dschuelke

thanks for the link. It does explain why the problem starts under hard braking conditions. I don't believe that I am any where near the weight but with 20+ year old springs and the bogus air bag suspension I can see that it could definitely put enough stress on the system to cause my problem. how to fix it is going to be something else again.

no, there is a separate unit bolted to the frame in front under the radiator in a miserable spot to get at. it has lines from the master cyc. and lines from the power steering pump. it looks like it was designed by mickey mouse and put in a place only he could get at. it is called the proportioning valve in the factory manual. I don't have a picture of it or I would post it.

it is eating the power steering belt. the proportioning valve was replaced about a year ago because it stuck and the rear brakes could not be bled. I tighten the belt but after awhile it starts doing it again. and at the worst times. a hard stop usually is all it takes to start it again. then it just gets worse until I can get somewhere where I can tighten the belt. I just don't know what to do. The chev dealer worked on the valve and replaced it but since then it just gets worse. I don't have much faith in the quality of techs these days.

I have a 96 Winnebago adventurer with the 454. When I apply the brakes the power steering belt screams and the power steering goes away. the brake proportioning valve has fittings for power steering fluid going thru it, why it does that I don't understand. It seems to me that when I apply the brakes it somehow causes the power steering pump to stall causing the belt to slip and squeal and steering to become difficult. has anyone else had this happen and ,or, have a solution. I am thinking that I should either bypass the valve or disconnect and block off the power steering fittings to the valve.