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Mustang II Power Steering Rubber Hose won't bend.

972 views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  Big Dave 
#1 ·
Here's my new issue: The 1982-88 T-Bird Mustang II hoses I bought won't bend into shape to properly line up with the Rack. The rubber hoses are so rigid plus the end connectors don't swivel so they don't line up. Then there made of soft aluminum so the threads strip easily trying to tighten them at the awkward angle. Every kit I see on line has the same kit of hoses with the same problems of trying to bend them to work??? Again-The hoses have to almost make a 360 degree turn to screw into place...???? any suggestions please...
 

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#5 ·
Power steering hose is steel lined to resist rupturing under the high pressure that they operate under. You can get a DOT hose made at many locations near you (truck stops, tractor supply houses) with any type of connection on the end as a custom made hose.

Once again unless you plan to road race your Chevy II in an endurance race there is no need for power assist on a car that barely breaks a ton and a quarter in weight (2,600 lbs curb weight). When you are trying to get your wife to parallel park her '71 Impala (at 4167 lbs shipping weight) then you start to think about power assist (1971 was the first year power assist was standard equipment instead of an option). Today the Camaro weighs more than the '71 full size car so it has a power assisted rack and pinion steering (shared with the 5,638 pound Silverado half ton). But once again it is the weight of the car that you are picking up (due to wheel caster) that requires the power assist as you turn the wheel.

I realize it is too late for you to change your current rack out for a manual (the most common option on the Pinto, Mustang II front end from Ford). It is the fact that the Mustang II front end is used on every aftermarket build from a '47 fat fender Chevy pick-up to a '54 Merc lead sled that power is offered instead of manual in kit form. It is the one size fits all approach of buying kits that causes the problem. Instead consider buying a manual rack as a service part, or specifying it when you order your aftermarket front end.

Big Dave
 
#7 ·
Don't know about going to China to get them made as most metropolitan areas have truck stops (super centers around crossing interstates) that make similar lines while you wait. If you live in fly over country most tractor dealerships that service agriculture have a similar custom hose fabrication service to get all of the implements functioning that they sell behind tractors. In Tampa the NAPA distribution warehouse has a similar capability as the hydraulic crimping tool bolts to the wall above a work bench that has lots of shelves to hold all of the hose ends that get crimped onto hose cut to length with pneumatic shears. I used their service to install a newer O-ring style gear box in a Nova for a customer. This way the new hose had a flair on one end and an O-ring fitting on the other, so no adapter was required.

Big Dave
 
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