#6 Veebelt driving steering fluid pump needs tightening. #7 Ball joint on front suspension seizing up. #8 Steering box adjustment incorrect. #9 universal joints on steering column seized.#10 Steering box adjusted on a really hot day, then driven in sub-zero temperatures. No backlash on gears until the box warms up.#11 Power steering rack preload adjusted too tightly #12 Bearings in steering box seizing up from rust. Get a spring balance and measure the force to pull the rack with the tie rod ends disconnected, and the steering disconnected at the pinion of the steering rack.Then reconnect the steering box and and remeasure. If more than 20% increase disconnect steering column from box and remeasure. A big decrease indicates a fault between box and steering wheel. No difference means a faulty box.If still OK swing both road wheels through their entire travel, and compare the effort required for each side. Should be equal, unless both sides have seized up at the same time. Unlikely. If still OK, use a lighter spring balance and check the rack preload at the pinion, while the rod ends and steering box are disconnected. Expect around 6-12 pounds.inches.So if you hook the pinion at one inch radius ie. through a bolt hole, and the balance says 8 pounds, that's 8 inch pounds. The power steering manufactures can supply the actual preload value for the unit. If you still haven't found a fault, run the engine and see if the force to pull the disconnected rack increases. It shouldn't.
I am having a very hard time turning the wheel. We had freezing weather in NY. My coolant is frozen also. Does power steering fluid freeze? Could the reason its hard to turn the wheel because of the power steering fluid freezing and the thickness of it? I dont know what to do.
