Steering Problems..Rpms drop..Hard to Turn..?

This has been happening since i owned the car. 95 4.6 tbird, 128K miles, full power steering etc.

Hot or cold, when i get in my car, and turn the steering wheel either at a stop, or going really slow, like 2mph (parking lot spot exit/entry etc) the steering is pretty hard to turn, AND the rpm's drop past 500rpms.. The voltage gage drops alittle also-just enough to make my headlights dim. This ONLY happens for like 1 second...but it's always there..? What gives..?

I checked all lines, nothing is constricted..all components seem fine, every thing greased properly etc. Fluids are fine also. Funny cause yesterday i went and bought a rubberized steering wheel cover-to give me more grip, and turn the wheel much easier.

I'm concerned because i've driven other tbirds, well..my bro's 91, and his steering is VERY loose/easy to turn at low speeds..whereas mine isn't. Honestly, it feels like a Front wheel drive car the way it steers at low speeds..past 10mph the steering is fine, nice and loose. One thing i must note, this seams to be like this ever since my MAF sensor went bad..for like 2 weeks, i had to up my idle to like 900 vs. normal 750 (so my car wouldn't stall at a light).. I put the new maf in, same model for my car...adjusted my idle back down to its normal 750 at idle...NOW THIS...

BTW, all tires are at 30psi...they are 225 60 16 on 16' wheels. Would it be ok to up the psi to like 35...for easier steering...and well, slightly better gas mileage..? My door panel sticker says my tires should be 30 front/30 rear etc. Maybe it's just the cold concrete (winter) thats making it harder to turn..? That would kind of make sense, cause in the summer..it was fine...

Its fine to pump them up a little, but that's not what's causing the problem.

All of these problems are linked. First, of all, my guess is that your power steering pump is failing; a common ford problem. When you try to turn the steering wheel a slow speeds or stopped, the pump is straining. It doesn't provide much assist and bogs down the engine as well. Hence the low RPMs and the tough steering. The low RPMs are also causing the lights to dim because you're also slowing down the alternator causing the voltage drop.

Its also possible but inlikely that the power assist valve is faulty. There is a valve that senses when you turn the wheel and sends pressure to the proper place in the power assist box. If its not operating properly, it wouldn't send the proper fluid.

When you speed up, almost no power assist is required so the problem doesn't show up. A non-power steering car and a power steering car act almost identical at faster speeds since you don't need it then.

Thanks curtis..any way to disable the power steering while i'm driving, like pull a fuse or something..? I like a really loose steering wheel, this is crazy. My forearms are pretty strong also, whether it's from lifting 800cca batteries at autozone, or playing guitar..lol.. But this is so annoying, picture a heavy FRONT wheel drive car, with badly underinflated front tires...that what it feels like i'm turning at a stop or low speeds.

Lol, if i can disable the power steering pump somehow...please let me know, cause this would be a big help.

Forgot to mention..for the time being, i raised my idle so it doesn't drop below 500..now it hits 600 with less voltage drop.. That in conjuction with 3 more psi in all 4 tires made for slightly easier turning.

I did some reading on tccoa.com (a website for tbirds) and found out i should flush and refill my power steering fluid..that might help also... Seams easy enough.

If you want to flush and fill your PS fluid you can pull the lines off the power steering box and let the fluid drain, then refill. You might want to do it a couple times since when you reconnect everything you'll be pushing old fluid out of the box. When you restart, its recommended that you elevate the front, then turn the steering wheel several times lock to lock. There will be air in there and if you force it through at full pressure (which can be as much as 1500 psi) it will make a PS fluid milkshake. With the wheels up in the air, there is less restriction and the air should just burp through.

You can't really disconnect your power steering. Its a belt-driven hydraulic pump and since you have a serpentine belt you can't just take the belt off. I guess you could somehow adapt the "out" hose directly back into the "in" hose and bypass the box, but that would be more work than replacing the pump.

Thanks a million curtis, i swear it where i park HAS TO BE the culprit of this problem.

I live in an apt complex, and my spot is in the far corner, so everyday i have to back out, turn the wheel all the way to the left, go foward, reverse, cut the wheel to the right, then go foward and cut the wheel all the way to the left again. There is like no where else to park though.