Here lately I've noticed that while turning (at any speed) the resistance of the steering gets tight and then loosens. It seems like the resistance varies depending on the position of the steering wheel. So visualize the steering wheel like a clock, the resistance from 11-12 or 12-1, the resistance is light or what feels normal but from 10-11 or 1-2 the resistance is harder almost as if there is no power steering at all.

Only thing i've really checked was the power steering fluid which was just at "MIN" so i added it a little under "MAX". However this didn't seem to resolve it. Is this a sign of the PS pump going out?

Truck is an 04 lariat 4x4 with 101,000 miles.

 

20 bucks says its your intermediate shaft (the shaft with two U-joints between your steering gear and the column that comes through the firewall).

 

this guys balsy lol, I just broke my gear box and it did that as it was leaking the rest of the fluids outa it like that.

 

steering shaft. First time it was stiff for the whole range, second time normal then stiff back to normal

 

Yep. Id put any amount on it being the shaft. The lower u-joint collects road grime and rusts badly causing it to be stiff and then loose. When you take it out the top joint should be easy to move all directions but the bottom should only move on one axis easily

 

I just kinda accidentally stumbled into this thead from another era of f150s, but in my '02, the ujoint is covered, yalls aren't?

 

It was the Steering shaft, but all I needed to do was lubricate the U joints and it's as good as new. Thanks for the help

 

Thank you guys so much! This is my first F150 and I thought that the power steering pump, or worse, the rack was going. I soaked both the upper and lower steering ujoints, with some PB Blaster and it worked like a charm!