Posted: Oct 29 2008 at 10:24pm | IP Logged

I have an '02 SC crew cab and love it except for the steering.  It pulls hard to the right no matter what shop tries to align it.  If I let go of the steering wheel, the wheel goes to center but the truck heads right.  It steers hard too.

One of the posts from a search on "steering" said Mobil 1 transmission fluid fixed the hard steering problem.  USE MOBIL 1 TRANS FLUID AS POWER STEERING FLUID???

The tires are top of the line Michelins, but I had the same problem with the original tires. 

Any alignment ideas?

Other possible causes?

Posted: Oct 30 2008 at 4:52am | IP Logged

Nissan power steering fluid is Dexron 3 ATF.  Many steering systems in many makes use ATF as the PS fluid.  It is an exceptional hydraulic fluid as it is built to take heat and pressure in the trans.  I went to the dealer about a year to buy Nissan PS fluid and came away being told by the shop to use Mobil 1 ATF.  I pulled out the old and replaced it; runs great!!!!

If your truck heads right, and you bought the vehicle used, it may have been in an accident with a frame misalignment issue.  Otherwise, since tires seem to be ruled out, you must have an alignment issue.  Has the camber been reset?

Posted: Oct 30 2008 at 6:46am | IP Logged

I checked CarFax before I bought it.  There was no record of an accident, but that doesn't mean it hadn't had one.  I learned that it was a leased vehicle.  The dealer said the lease was terminated early because the leasor died.

I had the tires balanced when I bought them (of course).  The shop said that one of the wheels was bent.  That wheel is now my spare, but if a driver hit something hard enough to bend a wheel, the impact could have bent something else too.  Is that something a dealer can check?  Or should I bring it to a collision center with a frame alignment jig?

I have a Pella extractor, so I am definitely going to switch to Mobile 1 ATF in the power steering pump.

Posted: Oct 30 2008 at 1:32pm | IP Logged

I'd certainly have a qualified mechanic look at the tie rods and everything on the side of the truck where the wheel impact occurred.  I am not sure of the construction of the front end on an o2 but assume it is old style with a Pitman arm, etc.  Look at the links, the upper and lower control arms, etc.  If any of these are bent, that could cause a problem...but it should have been found if its there by a good front end man.  Still sounds like a camber/toe issue that could be caused by a bent/damaged front end part.

Hope the lessor didn't die hitting that wheel against a wall!!

Posted: Nov 16 2008 at 7:21am | IP Logged

UPDATE:

I replaced the power steering fluid with Mobil1 ATF yesterday.  You were right.  That makes a noticable difference!!!!

I have a Pella vacuum extractor, so the job was pretty easy.  It would have been easier and quicker if I had someone in the cab to turn the wheel from lock to lock.

Everthing looked fine when the fluid started flowing through the Pella tube, but when I turned the wheel from lock to lock, the fluid looked like thick coffee. 

I would have only used 1/2 of a bottle of fluid, but I wanted to get as much black fluid out as possible.  I filled up the reservoir, swung the wheel to the other side, and vacuumed it out again until I used the whole bottle.

The feel in the wheel when drove it was completely different than before the fluid change.  It was lighter and I didn't notice the pull as much.  I can't say the pull is gone because I just drove the truck a little ways.  On one stretch of the road, it even seemed to pull the other way.  There was strong wind yesterday, so I'm not sure what caused what effect.

That would be nice if an $8 bottle of Mobil1 ATF fixed the problem.  It sure beats a trip to a frame and alignment shop.  If the ATF did actually fix the problem, I would like to know the "science" of the problem and fix.

I will post another update after it drive it a bit.