A power steering system help drivers steer their vehicles effortlessly by providing hydraulic fluid pressure through the power steering pump. The power steering pump is powered through a belt-and-pulley device connected to the vehicle’s engine.
Over time, the power steering pulley can become damaged or even break. If your power steering pump pulley is damaged, you need to remove the pulley and replace it.
Many people find replacing the power steering pulley to be a difficult task, but it can be done with a little bit of patience and some basic tools. This article will discuss how to remove the power steering pump pulley without using a puller. We will also show you how to install a new pulley once the old one has been removed.
Can You Remove the Power Steering Pump Pulley Without a Puller?
By removing and using the bolts that secure the power steering pulley to your advantage, you can remove the pulley without a puller tool. After removing the bolts, insert them into the unused holes in the pulley and tighten them. The bolts will apply leverage to the pulley and push it loose from the steering pump.
When removing a power steering pump pulley, using a puller is recommended, but if you don’t have one readily available, there is still a way to get the job done.
How to Remove Power Steering Pump Pulley Without a Puller
Although it’s recommended that you use a special tool called a puller to remove a power steering pump pulley, it’s not required.
If you don’t have a puller, you can remove the power steering pump pulley without a puller by following these steps:
1. Locate the Power Steering Pump Pulley
The first step is to locate the power steering pump pulley. The pulley is located on the vehicle’s power steering pump.
The pulley can easily be identified as it’s connected to the vehicle’s engine through a belt.
Once you have located the pulley, you need to identify the bolts that secure it.
2. Remove the Bolts Securing the Pulley
Using a socket wrench or an impact tool, remove the bolts that are holding the pulley in place.
Be sure to hold onto the pulley with your other hand while you are removing the bolts to prevent it from spinning.
If the pulley bolts are stuck and won’t budge, you can try to either heat the bolts with a blow torch or apply some penetrating oil to loosen them.
3. Insert the Removed Screws Into the Unused Pulley Holes
Once the bolts have been removed, take the bolts and insert them into the unused holes in the pulley.
What we’re going to do is use the bolts to our advantage and push the pulley loose with leverage.
4. Tighten the Screws
Tighten the bolts until they bottom out. Keep tightening the bolts slowly and carefully until the pulley comes loose and pops off.
You might need to use a breaker bar to apply enough leverage to remove the pulley. Be careful not to damage the steering pump.
5. Remove the Pulley
Once the pulley is loose from the engine, you can simply pull it out.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully removed the power steering pump pulley without using a puller.
How to Install a Power Steering Pump Pulley
As you now have removed the old power steering pump pulley, it’s time to install a new one. Without a tool, it can be a little tricky to install the new pulley, but with a few extra steps, it can be done with ease.
Installing a new pulley is fairly straightforward and can be done with these few simple steps:
1. Remove the Power Steering Pump
The first step is to remove the power steering pump from the vehicle.
You can do this by disconnecting the power steering lines and removing the bolts that secure the pump to the engine.
With the power steering pump removed, secure it in a vice to avoid it moving during the following steps.
2. Find a Long Bolt that Threads Inside of the Steering Pump
The next step is find a long bolt that threads inside of the steering pump.
You can usually find one in your garage or tool shed. If not, you can always purchase one from your local hardware store.
3. Attach the Pulley
Once you have found a suitable bolt, attach the pulley as good as you can by hand.
4. Put a Crush Washer or Distancer on the Bolt
After the pulley has been attached, put a crush washer or distancer on the bolt. This will help to push the pulley onto the shaft without the bolt head damaging the bearing.
5. Insert and Thread the Bolt to the Pump Through the Pulley
Now it’s time to insert and thread the bolt through the pulley to the pump.
6. Screw Until the Pulley Is Flush with the Pump Body
Once the bolt has been inserted all the way, screw until the pulley is flush with the pump body. Make sure that the pulley is secure and not able to move.
7. Remove the Bolt and Re-Install the Power Steering Pump Pulley Bolts & Pump
Now all that’s left to do is remove the bolt and reinstall the power steering pump pulley bolts.
Tighten the bolts until they are snug and attach the steering pump to the engine, then start the engine to test if the new pulley is working properly.
If everything seems to be working fine, then you’re done! You’ve successfully installed a new power steering pump pulley without using any special tools.
Can I Hammer the Pulley Back On?
You could hammer the pulley back on by using a socket that’s as big as the pulley bearing and hammer on the socker, but it’s not recommended.
Doing so could damage the bearing or cause the pulley to become misaligned. It’s always best to use a tool when removing or attaching a pulley to avoid any damage.
What is a Power Steering Pump Pulley?
The power steering pump pulley is a device that powers the power steering system in your vehicle through the engine.
The pulley is mounted and connected to the power steering pump and while the engine spins, the pulley also spins by using the power of the vehicle’s engine.
The power steering pulley is connected to a rubber belt, and as the engine spins, the pulley spins, powering the power steering pump.
The belt is usually a V-type belt, but the pulley could also be connected to the serpentine belt that powers other engine accessories, such as the water pump or alternator.
The pulley is round and made of metal and usually has three or four bolts that connect it to the power steering pump.
The power steering pump pulley is a small, but an important component in your vehicle’s power steering system.
Without the power steering pump pulley, your vehicle’s power steering system would not be able to function.
The power steering pump pulley is a vital component of the power steering system as it helps to move fluid from the power steering pump to the steering rack.
Why Is the Power Steering System Important?
If you’re old enough to have grown up with manual steering systems in vehicles, then you know how much of a workout it can be to parallel park or make a tight turn.
The power steering system makes it much easier to steer your vehicle by using hydraulic fluid to assist in the turning of the steering wheel.
The power steering system is important because it makes it easier to steer your vehicle, especially at low speeds.
Without the power steering system, your vehicle would be much harder to steer and control.
While power steering is a great help, you must have a basic understanding of how it works.
How Does the Power Steering Pump Work?
The power steering pump is a component of your car’s power steering system that uses the engine to operate it.
A belt is attached to the power steering pump pulley which is linked to the engine, which in turn spins the pulley that powers the steering pump as the engine runs.
As the pulley spins the belt, the steering pump is powered allowing hydraulic fluid, commonly called power steering fluid, to be forced through the power steering system.
As you turn the steering wheel, the power steering fluid is forced through the steering system, making the car steer easily without too much effort.
How Do I Know If the Power Steering Pulley is Bad?
When the power steering pump pulley is damaged and rotates freely, it produces a rattling noise. You could also have a problem with your power steering system if your vehicle is hard to steer, especially at low speeds.
If you notice either of these problems, the power steering pulley has to be replaced.
Summary
The power steering pump pulley is a small, but an important component in your vehicle’s power steering system.
The power steering pump pulley is a device that powers the power steering system in your vehicle through the engine.
The pulley is mounted and connected to the power steering pump, and while the engine spins, the pulley also spins by using the power of the vehicle’s engine.
If you notice that your vehicle is hard to steer or you hear rattling noises, the power steering pulley has to be replaced.
To avoid any damage, it is best to use a tool when removing or attaching a new power steering pump pulley.
You could use a cheap bolt to re-attach the pulley to the steering pump and to save money. Instead of buying a puller, you could use the pulley’s bolts to detach it.
Sources:
MotorHowTo – How To Remove Power Steering Pulley Without A Tool? (Solved)
Vehicle Freak – How To Remove a Power Steering Pump Pulley Without a Puller
When It Runs – How To Remove Power Steering Pump Pulley Without a Puller
