Custom power steering lines

[Calan]

Has anyone built a custom high pressure line for a 1G?

I'd like to make a hard line from the rack to within about a foot of the pump, with a piece of rubber hose the rest of the way to allow for motor flex.

My thought is to either come directly off the rack (if I could find the right fitting), or couple into the existing line where the rubber mates up down by the rack. I want to run the hard line just above and parallel to the low pressure line in front of the motor mount, and then bend back toward the reservoir and join up with the flexible piece.

So, I have a couple of questions:

1. I'm a line fabbing newb, but understand the concept. Where can I find the raw tubing and an inexpensive bender? (I have a flaring tool).

2. Where can I find a fitting for the rack (or a fitting to mate up with the existing lower flare fitting), and how would I connect to the pump end? I was thinking maybe I could cut the rubber line coming off the pump about a foot back, and then somehow mate a flare fitting onto it which would join up with the new hardline portion.

I'm also thinking about just routing the hardline and making my bends, and then having a hydraulic shop (?) attach the fittings and pressure test the line.

Any ideas? I REALLY don't want that PS line running up and over the motor mount any more, and a new line would sit nicely right on top of the existing return line.

I have a bunch of pictures of the existing line routing, etc...but can't download them off my phone at the moment.

 

[bpestilence]

I am confused in what you are trying to do here.

The P/S lines are hard lines that go over the driver's side wheel well. The only thing that goes over the motor mount in the A/C line.

Unless yours is routed different.

Here is a pic of mine.

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[Calan]

Totally different on a 1G. Here is a pic I downloaded a while back for reference (my apologies to whomever's bay this is...I forget

Notice the high pressure line running up and over the motor mount. You can't see it in the pic, but the return line comes out of the reservoir and runs straight along the lower frame rail back to the rack, right in front of the timing cover (or up front to the PS "cooler" first and then back to the rack, if it's still there).

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[Calan]

BTW - Does anyone know exactly how much pressure we are dealing with here?

 

[MIdsm]

I'm not certain but I've seen different power steering pumps advertised with pressures from 800 -1500 psi. Once a safety factor gets added the hose ought to be good for at least 3000 psi. Most hydraulic shops could give you a much better answer.

Many people use AN hoses for PS systems usually -6 for high and -10 for low pressure runs. You could check Summit Racing's power steering kits just to get an idea of what other people use size wise. IIRC 1G connectors are 14 and 16 mm (1.5 pitch?) but please don't quote me on this. I don't have the spare connectors in front of me. A hydraulic shop could even use your ends, but they probably have something available.

Good luck

 

[Calan]

The fitting that connects the rack hardline to the rubber hose looks like a standard flare fitting; but the rack connection itself is really strange. It's like a double flare with an o-ring. (at right side of pic below).

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I may be able to work with the existing rack hardline, if I can "splice" a piece of hardline into the rubber section.

Any idea where I could get a fitting for the rack, or if a standard hydraulic shop can even form the pipe for that double-flare setup?

What type of fittings do people use if they go to a SS/AN line?

 

[MIdsm]

The hydraulic shops ought to have metric connectors and advice available. If you go with a mostly rigid pipe my advice would be to have a hydraulic shop make the line or at least crimp the fittings on and do a pressure test.

I just searched for "aeroquip metric" at summit racing and this is what I found:

summitracing.com

Check aer-fbm2608. You could also look for russell, earl's, goodrige brand adapters.

I think that the power steering line kits I mentioned earlier were from Lane Automotive. I do apologize. I'm not home right now so I can't check the catalogs. One of the regulars on the board works there and may chime in.

 

[Calan]

So is that AN to male metric fitting the one used on the rack? It does look similar.

Thanks for the help!

 

[MIdsm]

Please check the metric thread size. That may or may not be one fitting. I think the one is a 16mmx1.5 and the other 14mmx1.5 but can't verify it right now. You could probably find a cheap thread gauge so you can verify the thread size. You could also take your connectors to a good hardware store and see if you can find some 14, 16, 18 mm nuts and see what works. With metric threads the pitch is number of threads per millimeter measured tip to tip. Count all threads, measure the distance in millimeters, divide the numbers and you'll get your pitch. There should be thread charts that list nominal thread size and actual bolt shank and thread diameters on line somewhere so you can maesure what yo have.

Most major retailers have excellent tech support lines so they could give you advice regarding hose size etc.

Also check pegasus auto parts.

Good luck.

 

[Calan]

Ok... I'll check it.

I guess I'm pretty much stuck with the stock connection at the pump huh?

And... what type/size line should I use for the hardline portion? I can't tell by looking at the hose without cutting it, and I don't want to do that until I know it will work.

My plan at this point is to cut the hose about 8 inches from the rack hardline...into a hard portion that runs down low in front of the motor mount, and then back into about 8 inches of the existing hose and the stock pump connection. So I'll basically form the hardline where I want it, mark the hose where it needs to be cut, and then take it all down to a shop to make the fittings and pressure test it.

At least that's my plan for the moment...

 

[MIdsm]

I'm not certain. Another thing to realize is that every sharp turn presents a restriction to flow requiring the PS pump to run harder and heat the fluid more.

 

[Calan]

How much of a difference will the size of the center hardline make?

EDIT:

My local hydraulic shop has no metric fittings, and I have a hunch that the HP hose ID is slightly over 3/8". So without cutting (and therefore destroying) it, there is no way to find out if they can get a high pressure seal on the fittings. I'm kinda stuck between a rock and a hard spot at this point. I may try to pick up a spare at a junkyard to experiment with, but that's still an addtional $10-$20 or whatever they charge me.

Here's what I've got mocked up so far (crappy cell phone pics - ignore the blue tape in the middle of the hardline):

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[Cesar]

the hard lines above look good, but i think flex lines that a hydraulic shop can crimp would be a better solution. That way you wouldn't have to open a line to remove the pump. they wouldn't be in the way, or could be moved to change belts and such.

I was thinking or routing the out of sight. maybe even between the fender and frame.

 

[Calan]

I think I tried about everything before settling on this arrangement. There just isn't much room to work with, and still have some flexability and access.

I finally found a shop with some compression fittings and the ability to crimp them. There are a couple of preliminary pics and a bit of info in part 9 of my rebuild blog.