I changed out my seals(input and pitman were leaking bad). Before changing them i had the alignment dialed in and quiet power steering. Leaks were bad and burning on exhaust. Now no leaks but i have serious play in steering and a whinny system. Went out jeeping and into a ditch kinda hard. Alignment needs adjustment now too(no problem doing that), not to mention new parking light lenses. But i know when doing the seals my marks for the input shaft to gear box got rubbed off(pitman shaft marks were ok though). Also i know the input shaft got spun around and for sure did not go back in original position when came out. Can that lead to the play in steering and a whinny system? Possibly something overtightened? Alignment issue came from crash and i was thinking tending to steering play and whine then alignment. Correct order? Pump was replaced three years ago and really not that much mileage on it(jeep used for offroad use mainly). I'm very handy with tools just not sure what to do here to get dialed back in. Any input and help would be appreciative.....

 

If you're referring to the steering shaft going into the steering gear, there's only one way you can put it in so I doubt you installed it wrong. For steering play, are you referring to how much you have to turn the steering wheel before the tires begin to move? If so, I'd suspect a bad steering gear or joint in the shaft rather than an alignment issue. Regardless, the whining is likely from air in the PS system.

 

Ok the steering shaft with the u-joints to the shaft going into the steering gear (that connection is what i'm referring to as input shaft). The actual shaft going into steering gear had got spun around after seals replaced before getting attached back to steering shaft(the short shaft with the u-joints). I've heard of centering the steering gear box input shaft(spinning all the way one way then the other marking each location then centering)? If thats true, i didn't do that before reinstalling. When i had the steering gear box apart everything looked good no visible wear, just seals brittle and leaking.

 

Now steering play was bad when we bought the jeep(could move steering wheel from one side to other before tires react). Changed some bushings, shocks, axle u-joints, hubs, tie rod boots and adjusted tie rods so tires were align with each other. Play in steering wheel gone and it steered like a BMW. But just changed seals in steering gear and now the play is back and a whine like the steering is stressing. That piston(spanner wrench one, with locking ring), could that be over tightened causing any problems?

 

Crazy crash over the weekend(not sure how we didn't roll)! Hell of a test run!!! Just need little info on how to fix so we don't end up in a ditch(big ditch at that, needed 4 low back up on road) or worse...