Power steering noise on the trail

Anybody else have problems with their power steering pumps making lots of noise due to the fluid frothing from air in it on the trails after bouncing around alot? Any fixes? Ignore it?

old_man said:

Anybody else have problems with their power steering pumps making lots of noise due to the fluid frothing from air in it on the trails after bouncing around alot? Any fixes? Ignore it?

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I did have the same problem even after changing boxes and pumps.

Turned out that my locker wasn't unlocking because I didn't reuse the thrust washers from the old spiders in my quik lock. The steering system was being overworked.

Fixed it and changed to synthetic PS fluid and now the steering works like it did from the factory..

Oh, sometimes it helped on the trail to burp the cap occasionally.

a lot of guys run coolers on their power steering lines, or an extra resevoir.

Untill I added a cooler, mine used to sound like the tranny was going to explode when I would wind mine up, but it was the power steering.
Over filling the resivoir helped reduced the noise, with a long vent hose from the cap to my lower control arm frame mount to let any expansion drain without making a mess of my engine compartment.
But the cooler really did the trick.

I have that on the MJ and no front locker. Only happens on the trail. I don't think it's from bouncing around, I think it's because the box is working a lot harder and generates more heat. I would suggest first a couple of flushes and some new fluid, maybe a different brand just for ha-has, and if that doesn't work go for a cooler in the return line.

I had some some problems too but found out there is no direct replacement for the the Jeep power steering fluid. Running the Jeep fluid fixed it and had cold lock up as well before and that has nearly all gone as well.