Hey everyone,

Just curious if it's normal for something to make a squealing sound if you are turning the wheel and get to full lock and then keep pushing a little more. If it's because something isn't adjusted right, how do I adjust it so it won't turn to that point?

 

Don't go full lock. You put a tremendous amount of stress on the power steering pump when you dead head it like that. Plus what's the point of turning the wheel more once you hit the locks?

 

No point. Just curious because I replaced the steering pump yesterday and while I was going from left to right 20 times I got careless a handful of times and it made that noise. I don't remember the sound from my last xj is all.

 

Belt tight..

 

It's not abnormal. What's happening is that you're asking too much of the pump, and the belt is slipping. If you just feel hell bent on checking, get a $15 Krikit II belt tension gauge and make sure your serpentine belt is tightened between 140 and 160 lb ft. That gauge is a good tool to have in your kit anyway. But you probably don't really need to bother with it if your belt isn't squealing any other time.

 

Air in the lines probably, or a loose belt

 

I think I will order one of those. Belt tension has always been something I'm bad at guaging myself.

 

Very few people are good at gauging it, because it's supposed to be a lot tighter than anybody expects. As I said above, it's 140 to 160 lb ft for a used belt, 180 to 200 lb ft for a new belt (to allow for stretching as it breaks in). You can't twist the belt nearly as much as you expect at those tension settings.

 

if you just replaced the pump you actually have to turn it to full lock a couple times to bleed the air out. I had to replace the steering box on my 98 TJ and the only way to bleed the air out is to turn it to full lock in each direction a few times. it is not good to hold it there for an extended period of time. But a few times is not going to hurt it. Just like what was stated before make sure your belt is at the correct tension too.

 

I think the actual number is 20 times. Pretty sure I saw someone quote the manual saying that. Too lazy to look in my Chilton...

 

I replaced my pump a few weeks back and it whined at full lock for about 2 days. It went away after that. Don't know the reasoning but just wait and see what happens.