braided hose for power steering?

[Camaro_Dan]

Hi!

I want to know if I could use a regular SS braided hose with reusable hose ends for the pressure side of my power steering system?

I bought a nascar pump, the "new style".

if this is not a good idea, the wich of the hoses should be replaced and what are my options as far as hoses goes?

I have seen the blue type of hoses that say "power steering hoses" but they are but ugly.

Thanks for your help
/Dan

[Van B]

This is what I used. Piece o' cake.

http://www.detroitspeed.com/productpages/indproduct/steeringprod/ps_hose_kit_prod.htm

[pitts64]

Doesn't all that stainless steel help contain the heat?

[Camaro_Dan]

but that is still some type of high pressure hose. What about the hoses and hose ends that you screw together, regular blue and red aeroquip for example?

will they stand up to the pressure?

[GeoffP]

I'll chime in since I'm in the middle of installing stainless braided hose on my 68 Camaro's power steering system.

I've been told two completely different things regarding using stainless braided hose for power steering:
1. Supposedly power steering systems can produce pressures up to 2250 psi (most stainless braided is only rated to about 1500 psi)
2. Then someone else told me the new style rack pumps produce less pressure (something like 925 psi) which would tell me that stainless braided is fine.

I have also heard that stainless braided hose doesn't have the proper liner to work with power steering and that over time power steering fluid will break down the internal liner eventually causing a hose to leak.

Having said all this, I have a friend with a 69 Camaro using Earl's perform-o-flex line with swivel seal fittings. He hasn't had any problems thus far using the same setup I'm assembling.

Hth,
GeoffP
68 Camaro LT1/T-56
87 Camaro LT1/4L60E

[Camaro_Dan]

Yeah I have read that the pump style I'm using should put out around 1050psi and as you said, most SS lines withstand 1500psi. but how critical is the accual mounting of the hose ends on the hose? everyone does the best they can but I don't want a hose pushing itself out of the fitting on the road.

[paul67]

I was told if you use braided hoses you get a lot of come back into wheel when going over bumps as rubber gives more, but I'm using braided and find no problem.

[GeoffP]

I think if you follow whatever manufacturer's instructions for assembling the hose ends, you'll be fine. If yours are anything like mine (Earl's), the sleeve actually pushes the hose up into the fitting as you tighten it down and has a retention mechanism that makes a wedge fit to keep it from pulling apart. Seems to be a pretty good system from what I can tell. I used Russel (spelling?) on my 83 Z28 years ago and never had a problem with it the entire time I owned the car and as far as I know it's still doing fine (I hear from the guy who bought it from me now and then). I'm not sure how the other vendors ends work. Earl's seems to be a better design to me.

GeoffP

[Blown353]

Standard braided stuff IS NOT SAFE to use for the high side of a power steering setup!

Most "typical" braided stuff, i.e. the stuff from Earls, XRP, Aeroquip, Russells is rated for ~300psi continuous with a ~1500 psi burst strength (actual ratings depend on the hose diameter and the brand but those are typical ballpark numbers for -4 thru -10 hose)-- so while it may live in the pressure side of a PS application because of the high burst strength it is not appropriate to use. The hose was never intended to see in-service pressures as high as a PS system can produce. XRP & Aeroquip both offer specialized high pressure stuff for brake & power steering use (which I have used)-- I'm sure the others do too but I've never looked.

You need to use either high pressure internally wire braided fabric hydraulic hose (Aeroquip AQP is a good example, oddly enough it is also DOT rated for heavy truck air brake use) or use a teflon liner/stainless braided hose with steel ferrules & steel end fittings.

[Camaro_Dan]

I just read the XRP catalog, and for AN6 regular SS braided hose it has a maximum operating pressure of 1500psi and a max burst pressure of 6000psi. That sounds good enough for me. operating pressures drop to 1250psi for AN8 and AN10, drops further down to 1000psi for AN12, 750psi for AN16, and so on.

[Camaro_Dan]

sorry! I found a note in that same catalog that said that this hose is not for power steering! *shame on me*

well, another relating question:
there are one AN6 hose from pump to steering box, one AN6 from steering box to reservoir and one AN10 from reservoir to the pump. Wich of these have to be a high pressure hose with press fit steel fittings?

Thanks

[sinned]

Tractor supply hydraulic hose will work fine. Normal operating pressure is around 2500PSI with a burst rating about 5000PSI. All HP fittings should be crimped or Aeroquip. No reuseable press ons or quick style fittings.

[chicane67]

Besides... stainless hose induces noise over that of nylon, kevlar or nomex braided.

My choice is either the 'Starlite' hose or the blue High PSI hose from Aeroquip. But as Denny stated, damn near any tractor supply high PSI hydraulic hose will be more than enough for most applications... and its affordable.

[Camaro_Dan]

wich hoses should be HP ones?

[Lowend]

My choice is either the 'Starlite' hose or the blue High PSI hose from Aeroquip. But as Denny stated, damn near any tractor supply high PSI hydraulic hose will be more than enough for most applications... and its affordable.
I've used the Aeroquip blues stuff before. Its the way to go for the pressure side. It has a ~1/4" wall thickness!!

[Camaro_Dan]

ok but the pressure side is only ONE hose right?

from pump to box? or is it from box to reservoir too?

[rocketrod]

ok but the pressure side is only ONE hose right?

from pump to box? or is it from box to reservoir too?
Pump to grearbox is high pressure and gearbox to resevoir is low pressure.

[Van B]

Pump outlet to the box in is the only one under considerable pressure. I have run low pressure side with a hose secured to the fitting by only a worm drive clamp.

[John McIntire]

i've used russells teflon lined steel braided hose in the past with no trouble, just make sure you assemble it right and use the correct fittings.

[Davezz28]

If you want to use braided SS hose for the PS you need to use a teflon lined hose designed for your application.

Aeroquip makes the FBC line of hose that takes steel fittings. I will try to attach a PDF file of a tech sheet and a link to one of many places that you can by the hose and fittings from.

Looks like I figured out how to attach a PDF. You would need to use -6 so look at the specs for FBC0600


http://www.bakerprecision.com/aqp9.htm

[Camaro_Dan]

thanks, but I think I'll just buy a regular high pressure hose, complete with fittings from some nascar team off of ebay.

But hey, thanks anyway!!!

[Blown353]

Besides... stainless hose induces noise over that of nylon, kevlar or nomex braided.

Tom brings up a very valid point-- especially for us guys with hydroboosts hanging on the firewall. The stainless braided teflon hoses transmit any PS pump noises very well. The fabric braided hoses attenuate PS pump noise much better and will keep the system quieter, especially since the hydroboost bolted to the firewall makes the sheetmetal act like a big speaker to transmit PS pump noise into the car.

[Camaro_Dan]

wow! you guys that accually can HEAR the PS pump transmitted via a braided hose, through the brakebooster and on to the firewall might just have BAT hearing or a VERY VERY quiet exhaust system ;)

I know that I would not be able to hear it, but still, going with a non braided HP hose!

[High Plains Mopars]

Dredging up an old topic, I just built a PS pressure hose using using Aeroquip FCC-06 teflon hose with reusable steel ends. This hose is rated at 2500 psi, but after reading through this, I'm not sure this may be a good choice. Have the past 8 years allowed hose technology to advanced to a point this is a safe hose or do I need to go with something else?