Steering issues

[ratherbehunting]

Hi people. Yesterday I got stuck and my power steering started whining. I got pulled out, drove 100 miles just fine. When I went to leave the steering became very difficult. Fluid level is fine but the power steering is gone. Are there things this can be other than the power steering pump itself? My ranger is a 98 xlt 2wd 3.0. Please help.

[ben10]

even if you have fluid you may have burned up the power steering pump, when you got stuck were your front tires stuck in a rut? and if so did you crank really hard on the steering wheel or anything that would cause excessive stress to the steering components? also where did they hook up to your truck to pull you out?

[ratherbehunting]

I was in loose snow, i wouldnt say i was cranking excessive, but i was turning back and forth. I dont know anything about the pump and its procedures but when i was just checking it out while running i noticed i guess what i'd call the face, would "pop out" a sixteenth of an inch id guess, then about 30 seconds later it would click and be flush again with no gap, then within a minute click and gap about a sixteenth and do that over and over again. It whined one time while i was trying to get out of the snow, but like I said it drove fine the rest of the day, a little over 100 miles then completely gone. I hooked tow strap hook to the hitch hole and was pulled straight out. Then drove all that way with numerous turns and curves and not a problem at all. If my pump is bad is it still okay to drive? My belt rotates just fine and i drove another 100 miles today like it is. Do you know of any ways I can actually find out if it is the pump itself? Thank you.

[joker515]

sorry to inform you, but you were looking at your a/c compresser, the in an out was the clutch on it. get your pump checked by a mechanic