Anyone have any experience with making their own lines for power steering setups? I have an '88 Corvette rack, SN95 mustang hydroboost and '99 LM7 power steering pump that I need to use together. Can I use 3/8" aluminum or steel hardline and tube nuts or do I need to play parts bin and find a 6 different hoses with the right fittings and lengths. I'd prefer to not have a shop make me hydraulic lines unless absolutely necessary since I have limited free time during most shop hours and I'm one of those guys that would rather do everything himself.
Pic is for routing reference. Thanks in advanced.
I'm not proud of this but I scavenged the ends off of SWMBO'S Sante fe and hand bent copper tube, the kind used for water hook ups and hose clamped it to the rubber flex joints. Awful idea, but it worked.
You can buy fittings and stainless braided 3/8 high high pressure line to work with them and adapters to go to your pieces, it’s a very painful process on the fingers though. 13 years later the lines i made for my car are still fine
If you have a decent hydraulic shop around, they can make you hoses with compression fittings on the ends. A trip to the junk yard to get the fittings and a couple of inches of tube off the factory hoses, combined with the compression fitting equipped hoses makes you a nice setup. Trying to find aftermarket fittings with the proper o ring end might be a challenge. Your blue and green hoses can be done with lower pressure hose and clamps, since they return to the pump.
Most American power steering hoses are still 3/8 tube, although there are 10mm ones as well.
Patrick said:
You can buy fittings and stainless braided 3/8 high high pressure line to work with them and adapters to go to your pieces, it’s a very painful process on the fingers though. 13 years later the lines i made for my car are still fine
Good to hear those hold up that well. I've seen kits of braided lines that are rated for power steering pressure I was thinking that hard line would be less cost prohibitive.
Streetwiseguy said:
If you have a decent hydraulic shop around, they can make you hoses with compression fittings on the ends.
Again trying not to go that route due to cost (personal time and money), lack of diy and serviceability. If I can use just use 3/8" hardline that's the route I will end up going since then I can remake a pressure line in any AutoZone parking lot in the country.
There needs to be SOME flexibility in the lines. Hose clamps and barbs wont hold the pressures. Ive tried.
My solution, many different times, has been find rubber hoses with correct end and length. Other end of correct fitting used a piece of the stock metal line. Cut and flared with an inverted female flare coupler to make one hose out of readily available stuff.
This reminds me that i need to get my hose crimper set up for situations like this.
In reply to Ram50Ron :
Gotta have flex somewhere.
I understand there needs to be flex but you don't have to use rubber lines to get flex in the system.
While that works with the master cylinder, the movement of the engine will fatigue and break the metal lines eventually. Every vehicle made with power steering has rubber flex lines for this reason.
I had good luck using Aeroquip FC300 hose and fittings on two different cars. A bit easier to deal with than SS braided hose. The blue color of the hose isn't the best looking, but it does work. You really only need it on the pressure lines, return lines are low pressure.
If you use SS braided lines check the max pressure rating on the line. I did this some 10 years ago and found out that the line I bought was only rated for 800 psi and my PS system could put out as much as 1100 psi! I ended up getting Teffon lined hose, similar to what's use for brake lines in the 3/8/-6 size. No problems since.
Ram50Ron said:
I understand there needs to be flex but you don't have to use rubber lines to get flex in the system.
That is a lot more for ease of installation than flex. In fact both ends of the hard line at the master are mounted to fix points that are connected. Your reference here is absolutely not applicable to power steering lines. The motor will move inches in relation to the rack. You need flex lines that can accommodate that.
81cpcamaro said:
I had good luck using Aeroquip FC300 hose and fittings on two different cars. A bit easier to deal with than SS braided hose. The blue color of the hose isn't the best looking, but it does work. You really only need it on the pressure lines, return lines are low pressure.
This is kind of what I was looking for! Thank you
Is the Mustang Hydroboost unit similar to the ones used in GM vans? You might be able to just get OE pieces that will work for you.
Dusterbd13 said:
There needs to be SOME flexibility in the lines. Hose clamps and barbs wont hold the pressures. Ive tried.
My solution, many different times, has been find rubber hoses with correct end and length. Other end of correct fitting used a piece of the stock metal line. Cut and flared with an inverted female flare coupler to make one hose out of readily available stuff.
I should have stated that my rig job was low pressure return only.
Appleseed said:
Dusterbd13 said:
There needs to be SOME flexibility in the lines. Hose clamps and barbs wont hold the pressures. Ive tried.
My solution, many different times, has been find rubber hoses with correct end and length. Other end of correct fitting used a piece of the stock metal line. Cut and flared with an inverted female flare coupler to make one hose out of readily available stuff.
I should have stated that my rig job was low pressure return only.
The low pressure side doesn't need anything fancy, it's just a few PSI, no more than a carbed fuel system. The high-pressure side on the other hand can see 5-digit PSI.
