BX2200D no power steering

[6acres]

Kubota BX2200D with front end loader, 2002 model with 163 hours.
I have no power steering, it will turn but very hard. The other hydraulics work fine.
I measured the hydraulic supply to the power steering and it read 1500#, which is correct according to the dealer.
I removed the power steering cylinder and put the gauge on each side it read about 1000# when turning the wheel hard in that direction.
I ran the cylinder to each end with the other side open and no fluid leaked through.
With no load on the steering cylinder I found it is easier to turn with the motor (pump) off ???
I have read what was said about that model having a bad steering cylinder, but my tests do not show it to be a problem (?), although I am at a loss to figure it out.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[6acres]

Thanks for the info. Since then, I bought a service manual and found that the hoses to the steering control (source & return) were swapped. How or why that happened is a mystery, they were not the correct hoses either, so I had to order the correct ones from Kubota. They went on easily and now the power steering works fine.