Power steering hoses

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:39 pm

My CRD has started leaking quit a bit from the power steering hose that runs under the radiator, which is badly rusted. The dealer said they can't get the hoses anymore (??) and from what I understand searching here no dealers can supply it. I believe the part # is 68146829AA. I see it listed at several OEM sites and was considering just ordering the set from one of them ... has anyone else been able to get it from any OEM site, and if so, what's a good site? I know I can have a hydraulic shop custom build them, but that adds a lot of legwork for me when I already have a lot on my plate ... plus I'm assuming for that I'd have to take it out and give it to them to copy, which means I'd have my Jeep in pieces and undriveable before I have an answer, which isn't ideal.
Also, how difficult/messy is this job? I'm sort of considering taking it to the dealer just because I have no room in my garage due to another project, and it's freezing out. But I also hate paying for labor I can do myself. Trying to weight the options.

Srytrucker · **Posted:** Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:37 am

I got mine from wermopar

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Tue Jan 03, 2017 5:03 am

Had mine made from Parker NL 30 Multipurpose hose. Flexible and probably tougher than steel. Installed with the fittings pushed in and hoseclamped, then pulled them off and took them back to have them crimplocked. Will probably outlast the Jeep, and under 120 bucks for the whole deal. They weren't rusted, but bent from a Previous Owner accident.

OR

You could save yourself the whole headache and just go to our favorite one-stop.

https://www.idparts.com/power-steering-hoses-liberty-crd-p-4410.html

olypopper · **Posted:** Tue Jan 03, 2017 12:02 pm

Take them off and have a local hydraulic shop make new ones. Good hydraulic shops can reuse the ends and braze new fittings on as well as use superior hose that you'll likely never have to replace again.

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:59 pm

Thanks for the input, folks. There are a few hydraulic shops in my area so that's an option. Is there likely to be a big quality advantage over using IDparts or wrmopar? I'll try to call a shop tomorrow and see what the turn-around time is likely to be, because that might be another factor ... need this car to take to DC and NY in about 10 days. I noticed IDparts has it as a "special order item" ... hope that doesn't mean it will take two weeks to get here.

thermorex · **Posted:** Mon Jan 09, 2017 2:46 pm

If the seller doesn't have the part in stock, it will take a while for you to receive it. You should call and find out. Parts.com is what I used for the power steering hoses. They work with dealers throughout the country and cut their part from sales. You should check that also.

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:45 pm

Well, I found a shop that will do these that's very close to my house, but the bad news is I still haven't gotten the lines out of the car. Basically, I can't get the fan clutch note loose for anything. So working with the fan shroud in place I've managed to get all the fastening points of the lines undone (had to cut a bracket where it mounts under the radiator because the nut was so badly rusted/rounded). But you can't get the lines out of the car with the fan and shroud in place, can you? Those of you that have done this, how did you pull the lines out? Even if I get the shroud out, they're routed through so many tight spots it's like a puzzle I don't really need. Considering taking the lower rad hose out but not sure I want the mess. Do I definitely just need to get the fan clutch loose? And if so ... (I've researched this but just confirming) ... the nut goes counterclockwise to loosen if you're facing the car, right? I even tried using an air chisel and no luck.
I feel like an idiot for struggling so much with what should be a simple job, but what a pain. :oops:

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:11 pm

It was quite a puzzle when I did mine. I only removed the one with the cooler and damper on it. It was a pain in the rear. I remember cursing a lot.

For the fan clutch. I remove mine with an air chisel. Some folks frown on this method, but it has always worked great for me. Put the flat blade of the chisel toward the edge of the nut and give it a few baps. It should loosen it enough so you can spin it off by hand.

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:13 pm

ebbnflow wrote:

It was quite a puzzle when I did mine. I only removed the one with the cooler and damper on it. It was a pain in the rear. I remember cursing a lot.

For the fan clutch. I remove mine with an air chisel. Some folks frown on this method, but it has always worked great for me. Put the flat blade of the chisel toward the edge of the nut and give it a few baps. It should loosen it enough so you can spin it off by hand.

