Power steering pipes? - Page 6

johnny_quattro · #51 4th February 2020, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

Potentially another D2-killer part solved which is excellent. All we need now is the rear bushes and water hoses and we can stick two fingers up at Audi and keep D2s going until we're not allowed petrol engines any more

Well said, well said.

ThisWayUp · #52 5th February 2020, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spannerrash

For some reason MJ I seem to be having problems replying to private messages. It's been like that for a while now.

Anyhow, sounds like a plan. PM me your address and I'll get them sent off. Let me know if you are in a hurry and I'll try and get them sent over night.

Cheers Frank

Hi Frank,
Just saw your message here.
I'm good for the moment - The S8 is being used quite infrequently while I focus on the TVR, so my plan* is to get that going and then tackle the haemoraging gearbox and PAS pipe in one shot.

It'll be like one of MJ's engine and box out affairs, but in slowmotion!!

Cheers,
Brian

*The words of an optimist!

spannerrash · #53 5th February 2020, 04:59 PM

Hoses are on the way MJ.

I wouldn't rush in to organising any replacements
too soon until we have proven these. They still could potentially be no good. If I were you I'd let the guinea pig d2 run for a couple of months before we call this one.

Fingers crossed, all goes well.

Cheers Frank

johnny_quattro · #54 26th February 2020, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThisWayUp

Great work and good timing!!
Mine has just gone from sweating to spraying PAS fluid this week.
Are you test fitting these quite soon?

My car must have heard about your post on the forums as it has come out in sympathy...
I'm interested in any further updates on the testing of new/replacement hoses.

spannerrash · #55 26th February 2020, 11:38 AM

Sorry MJ but still unable to reply to PM for some reason.

By all means, post your review of the hoses.

MikkiJayne · #56 26th February 2020, 01:17 PM

So, having had a look at these hoses from Spectrum I feel they are not fit for purpose due to them having used compression fittings and olives on the pressure hose. I don't know why they did this as the whole point was that they would re-use the original fittings, but instead they have cut off the hose tails and replaced them all with compression fittings. These need some considerable skill to seal up properly and tbh I don't have said skills. A hydraulic-Yoda doing such things every day might be able to get them to work, but for the average home-gamer I do not believe they are a safe solution on a 130-bar hydraulic system, and neither does the hydraulic specialist who looks after the rams on my lift. He was not complimentary when he saw the hose.

They actually made quite a nice job of the return hose right up until the 90 degree bend at the front end where it meets the cooler. Unfortunately they used high-pressure hose here which is far too rigid to line up with the cooler which will either result in a messy engine bay, or will just stress and ultimately fracture the end of the cooler. The return hose is not that big a deal though as they are easy enough to recover.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the pressure hose, with a safer and cheaper solution. I have observed that the front half of the pressure hose actually doesn't corrode that badly - its really only the back half with the hard line. The front half is the difficult bit with the special lining, whereas the back half is just a 10mm pipe. On that basis, I split one at the union and left the rusty union in Evapo-Rust for a few days and it actually cleaned up really well. I then took the back piece to my the aforementioned local specialist who found a stock 90 degree fitting would fit the thread on the front hose, and so swaged this on to a new piece of hose with the original rack fitting at the other end. As far as I can tell from mockup this will work perfectly, and leaves the front complicated hose completely stock. It'll need some heat sleeve where the new flexible hose passes over the exhaust (which I think is why the original hoses have the steel hard line section in them) but otherwise looks like it will do the job just fine.

I will post pics of the new piece later. As usual, I need to try it on one of my own projects but I am pretty confident it will work

spannerrash · #57 26th February 2020, 03:39 PM

Hi all
I sent this email to Spectrum. I have simply mentioned "mechanic" so as to simplify my conversion with Neil.

Hi Neil*

It's been a while so I hope you are all well.*

*

You will probably need to look back through this email history in order to refresh yourself as to what I am talking about.*

*

I have only just got around to having a mechanic fit the hoses to a car for testing. The mechanic has raised an issue of concern though in that the ends are fitted with compression fittings. Are you sure that compression fittings are OK for use on the high pressure side of a steering system? The mechanic seems to think not.*

Thanks Frank*

spannerrash · #58 26th February 2020, 04:02 PM

And Neil's reply

Hi Frank,

Yes, I remember the job, I can assure you that the compression fittings are fine with the pressure. The DIN 2353 spec metric compression fittings we used are rated at 315 Bar (4569psi) maximum working pressure, with a 4 to1 safety factor. Power steering systems can peak up to 1000psi so we are massively within the safety margin. We have used this method for remanufacturing power steering hoses hundreds of times and have never had any problems, we have never had a customer report that any MOT inspector has queried the use of compression fittings on power steering.

---------------------------------

What we have now is ambiguity.

So folks, I guess the question now is, does anyone trust Spectrum enough to throw these hoses on a car and try em?

To be honest. If I were desperate enough and the car was off the road because of hoses, I would. But that's easy for me to say because I'm not and so I don't need to. Not just yet anyhow.

Thanks Frank

Sit down, Waldo · #59 1st May 2020, 01:29 PM

Still keeping an eye on this.

My steering rack was finally sent away to be refurbished in February. It was due back 'any day' when the lockdown started

The description given of the pipes was 'a bit corroded, but still solid & not leaking'.

Can't access the car to get any photos at the moment.

spannerrash · #60 31st May 2020, 06:49 AM

Hi all

Take a look at the picture below.........

It looks like by some strange twist of fate, I may be the one that tests out the Spectrum hoses. I removed the N/S front strut and bearing housing to do some suspension work and noticed the power steering pipes are much more corroded than I was aware of. What do you think, how do they compare to others?

More importantly, is this a job I can do on my drive? Equally as important, is it a messy job? I would rather not get oil everywhere.

Will lifting the front end a foot or so, removing the wheels and leaving off my N/S suspension give me enough access? The quick look I had has made me think that maybe the rack needs to be removed in order to get access to the hoses and banjo bolts?

Any help appreciated.

Cheers Frank