Steering feels like non-power steering

[feedrail]

I have an 2003 Tj 4.0 manual. I changed transmission fluid with redline MTL, changed front and rear dif oil with Valvoline 80w90, and installed new radiator. Now my steering is like old school non-power steering. Could I have caused this during these routine actions. No steering issues before and I did all the changes at one time. When I took it out to check for leaks and be sure everything was good. I immediately was struggling making turns. Any ideas to what caused this?

Thanks, newbie forum member.

 

[AndyG]

Did you pull the belt , etc pulling the radiator?

 

[Mike_H]

Did you route the belt correctly when you re-installed it after replacing the Rad? Nothing immediately strikes me as related...

 

[feedrail]

No, drained it, removed hoses, pulled straight up, dropped straight in. no thermostat or water pump replacement. perhaps I should have. I noticed my shroud was broke and I have order a new one, maybe I should go ahead replace belt, pump, and thermostat when I install new shroud

 

[AndyG]

I'd be after the power steering problem before I went deeper in man ....if you didn't pull the belts you shouldn't have affected it.

 

[feedrail]

After thinking about it, when opening the rad drain before i got it fully open it kinda spewed around and could have gotten a little on the belt, could that be an issue, I have only drove 10-15 miles since the change getting it up to temp and cycling through the heat and air. maybe a look at the belt and a few more miles. I find this hard to believe it just happened when I did the other work. But it is a jeep and my luck is like that.

 

[AndyG]

Antifreeze is slick.