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Hi guys!! this is my first post so I am sorry if its put in the wrong spot, or been looked at b4.
I have a HJ60 cruiser (82 4 spd model) and whenever i drive her through a creek or any sort of water crossing I lose some of my power steering! its very bizarre as the power in the steering seams to come and go through the water and for about 100mtrs after leaving the water?? I would apprciate any infomation on this problem I am having as i don't want to own a diesel 4x4 that can't steer properly through water crossings!!
Most likely it would be belt slippage I would guess.
When your powersteer belt gets wet it may be slipping and therefore the pump not working properly.
May be able to check belt and make sure it is tight within spec.
If not I am buggered how you would stop it. That belt stop slip stuff maybe but I don't like that stuff at all.
Get some better under body protection to help stop water getting into bay.
same thing happened to a mate with a 60
water was gettin into the ps resivour (sp???)
it woulnt work for 10 or 15 minutes after, then it would go back fine
however the ps fluid was trashed - all bubbly & ikky
had to change the fluid asap to prevent damage to the ps system
there were no visible leaks in the system and the cap was fine, we eventually traced it to the output shaft of the ps box. the shaft had worn over the 400 000 plus kms of its life, and the seal was now not sealing on the shaft surface. easy way to fix this (if this is the case by any chance) is to have the shaft re-hard chromed by a hard chromer, then proceed to rebuild the ps box
Thanks for the quick reply!! I wasn't sure that it was the belt cause I couldn't hear it slipping, but I guess when its wet it dosn't make that god awful sound!! but.. I will check the tension of the belt and check out what protection I have under her. I know its got a huge steal bit under the trans and I think I remember dad telling me he took one of the plates (b4 he got a 100series TD:( and I bought his old 60series!!) off.. umm ok your given me something to work on thats great!!
also I need a snorkel for her, where is the best cheapest place in Brisbane that I could go to??
Sweet!! a couple of realy quick replys there!!! thanks everyone
I will check for water contamination but don't think this is it. has happened a couple of times over the last month or so. and it only takes like 20 seconds to come good if that!! its almost as though when water is around the PS box it does its stuttering turning, when its dry and water free its fine! the truck has actually only done 140 thou not fibbing either!! lol it use to be my dad's truck but he had a company car and it sat there for umm 5 years without moving, it rusted quite bad but I have patched that up, the power stearing didhave problems when I first got it back on the road, it would moan and groan and protest every mm I tried to turn the wheel!! but a double fluid flush with excess steering full lock to full lock while one wheel was up seamed to fix that, oh and the steering got easier when I had to replace the steering rod (from box). i will check the fluid and belts tonight and post again tomorrow sometime!! thanks everyone for your help!!
Turned out to actually be the sterering dampner. It was buggered, and water was getting past the internal seal. Steering was really hard, or would not steer, or would pulsate for a little while until the water drained/forced itself out.
big red wrote:i had the same problem with my 85 model 60 series...a new belt fixed it as it was fairly shiney and would slip under water.
my hilux and my cruiser both do it when i hit the water, i dont know what it is I figure it is a belt slipping, although the steering dampner idea is interesting and quite possible. It goes away.
Yeah ok.. the steering dampener problem sounds like it might fit! I checked my belts and PS fluid's last night and they both look good. I had changed all my belts about 1.5 years ago and the fluid at the same time. but my steering dampener is old and a little battered (not from me!!) so that might be where it is! I didn't even think about it cause its like a steering shock and I didn't think it would be able to do that but "pulsate for a little while until the water drained/forced itself out" sounds exactly what its doing!!
Would I be able to get a decent second hand one? or should I go to ARB/TJM for a new one??
but.. I will check the tension of the belt and check out what protection I have under her. I know its got a huge steal bit under the trans and I think I remember dad telling me he took one of the plates (b4 he got a 100series TD:( and I bought his old 60series!!) off.. umm ok your given me something to work on thats great!! 
