Studebaker Power Steering Hoses Replace - how to

[53k]

When I replaced all four hoses on my '64 Wagonaire a couple years ago, I did it with the engine in and the pitman arm on. Like everyone has said, it's not easy, but I went out and bought a set of stubby end wrenches and was successful in tightening the hoses to the control valve with them. I ordered my hoses from Jon Myer and, while they were a little different from the originals, I didn't have any problem with the bends.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine
1962 Gravely Model L (Studebaker-Packard serial plate)
1972 Gravely Model 430 (Studebaker name plate, Studebaker Onan engine)

[WCP]

In reviewing Mikes photos on yahoo, I agree with the hose arrangement at the control valve, with the exception that the pressure hose (blue) is rotated to pass upward and tuck into the groove of the control valve where it comes together with the return hose toward the rear of the valve. Those hoses then loop forward around the front of the steering box and up and rearward to a clamp on the apron. The hoses then loop forward against the apron projection and under the regulator terminals, wrapping forward to the pump. I add an extra clamp at the inner regulator fastener to restrain the hoses from chafing on the left emission shield. There should be only one clamp on the frame opposite the valve and the one forward near the ram. The hoses should form a neat bundle toward the rear of the valve. There should be no hose crossovers necessary. I've never had to perform major rebending of hose ends - just some minor tweaking to "bundle" the hoses. My current Avanti is an early one (R1236) and has the spring clip mounted toward the rear upper steering box cover capscrew and no hole in the apron for the clamp as I recall. I think the hoses originally came around the steering box and were restrained by a spring as used on the Hawks and clipped to the steering box, and then would have followed the same path as I'm currently using. When I'm happy with the fit of the hoses, I add a hose clamp at the forward steering box to frame mounting bolt to minimze any chafing at that point by locking the hoses to the steering box. Do a full lock to lock check of the steering to check for any interference. Make sure on a full right turn that the pitman arm is not stiking the steel tubing of the turn hose. If it does, loosen the valve to reach rod clamp and rotate the valve a few degrees to give the necessary clearance. It's not enough to alter the steering geometry. Hope this helps. Some day I'll get set up to post pictures.

[sbca96]

Getting back to this on how I got from point A to point Z ...

Also, I took some pictures of the new hoses. You can see the original hose on the control valve
(brownish/gold), and I am holding the new hose, the bend is completely different:



Also notice that there is NO way the return line will clear the tower I broke off ... whats going on
here??



According to the packaging I got the correct hose ...... BTW, is this new hose "made in USA" or
"made in Canada"?



I bought a tubing bender and mounted it into a vice at work. I put the handle in the vice, I then
could use my body weight and hold the tube. I made a bend the opposite direction, and it seems
to clear now :





I got the control valve back on the car, I routed the hoses the way they were originally and one
of the power ram hoses is not as long as the other!!!!!

This is the funky long bent one that replaced that quick bend one on the valve before :



I think I will have to remove this and rebend it so its a quicker bend which will in effect make the
hose longer. I think that I would have had better luck having the hoses made locally, this is REALLY
starting to piss me off now.

Here they are :



On the car :







Tom

[sbca96]

OK .. I spent HOURS there routing and re-routing hoses. First I put the power ram back on the
car to get a reference of where the ends of the two steering pressure hoses should be. So, my
conclusion is that the one hose IS too short, I would say about 6 inches too short. With the all
hoses clamped down like they were, I can ONLY turn the wheels until it is straight ahead. At that
point the hoses pinch and hit the exhaust. The "short" hose is fully stretched, and I see no way
to route it that would give me enough room. My solution is to remove the hose from the car and
bring it to a local shop that makes pressure hoses. I will have them cut the hose in the center
(between the two mounting clamps) and add a 6 inch length of tubing. I also noticed that the
ends are NOT crimped on correctly, causing the hoses to be twisted to get them to line up on the
car. I am very disappointed with this.

Here are the pictures ..

Wheels barely able to be pointed straight ahead :



Notice a VERY stretched pressure hose at the halfway point??













Tom

[sbca96]

I am stumped. I took the hose off tonight after work, and pulled the old one out of the bag. Side
by side they are the same length. Seems that the new hose SHOULD be longer since it now goes on
the opposite side then it did originally. I dont get it. I guess I can wait on getting it lengthened,
and rebend the end to match the old hose, then I can mount it on the "correct" side, and the longer
metal end will give me a little more length - maybe I wont want it then? I could do a rebend just to
allow me to put it back on the "correct" side. Here is the picture I took of old vs new :



Alright ... if it doesnt work ... redesign it ...





Done. The hoses are on, everything clears, rebending the end gave me about 3 inches of extra length,
and bringing it out on the CORRECT side of the control valve eliminates the problem of catching on the
back of the control valve. I will post the modification pictures on a future thread. I just want this thing
drivable again. Studebaker obviously did this a certain way originally, why S.I. decided to change it is
beyond me.

Tom

[sbca96]

A different angle of the hoses was requested :





Tom