Did you pull it out upward out the top of the engine compartment, or down out behind the axle (where the suppressor is)? Because as far as I can tell, there's no way to get the large suppressor up into the engine area and behind the radiator where the rest of the lines are ... even if the shroud were out. But, I don't know if the bracket behind the headlight is going to fit down out the bottom where the suppressor is. Also all of mine are attached by the brackets on the cross member, so unless I cut those, the whole bundle of lines has to come out one place somehow. I feel like such an idiot ... I'm normally actually pretty good at puzzle-type problem solving but I don't get it.

I tried the chisel on the nut and it didn't budge ... just gouged it up. Doesn't make any sense, unless I am in fact wrong about the direction ... everything I read says it needs to go counterclockwise facing the engine (normal left loosy). One reason I have doubt is the FSM, in the section for the 3.7, specifies it needs to be cc ... it does not do so for the other engines ... which led me to wonder if I've got it wrong.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:15 pm

BodhiBenz1987 wrote:

ebbnflow wrote:

It was quite a puzzle when I did mine. I only removed the one with the cooler and damper on it. It was a pain in the rear. I remember cursing a lot.

For the fan clutch. I remove mine with an air chisel. Some folks frown on this method, but it has always worked great for me. Put the flat blade of the chisel toward the edge of the nut and give it a few baps. It should loosen it enough so you can spin it off by hand.

Did you pull it out upward out the top of the engine compartment, or down out behind the axle (where the suppressor is)? Because as far as I can tell, there's no way to get the large suppressor up into the engine area and behind the radiator where the rest of the lines are ... even if the shroud were out. But, I don't know if the bracket behind the headlight is going to fit down out the bottom where the suppressor is. Also all of mine are attached by the brackets on the cross member, so unless I cut those, the whole bundle of lines has to come out one place somehow. I feel like such an idiot ... I'm normally actually pretty good at puzzle-type problem solving but I don't get it.

I tried the chisel on the nut and it didn't budge ... just gouged it up. Doesn't make any sense, unless I am in fact wrong about the direction ... everything I read says it needs to go counterclockwise facing the engine (normal left loosy). One reason I have doubt is the FSM, in the section for the 3.7, specifies it needs to be cc ... it does not do so for the other engines ... which led me to wonder if I've got it wrong.

I removed it from the bottom. I had to bend the brackets on the cross member to separate the hoses. I remember even having to fish the passenger side of the hose between the cross member and the radiator stack. This job was not fun at all.

The fan clutch nut is lefty loosy righty tighty.

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:42 pm

ebbnflow wrote:

BodhiBenz1987 wrote:

ebbnflow wrote:

It was quite a puzzle when I did mine. I only removed the one with the cooler and damper on it. It was a pain in the rear. I remember cursing a lot.

For the fan clutch. I remove mine with an air chisel. Some folks frown on this method, but it has always worked great for me. Put the flat blade of the chisel toward the edge of the nut and give it a few baps. It should loosen it enough so you can spin it off by hand.

Did you pull it out upward out the top of the engine compartment, or down out behind the axle (where the suppressor is)? Because as far as I can tell, there's no way to get the large suppressor up into the engine area and behind the radiator where the rest of the lines are ... even if the shroud were out. But, I don't know if the bracket behind the headlight is going to fit down out the bottom where the suppressor is. Also all of mine are attached by the brackets on the cross member, so unless I cut those, the whole bundle of lines has to come out one place somehow. I feel like such an idiot ... I'm normally actually pretty good at puzzle-type problem solving but I don't get it.

I tried the chisel on the nut and it didn't budge ... just gouged it up. Doesn't make any sense, unless I am in fact wrong about the direction ... everything I read says it needs to go counterclockwise facing the engine (normal left loosy). One reason I have doubt is the FSM, in the section for the 3.7, specifies it needs to be cc ... it does not do so for the other engines ... which led me to wonder if I've got it wrong.

I removed it from the bottom. I had to bend the brackets on the cross member to separate the hoses. I remember even having to fish the passenger side of the hose between the cross member and the radiator stack. This job was not fun at all.

The fan clutch nut is lefty loosy righty tighty.

