87 Power steering overhaul

Find out what’s involved in renewing power steering pipework and overhauling a power steering pump

The advantages of power steering can slowly erode as the system ages. We look at some common problems.

The power steering system on many classic cars consists of a belt- driven pump that delivers hydraulic fluid under high pressure to the steering rack to assist with turning the steering wheel. Typical problems that can arise include leaking pipework and a worn or noisy pump. The following pages provide a general guide to what’s involved in removing and renewing that pipework, overhauling components such as mounting brackets and the power steering fluid reservoir and having the pump stripped and inspected.

The work involved in stripping and inspecting a power steering pump is in theory a DIY job, but it can all go wrong if you don’t have the right tools to extract circlips and ‘O’- rings and cannot renew parts that may be worn, scored or perished. We visited the Steering Specialists of Wakefield in Yorkshire to follow them stripping, inspecting, rebuilding and testing a power steering pump from a MkII Mazda MX-5 and we were surprised to learn that in some cases, new ‘O’- rings, covers and other parts are not available.

Safety is very important when dealing with the steering components on a classic car, so after overhauling any of these parts always make sure everything has been correctly fitted and tightened before driving the vehicle.