Power Steering hoses question

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Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
1,043
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Location
North Georgia
My Car
1972 Mach 1 dark green
I thought I had asked a somewhat similar question a while back but doing a search of my posts shows nothing.  I also did some searing in vain as well.

While I have my PS pump out and trying to clean the engine bay down by the gear box I am wondering about the pressure line.  My early '72 build has the loooooooooong hose for cooling aid.  If I switch to a short hose, no fin cooler involved are they any advantages or disadvantages?  Getting to the hose nut itself does not seem hard from under the car....I hope.

 
jscott, I've heard a couple of reasons for the long hose. The prevailing version is the extra length was used to allow additional fluid in the system for cooling, the second being that the length was used for pulse dampening. My '71 M code Mach1 has AC with a radiator style PS cooler mounted to the compressor and was equipped with the long pressure hose. The pressure hose also had a foam wrap on it which I'm sure helped little with any cooling. The pulse dampening story.....I never felt any difference with any 72-73 vs my '71! I have also seen cars equipped identically to mine without the AC compressor mounted cooler. 
The long hose was used until 5/1/72 when a pressure hose approximately half the length of the previous hose was used. I've driven with both versions of the hose on different vehicles and noticed no difference in how the car drove. I'm presently running the after 5/1/72 pressure hose on my '71 and have not experienced any PS related issues with it.  :classic_smile:

 
I use a flare nut crows foot wrench and a long extension to get to the hose fittings on the steering gear from the top. No fluid dripping in my face and easier to get them started when you can see them.

 
Also helps if you remove one screw from the shock tower / engine brace at the firewall as well as the nuts on the brace at the shock tower. Then once the brace is lifted a little from the shock tower it can be pivoted around as needed for more space. Then as Don mentioned, its a straight shot into the steering box with crows foot and extensions. I seem to recall even being able to get my hand in there to start the steering box connections.

 
thanks all, will go with a shorty as long as I can get the long one off, will get some crow's feet wrenches. 

Braces are both off of the car as I work so lots of area to work in as well. 

 
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