MS wrote:

California trip was tough on my steering. The KRC aluminum power steering pump started leaking after never seeping or dripping for twenty years.
Thinking of just buying a new one, but man, they are expensive!

There is a reseal kit available, but I m thinking it is just lipstick on a pig after 20 years of wear.

Anybody ever rebuild one? What are your thoughts on resealing vs a brand new pump?

You reseal it and it leaks - then that is on you. You install a new one and it leaks - it's on them. I would say that the reseal job would depend on the quality of the new seals installed, and as you said, 20 years of wear. Crap shoot.
 

I’ve never rebuilt a KRC pump but my two-cents is that the seal is likely the issue after 20 years, and unless the shaft has been worn, a new seal should work.  If the new seal doesn’t work, how much have you lost financially vs. the purchase price of the new pump?

Take a look at this info from Ranger Station site.

Perhaps the same pump can be used with custom made bracket(s).

https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/finally-a-permanent-power-steering-whine-fix.188619/

I like how the pump outlet is at the bottom.

Last edited by Nos681 (3/03/2025 9:54 AM)

Rudi wrote:

My hydraulic pump experience is more industrial than automobile but I have learned that cast iron bodied units far outlast aluminum ones.
As far as power steering goes, I don’t know why more guys don’t go electric. To each his own I suppose.

Electric PS is pretty awesome, however there are some caveats when retrofitting. Electrical and charging system need to be up to snuff, the elec PS pump pulls a good amount of current especially when going full lock. They also need to be speed controlled or at least locked in to a specific duty cycle although there's aftermarket controllers being made now that will vary the assist based on vehicle speed, **but** that requires a vehicle speed sensor.

I've got a Mazda MX3 pump on my bench along with an aftermarket controller that I was going to use on my 95 Lightning because space was an issue when crafting up a turbo kit.

There's also the electric motor setups that are column mounted, but those appear to be expensive!
 

Following the NOTHING TO LOSE scenario, I disassembled the old pump.  Pretty simple and everything still looked new inside.  I am ordering a $26 seal kit from KRC that should take care of the leak. 

A new pump like this one was going to run almost $700 !!!

Looks like a fun project for a Saturday. especially for us retired old guys!  $700 bucks???

I'm curious where it leaked, and if the seal in the area looked damaged.  I've rebuilt a couple steering pumps over the years, but they were always iron bodied.  My concern would therefore be wear to the casting from running steel innards against an aluminum casting.  Now, if its designed right that concern could be mitigated, but it does beg the question: why did it leak in the first place?  I know I have close to a half dozen PS pumps on various vehicles with 150k-300k miles that have never leaked.  I'd be disappointed that their fancy schmancy pump couldn't manage the same feat as an OEM one built by the lowest bidder.  I'm curious to hear the outcome. 

I'm guessing it wasn't making any noise, just leaking?  Any chance the bearing is shot, allowing the shaft to get cocked and fluid to leak past an otherwise good seal? 

Makes me wonder where that seal came from.  A week after I completely rebuilt the 10.5" Sterling rear in one of my F250s I had a pinion seal leak.  All brand new parts, including the yoke (OEM Ford).  There was nothing obvious when I pulled the yoke and seal, except that the seal had "China" stamped into it.  It came in a Randys master overhaul kit, so I was pretty salty about that.  I bought a new SKF sea1 from the local NAPA for $9, installed it, and 3 years later it still doesn't leak.  I don't know what the difference in cost was between the garbage they shipped me and that SKF seal, but I'd have gladly paid it to have something that didn't leak.  Fortunately I do not use crush sleeves, so I didn't have to go through setting bearing preload again.  Randy's used to be quality, and the bearings were Timken, but now I think they are sourcing the other parts as cheaply as possible while inflating their prices.  Fine, fool me once and all that.  I can get bearings, races, and seals off Rock Auto for about the price of a Randy's kit.  Guess I'll just do that from now on. 

I've heard varying takes on the reasons why.  I've heard that it comes down to the QC of the company overseeing the manufacturing, as when say an American company manufacturers things in China.  I've also heard that there is a big disconnect with American's thinking that essentially all Asian nations have the same values, and that when Chinese manufacturing exploded we thought that it would be great, because Japanese products had become so great.  Unfortunately there's a gulf of difference between Japanese and Chinese cultures. 

A big issue with anything metal manufactured in China is tat they are the destination for most of our scrap metal.  Its perfectly fine to use some measure of recycled material when making new metal parts, but most sources say it shouldn't exceed 20% for anything structurally important.  There are impurities in recycled material which are impossible to fully purge.  Chinese products often simply ignore this, and this is why for example some years back there were a rash of brake rotors that failed when the hat became separated from the rotor itself.  I've also heard of Chinese head castings failing due to the same issue.

My thoughts are honestly to just avoid Chinese made stuff whenever possible.  Hopefully that's going to become easier here in the coming years.  

The original seal lasted 20 years without issue. It says TAIWAN on the seal.  All I ask is the new one to last half as long as the old one.