Power Steering Pump
The power steering pump is the lifeline of your power steering system. Without it, your vehicle would be much harder to turn, taking a much harder effort to turn the wheel while driving slowly or stopped. Power steering systems were first introduced in the 1930’s and have advanced ever since. The power steering pump is a hydraulic pump that is driven via a belt which is connected to the engine. Vanes inside the pump spin up to speed and begin to pull fluid from the return line of the pump and pressurize it before forcing it into the outlet. The force applied depends on the speed of the vehicle – it takes more effort to turn the wheels while stopped than it does when you are at freeway speeds. The pump also contains a pressure relief valve which releases the pressure should it become too great for the pump to handle.