How is the power steering/ steering box supposed to be serviced? Is it just a replace item or a new fluid thing or what?

Whats wrong with it?

You can flush the fluid if its dirty. Takes ATF not power steering fluid.

You can adjust the freeplay with the screw and jamb nut on top if its excessive.

Only replace it if it doesnt work, makes grinding noises, or the freeplay is too excessive.

DO NOT PUT IN POWERSTEERING FLUID..

Just wanted to make sure-you will ruin it if you do.

The play is just bad in it....Ill have to adjust the screw on top....any tips on that procedure?

Yep....loosen the large jamb nut....while holding the jamb nut with a wrench, tighten the center bolt with a flat head screwdriver. Do this a little at a time, checking free play at the wheel. You don't want to tighten it too much, there should be just a little free play. Might help to jack the front end up to make sure its not too tight...there should be no resistance.

If you tighten the bolt all the way down and theres still excessive freeplay, the box needs replaced.

Here's the FSM procedure

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-buchanan/93fsm/steering/3onvehicl.pdf

As far as fluid, I just bought one of those cheap meat basters that look like a giant syringe. Suck as much of the old fluid out as possible and add new. That has kept my PS working fine for 114 K miles. It works great for brake fluid in the reservoir, though buy a separate one for each kind of fluid.

Best way is to disconnect the return line, stick it in a 5 gallon bucket, run the truck, and keep pouring new fluid in the resivour until it runs clean in the bucket.

No it wont ruin it. However, if your seals happen to be old and on the edge already, switching fluids might cause it to start leaking, similar to what some people have found when switching engine oil to synthetic sometimes.
You can use either type of fluid in the steering if your seals are in good shape, but yes, Toyota does call for ATF.


There is also a way to adjust the play on the input shaft, but on these late model boxes it requires complete disassembly. Same goes for replacing the seal on the input shaft.
On the older style boxes you can do both w/o removing the box from the truck if you want...

x 3; stick with ATF; specifically Dextron. The cheap box store stuff will finish off your seals as mentioned. All Yotas like the good stuff. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I've run power steering fluid the past 5 years no problem, knock on wood.