Q on Power Steering Hose Routing

[TallPaul]

So I changed the pressure hose on my '95 F150 4.9L power steering today. It sprang a leak from rust and I heard the pump start whining, so I drove 1 mile home and checked it. Whine seems to have mostly gone away now that it is not leaking and has fluid. Anyhow, here is my question:

I notice that these hoses are about twice as long as needed to reach from the pump to the steering gear box. Each has a rubber flex hose and a metal hose so there is plenty of room for flex on engine torque. What gets me is the pressure line goes down near where it hooks into the gear box, but then routes about 8 inches forward, around the end of the box, then back to hook in. Likewise the return line goes all the way down to the frame cross member, about 8 to 10 inches past the box, then back up almost beside itself, and into the box. Why?

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Oil volume?

 

[TallPaul]

Well you would think a slightly larger reservoir would take care of volume needs.

 

[paulo57509]

Pure speculation on my part, but I'm assuming these are aftermarket replacement hoses? If so, my guess is that they're made to fit more than one application. Perhaps another application needs the extra bends and having them on your application doesn't hurt anything.

 

[mechtech2]

Could be designed to keep them away from drive belts. Or ease of assembly at the factory.
Enjoy the extra fluid and cooling.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Well you would think a slightly larger reservoir would take care of volume needs.


Space limitations?

 

[bmwtechguy]

This is their idea of a cooler for the fluid- a few extra inches of metal tubing.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: paulo57509
Pure speculation on my part, but I'm assuming these are aftermarket replacement hoses? If so, my guess is that they're made to fit more than one application. Perhaps another application needs the extra bends and having them on your application doesn't hurt anything.
I described the original lines. The replacement pressure line I bought is the same routing as the original. Haynes manual shows the return line with the same extra bottom loop.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: LargeCarManX2

Space limitations?
Well, since they probably use same pump/reservoir on many vehicles, you may have a good point, even though the F150 does not have space limitations.

 

[paulo57509]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
Pure speculation on my part, but I'm assuming these are aftermarket replacement hoses? If so, my guess is that they're made to fit more than one application. Perhaps another application needs the extra bends and having them on your application doesn't hurt anything.
I described the original lines. The replacement pressure line I bought is the same routing as the original. Haynes manual shows the return line with the same extra bottom loop.


I would say the extra metal pipe length is for cooling. The return line on my '92 Lumina snakes around the engine cradle from the rack, follows the firewall, down the passenger side of the cradle to the front, across the front and below the radiator support, makes a u-turn and back to the firewall then up to the pump.