One of the most overlooked maintenance items on a vehicle is the power steering fluid flush. Just as with any other automotive fluid, power steering fluid breaks down over time and slowly loses its ability to protect your power steering pump and steering gear. Many repair facilities recommend you have your power steering fluid flushed every 45,000 miles at their shop. However, for less than they charge for labor alone, you can buy the equipment and fluid and flush it yourself.
Cut 4 feet of aquarium tubing in half then connect one piece to the inlet and one to the outlet on the aquarium pump.
Start the engine on your Ford Ranger then raise the hood. Remove the power steering cap and set it to one side.
Place the inlet tube into a quart of power steering fluid and the outlet tube down into the power steering reservoir. Plug the pump into the wall outlet. If the pump is equipped with an on/off switch, turn it on and set it down.
Instruct a helper to get into the cab and slowly turn the steering wheel completely to the left then completely back to the right. Monitor the reservoir and power steering fluid bottle. Once the bottle is empty, repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the second bottle of fluid until the reservoir is nearly overflowing.
Reverse the tubes on the pump and suction out the dirty fluid once the fluid level is just below the top of the reservoir. After you have suctioned it all out, fill the reservoir with new fluid to the fill line.
