'86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

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ragtr
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Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:27 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

'86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by ragtr »

I am in the process of replacing the power steering hoses on my '86 Cab. I am replacing just the rubber connecting hoses, not the hard plumbing. The VW dealer no longer stocks either the supply or return hoses. All the secondary market suppliers (German Auto Parts, rockauto.com, etc) offer generic bulk hose by Gates or Edelmann. The originals are molded rubber and contain contortions to fit the space, one of them being a 90 deg bend near a fitting. Does anyone know of a supplier for the molded hoses? Does the generic bulk hose work even with the 90deg bend? Thanks All.
CalAltaDubber
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Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by CalAltaDubber »

First, Welcome to TRF

I am trying to picture the hose route in my mind (I'm on my lunch hour at work), and I'm not sure wher the 90 degree bend you mention is.

I will look at my '88 (it should be similar) when I get home. Then I might be able to help you a bit more.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
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Briano1234
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Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by Briano1234 »

I would get thee to a wrecking yard.

Or take your old hoses to a Hydraulic shop, and they usually can make them.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
CalAltaDubber
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Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by CalAltaDubber »

I just finished looking at my car. I didn't see any molded 90 degree bends in anu of the hoses. Although there are a couple of places where the hoses do make a 90 degree bend but the hose looks to just bend which is logical, a molded 90 degree bend is expensive to make.

So I agree with Brian, a hydraulic shop can make you new hoses that won't keak.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

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ragtr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:27 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by ragtr »

Thanks for the response and the welcome. These models are pretty rare in NE Oklahoma. The pickings are pretty slim in the salvage yards and any rubber bits I might possibly find there would probably be in worse shape than what I already have. I called three different hydraulic shops. They all said good luck and knew of no shop that will make custom contour molded hoses. Again, these are the hoses with no fittings on them. My mechanic said bulk hose is not going to work, esp on the suction/supply due to the 90 deg bend.

Anybody out there running Power Steering? What have you done?
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Briano1234
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Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by Briano1234 »

ragtr wrote:Thanks for the response and the welcome. These models are pretty rare in NE Oklahoma. The pickings are pretty slim in the salvage yards and any rubber bits I might possibly find there would probably be in worse shape than what I already have. I called three different hydraulic shops. They all said good luck and knew of no shop that will make custom contour molded hoses. Again, these are the hoses with no fittings on them. My mechanic said bulk hose is not going to work, esp on the suction/supply due to the 90 deg bend.

Anybody out there running Power Steering? What have you done?
There are two hoses and both of them have fittings on each end. There is the high pressure hose from the pump that has a fitting on the pump and the rack end.
Image

There is the low pressure hose from the Rack with a fitting on one end, and a hose clamp to the res on the other, as well as the res hose to the power steering pump that has no fittings and is bulk hose.

Image

If you have a broken hose, and it is broke in the middle go get a Brass Double Barbed Fitting and splice the brake with a couple of hose clamps.
I have never heard of a shop that wouldn't re-create a hose especially if you have it off the car, and the fittings on both ends as they can cut and weld yours to theirs or silver solder it.

If you need a hose, I can see if there is one in the yards around me, but it will be a few days.

So which hose is it that you need.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
ragtr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:27 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by ragtr »

And I thought it was just my PS pump that was covered in glop due to a leak! I brought my Cab back
home today to figure out what to do about the resevoir suction and retun hoses. Pics to follow this weekend..
ragtr
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 2:27 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: '86 Cab Power Steering Hoses

Post by ragtr »

Silly me for listening to my mechanic and beliveing the Bently manual. Bently shows the Return hose from the rack to the resevoir to be a two piece assembly consisting of a hard line that runs from the rack on the drivers side, forward then across the engine bay. A rubber hose connects the hard line to the resevoir.
My car is as Brian describes with a single hose running from the resevoir to the rack, with a fitted end on the rack side. This part seems to be available from multiple suppliers.
The Suction hose that runs from the resevoir to the pump has a molded 90 bend and is obsolete. As Brian and Phil describe, it appears that there should be enough room to make a tight radius bend without kinking using bulk hose.
Thanks Brian and Phil for the response, and Brian for taking time to post the pics.

-Jim
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