Steering hose fit issues in 70 w/351

[70Mach351c]

So I blew out the PS high pressure hose in the Mach 1. The homemade rigging (last owner was an elevator guy; has access to hydraulic fittings and such) finally scraped the chassis once too many.

I got a set of proper hoses from NPD. After considerable cursing and gnashing of teeth (and ten minutes under another Stang at a carshow), I was able to attach the high- and low-pressure lnes. The hoses I got for between the valve and cylinder(3A714-2A) are bent at too great an angle to fit.
Worse, the high pressure hose (3494-1A), where it feeds into the valve, is being crushed by the pitman arm after about a turn and a half left. It's as if the lead-in section of the hose is too long.
The high and low pressure lines are also supposed to follow the valve/ center link in parallel; they're taking slightly different paths.

Are the valves/hoses pretty much the same across Mustangs with the same setup(besides the fitting size change in mid-70)?

I get that you can adjust the lines to a point, but the pitman clearance I cannot get around unless I can shorten the steel hose. Any insight would be helpful and appreciated.

 

[2+2GT]

Should be routed like this, and make sure you clamp the tubes to the valve as shown.

 

[70Mach351c]

Should be routed like this, ...

They pretty much are where you show in the pics. I can coax them into position without much concern for crimping. However, the pressure hose, where it turns to drop behind the valve, is getting pinched by the pitman arm when turning the wheel left.

I wish my chassis was as clean as yours. Between thick undercoating and accumulated fluids, I had to chip away the crud before I could disassemble.

 

[2+2GT]

However, the pressure hose, where it turns to drop behind the valve, is getting pinched by the pitman arm when turning the wheel left.

With the engine running? There should be almost zero relative movement between the pittman and valve with the system pressurized.

Not my car. My car is an actual driver, probably not much cleaner than yours. It gets hit occasionally underneath at the do-it-yourself car wash.

 

[70Mach351c]

With the engine running? There should be almost zero relative movement between the pittman and valve with the system pressurized.

My assembly is exactly like yours. the hi-pressure line on the top of the valve body comes out of the block straight at the pitman before turning to wrap behind. The arm doesn't even get to about half of its travel in the direction of the hose before it contacts it. I think they left too much straight line at the end of the hose. I'm trying to find a new one to compare. I've read a lot of bad about aftermarket, good about concours peices.

UPDATE: NPD wants $75 for a concours peice. No wonder it's listed as 'CALL' in the catalog. I might just scour the area for a hydraulic shop.

 

[2+2GT]

The toughest part of making this tube is the very sharp bend exactly at the top of the nut. However, as I said earlier, there should be no "travel" of the ball stud/pittman arm at that point. Well, a few thousandths of an inch. The only time you get significant travel is when the engine is NOT running.

 

[70Mach351c]

Lesson in Aftermarket parts

The only time you get significant travel is when the engine is NOT running.

...or when turning lock-to-lock backing into a parking spot at the local cruise, which is partially why I'm in this predicament.

Well, I finally got it running. The timespan mostly involved overcoming the notion of screwing it up more (aka I was 'chicken-sh!+'). It also involved a new solenoid before all was said and done, and I also rotated the screw for the valve clamp out of the way....

I'll get you pics of the new setup once I get it powerwashed and prettier. Thanks 2+2 for your references and help.


Meanwhile, check out the pics of the two aftermarket hoses, one from NPD, which I was fretting over, and one I bought from the local Advance Auto, who normally never has the right part I'm looking for. IT shows my concern about the length of the part.

 

[2+2GT]

Your second photo, of the inlet radius, illustrates the problem perfectly. Interesting that the NPD item wasn't as good as the one you got locally. I wouldn't care if the part I ordered turned out to be from NAPA, if it fit right. I'd have expected NPD to be more on top of this, I guess that one slipped by.

Things are getting better, though, recently at Glazier Nolan they showed me some PS hoses from a new manufacturer, I think they were 68-69. Looked like friggin' NOS hoses. Pricey, but nobody'll ever complain they don't fit.