9 Motorhome Power Steering Issues and Possible Causes

9 Motorhome Power Steering System Issues and Possible Causes

(This info is found in an older model Country Coach motorcoach owners manual & may prove to be helpful for your motorhome powersteering troubleshooting as well)

Power Steering Issues and Possible Causes:

Road wander

Tire pressure may be incorrect or unequal left to right

Front-end could be out of alignment

Components in steering linkage may be loose or worn

Steering gear mounting bolts may be loose on mount

No Recovery

Tire pressure may be low

Front-end alignment may be incorrect

Tight front axle king pins

Steering column may be binding

Pump flow may be insufficient

Shimmy

Badly worn or unevenly worn tires

Improperly mounted tire or wheel

Wheel bearing improperly adjusted or worn

Components in the steering linkage loose or worn

Wheels or brake drums out of balance

Front-end alignment incorrect

Air in Hydraulic system

Road wheel assembly run-out excessive

Over Steering

Front-end components binding or loose

Steering column binding

U-joint wrong or non-lubricated

High Steering Effort in One Direction

Unequal tire pressure

King Pin thrust bearings damaged

High Steering Effort in Both Directions

Low tire pressure

Vehicle overloaded

Low hydraulic fluid level

Low pressure or flow from pump

Steering system components binding

Restriction in return line

Lost Motion at the Steering Wheel

Steering wheel loose in shaft

Steering gear loose on frame

Pitman arm loose on output shaft

Components in steering linkage loose or worn

Excessive Heat

Excessive pump flow (pump flow – 3.0 to 5.0 gpm)

Vehicle overload

Undersized replacement hose or line

Restricted hose or line

Steering Effort Varies

Low pump flow

*Caution: If the hydraulic system fluid becomes overheated, the seals in the steering gear and the pump shrink, harden or crack, and lose their sealing ability.