So it all came out behind the cross member, like towards the suppressor? I tried to shove it that way without much luck, but maybe it will be easier if I pry apart the bracket holding the lines together. And just keep shoving haha. I'm puzzled on the fan clutch nut. I can't imagine why the air chisel wouldn't even get it. It shouldn't even be that rusted, as I had the timing belt done two years ago and it would have been off for that.
Thanks very much for the tips. Hopefully I will get this soon ... I need the car back and also just don't want to have to keep worrying about it.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Wed Feb 01, 2017 4:27 pm

My recollection is a little foggy since it has been a year or two since I did this. I only replaced one of the two lines even though you have to buy them as a set. The one I replaced had the metal U that sits behind the driver's side headlight. I removed it from the bottom in front of the support that hold the radiator stack. I had to bend the clamps under the front side of the radiator stack. I remember having to move the battery fuse box out of the way and remove the steering pump pulley to get access to the fittings at the pump.

I'd try soaking the fan clutch nut with PB blaster at least Overnight and trying the chisel again. Make sure to leave the serpentine belt on to prevent the nut from turning too much. My nut also has 2 pretty good gouges from when it was chiselled, but I use the same spots for loosening and tightening whenever I need to get it on/off. I highly recommend the fan shroud mod once you get it off to make life easier in the future.

joe_ · **Posted:** Wed Feb 01, 2017 5:32 pm

ebbnflow wrote:

Make sure to leave the serpentine belt on to prevent the nut from turning too much.

Getting a 13mm socket in there definitely helps prevent the pulley from turning, as Sir Sam demonstrates here: COrobotchicken: Jeep Liberty Diesel Timing Belt Replacement Part 3 - Engine cover and Re-Timing Engine

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:40 pm

ebbnflow wrote:

My recollection is a little foggy since it has been a year or two since I did this. I only replaced one of the two lines even though you have to buy them as a set. The one I replaced had the metal U that sits behind the driver's side headlight. I removed it from the bottom in front of the support that hold the radiator stack. I had to bend the clamps under the front side of the radiator stack. I remember having to move the battery fuse box out of the way and remove the steering pump pulley to get access to the fittings at the pump.

I'd try soaking the fan clutch nut with PB blaster at least Overnight and trying the chisel again. Make sure to leave the serpentine belt on to prevent the nut from turning too much. My nut also has 2 pretty good gouges from when it was chiselled, but I use the same spots for loosening and tightening whenever I need to get it on/off. I highly recommend the fan shroud mod once you get it off to make life easier in the future.

Thanks, I will see if i can pull it out through that space. Maybe I'll separate the two sections to help. It looks like that suppressor and bracket won't fit into that area from the bottom of the car, but removing the steering pump pulley would solve that likely. Or removing the coolant hose ... I'm not sure how much coolant to expect to pour out but I've already made a big enough mess I'm ont sure it matters. :lol:

Joe, thanks for the tip on holding the pulley ... I didn't realize there was a bolt behind that hole. That might help.

BodhiBenz1987 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 03, 2017 12:44 am

Well, they are out, though the rusted part of the hose broke which made it much easier. Might be harder when I go to put the new ones back in. I did end up just removing the lower radiator hose. I was too frustrated to remember physics so it ended up being a bit of a mess, but pulling it out of the way made it much easier. I was due for a coolant flush anyway, I guess. :shock:

Thanks for the tips. Hopefully I can get new ones made and back in and have it all work. I'm a little worried about anything I might have damaged trying to get them out, but I don't think there is anything particularly fragile in there. It did keep snagging on the thinner lines on the steering rack, but I tried to be careful.

thermorex · **Posted:** Fri Feb 03, 2017 10:01 am

When I replaced mine, I had the bumper removed, same for the driver headlight. There is a bracket that secures the loop (cooler) right under the headlight, I'm trying to think how you guys took that bracket off without removing the headlight...

Removing the bumper and headlight is really not hard and may worth as it creates more working space.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Wed Apr 26, 2017 4:56 pm

The Fan Shroud Mod REALLY makes life easier when you're pulling the front trying to chase down gremlins. I may have gone a bit overboard with mine, but I like it.
The steel braces and latches are on the upper half. The lower half just has the latch hook.
Braces inside and out keep the bottom half from wandering off. I used pieces of banding that they use for shipping heavy steel pipe.

I used tiny stainless steel metal screws and nuts assembled with red loctite to hold everything in place until the urethane adhesive could set.

If you use screws like this, make sure you grind everything back so it extends no more than 1/8" from the shroud.

Additionally. make sure before you start the vehicle, that the upper half mounting bolts are in and tightened.
If you don't do that your brand new GM 11 blade fan could end up looking like this:

Power steering hoses

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