This forum has been a great resource so I hope someone can help me again. I installed rear tracks on my 2009 RTV900 and was zipping around the field to test out the traction in about 2" of snow. After about 10 minutes I lost all power steering. I could turn the wheels manually left to right without any problem. No response at all from the steering wheel. The steering wheel does stop after several turns in both right and left directions.
I pulled the power steering pump but didn't disassemble it. When I turned the shaft manually fluid shot out into my eye.
I then drained all the fluid from the reservoir. It was ugly, so I thought maybe that was the problem. I was gravity draining it at first but then decided to reconnect the low pressure line and attach a spare hydraulic hose to the high pressure port. so I could run some fresh fluid through to clean out the tank. The pump did pull out the rest of the fluid, but slowly - like a steady stream. When I reconnected the high pressure line I could see fluid spilling out into the reservoir from the return line - so presumably the circuit is still intact.
How much 'pressure' should the pump actually produce?
I reinstalled the pump. I then removed each line from the steering cylinder individually and turned the wheel with the line detached. Fluid did stream out about as fast as when I had the high pressure line removed from the pump. With the engine not running I can turn the wheels left to right and fluid will squirt out of the cylinder ports.
With everything reconnected and the front end off the ground there is an occasional, weak jitter of motion from the wheels.
So it seems like fluid is going where it's supposed to, right? And the pump must be working to some extent, right?. And the steering controller seems to be passing fluid to the outlet ports, right? And the seals in the steering cylinder must not be completely shot or else I wouldn't have any pressure when moving the wheels, right?
So what am I missing?
Thank you.
I pulled the power steering pump but didn't disassemble it. When I turned the shaft manually fluid shot out into my eye.
I then drained all the fluid from the reservoir. It was ugly, so I thought maybe that was the problem. I was gravity draining it at first but then decided to reconnect the low pressure line and attach a spare hydraulic hose to the high pressure port. so I could run some fresh fluid through to clean out the tank. The pump did pull out the rest of the fluid, but slowly - like a steady stream. When I reconnected the high pressure line I could see fluid spilling out into the reservoir from the return line - so presumably the circuit is still intact.
How much 'pressure' should the pump actually produce?
I reinstalled the pump. I then removed each line from the steering cylinder individually and turned the wheel with the line detached. Fluid did stream out about as fast as when I had the high pressure line removed from the pump. With the engine not running I can turn the wheels left to right and fluid will squirt out of the cylinder ports.
With everything reconnected and the front end off the ground there is an occasional, weak jitter of motion from the wheels.
So it seems like fluid is going where it's supposed to, right? And the pump must be working to some extent, right?. And the steering controller seems to be passing fluid to the outlet ports, right? And the seals in the steering cylinder must not be completely shot or else I wouldn't have any pressure when moving the wheels, right?
So what am I missing?
Thank you.
