joint in the engine bay. They like to get rusty and freeze up. Spray it with some penetrant and see if it helps

 

For sure don't overlook the steering shaft. I've done more of those on both Tacoma's and Rams than any other component.