'04 Suburban Steering Problems - Pump, Hydroboost, Gearbox

[ChaseBybee]

I recently began having some difficulty in steering when turning my '04 Suburban to the right. After being diagnosed as a bad power steering pump by a local (non-dealer) mechanic, I decided to replace it myself with a remanufactured Autozone power steering pump. Unfortunately this did not fix the problem and only made the steering worse. After replacing it but not fixing the issue, online research indicated that remanufactured pumps do not work with vehicles equipped with hydroboost so I took it to the dealer hoping that maybe there was just some air in the line or something. After the technician looked at it, he said that the hydroboost was bad and that the newly installed power steering pump was bad as well. They said that the hydroboost may have already been going bad but my installing a bad remanufactured steering pump may have ruined the hydroboost. So $1300 later, it was returned to us indicating it was fixed, but the initial difficulty steering to the right remained. The next day the starter went out and it took them several days for the dealer technician to figure out that it was the starter which they replaced for $400.

 

We took it back again because the steering was still an issue and then they diagnosed a bad steering gearbox which also took them some time to diagnose and want to charge and additional $640 to replace. Over the phone we got a second opinion from a different local mechanic who was appalled at the initial diganosis of a steering pump and hydroboost and said that the gear box was the obvious initial diagnosis of the original problem.

 

My question is does any of this make sense? Could a bad remanufactured steering pump cause the hydroboost to go bad? Are we dealing with a dishonest dealer service technician or just an incompetent one? Is the starter going bad just a crazy coincidence (which it appears to be on the surface). Because of cost, I am considering replacing the steering gear box myself but I am a little gun shy having heard that removing the pitman arm can be a beast. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[ChaseBybee]

Still hoping for some advice on this issue. New development is that after charging us $400 to fix the starter claiming that was the cause of the fuse that keeps blowing, my wife got stranded at the school this morning because the fuse blew again. She is pretty upset and I am wondering after having the Suburban all weekend, how were they not able to find the real cause of the blown fuse. It sounds like it must be a short somewhere and I have no idea why they haven't found the source.

 

Any ideas? Did I just get ripped off by paying for a starter that was possibly just fine? Please help.

[ChaseBybee]

Update: The dealer sent a service tech to look at the Suburban and he identified a small wire touching the gearbox that was shorting it out. He replaced the fuse snipped off the wire and it started right up. He said he did not know whether that happened when I replaced the power steering pump or when they did, but he claims that may have shorted out and ruined the starter. Is it possible that a short grounding out the system by touching the gearbox would ruin the starter are was I taken for $400 to replace a good starter and fixing the short was the only remedy needed?