Cleaner power steering flush method?

[NathanOfSeattle]

I did a power steering flush over the weekend using this method:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/66337-diy-power-steering-flush.html

While it worked, easy to do, and now my power steering fluid is nice and red, I found that I had spent much more time cleaning up the mess I had made. This was the first time I've ever done anything like this. But I had power steering fluid all over the front area, underneath the reservoir, and spilled onto my driveway which took a while to properly clean off.

I also found that the turkey baster that I used was too thick to fit into the opening of the reservoir. Instead, getting a 30cc or larger syringe worked a lot better. Helps to have a wife that's a doctor to get you all different sized syringes for free :clap2:

However this lead me to thinking, would it have been easier, cleaner, and just as effective to do it this way:
1. Put front end on jack stands.
2. Use syringe to suck out as much fluid in the reservoir as possible.
3. Fill with new fluid.
4. Turn the wheels left and right to cycle the fluid.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 until the fluid looks clean.

Thoughts?

 

[rjaudi]

You just need to get a nice long piece of hose that you connect to the line and leave the end of it in a decent sized bucket on the ground. This is what I did and spilled no fluid.

 

[kball]

I think the mess happens when you first pull the hose off the return nipple and then when you're done flushing you pull the cap to put the return line back on and no matter how much you try there's still some fluid left in the reservoir that makes the mess. At least that's what happened to me. I feel your pain OP.

 

[toykidd]

However this lead me to thinking, would it have been easier, cleaner, and just as effective to do it this way:
1. Put front end on jack stands.
2. Use syringe to suck out as much fluid in the reservoir as possible.
3. Fill with new fluid.
4. Turn the wheels left and right to cycle the fluid.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 until the fluid looks clean.

Thoughts?

This is how i did it! they sell huge syringe type things at nappa and just put clear plastic tubing on the end of it and it worked great no mess! doing this made me want to put one of those trucker knobs on my steering wheel though :thumb3:

 

[PNWRunner]

I used a turkey baster.

I basted the fluid down to the screen, refilled with new stuff and drove ~5 miles to work.

I got home from work and drained down to the screen again, then filled and waited till the morning. I even drained/refilled again after the morning commute.

I repeated this for another 2 days and the ATF looked good as new. Im at 215k on a stock pump pushing 315's. I used less than 2 quarts of ATF during the process.

 

[kissmybass]

I did this exact procedure. I used a water bottle on the return hose and kept checking it as I turned the steering wheel.... and Yes there was a HUGE mess on the return nipple when I took the hose off. Not sure how anyone kept this a clean job.

Also... take the skid plate off before working so there's clear passage to the bottom catch bucket. Mine went all over the place... oh wells...

 

[01thunder]

i loosened 2 frame clamps supporting the return line, and pulled it down to the pan. minimal mess came when removing the return from the pump.

 

[Drcoffee]

Ineffective and not complete.

Hey, if you havent heard, you may get dirt under your finger nails working on vehicles. Do it right or pay someone to do it right.