How big of a chore is replacing the power steering pump? I've had about all of the whining from mine that I can handle.

 

It's annoying but not terrible. Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT have to pull the pulley off the pump to get the bolts out of it. Mine refused to come off, so I did it with the pulley still attached. It wasn't hard, just a lot of "little turns" of the bolts.

 

any tips? What brand pump did you use? I don't mind it being moderately difficult as long as the new one is quiet lol. I am way too ocd, I can't stand my truck making noises it's not supposed to

 

No real tips other than have your extensions handy and obviously remove the shroud, fan, and belt. Start early on a Saturday morning or something because those bolts get REALLY tedious. When you're replacing the Teflon washer around the nipple of the high pressure line, be VERY careful. That damn thing breaks really easily. Wiggle it back and forth in your fingers along its edge, stretching and warming it slightly, then slide it onto the nipple where it'll get cold and shrink back down to the size it was.

I had to get two pumps. The first one (whose brand I forgot) failed the second I turned the truck on. One of the seals blew and it pissed transmission fluid all over the place. The second, which is still on the truck now and working fine, is a reman AC Delco.

Because the pulley on mine would not come off, I bought the replacements with pulleys already attached from Rock Auto.