Curse You Road Salt Version 2

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My salt corroded 98 Toyota truck has broken down again. This time the steel portion of the power steering hose rusted thru and dumped all the power steering fluid. I had the truck towed home to avoid damage to the power steering pump. The power steering lines thread into the rack and pinion unit.

Any tips on unscrewing the hose fitting from the rack? It is heavily rusted. Torch, acetone/ ATF mix, profanity, prayer?

Money is short as per usual, so, if the power steering pump is trashed, can I just drive the truck without power assist? I can remove the belt from the power steering pump.

Should I flush the system afterward to get any metal particles out of the system?

Thank you in advance for any advice.
 
Aren't the flares the same as brake line? Can you rig something with universal brake line?
 
Heat the outside of the fitting if you can with a small torch if it's safe in that area to do so. Once it's cooled a little bit, hit it with the acetone/ATF mix. Hopefully the cooling metal will suck in the penetrating oil so it's easier to get off.

A power-assist rack driven without power will be a bit of a bear at low speed.

I'd fill the system and run it. If it failed spectacularly and you caught it quickly, the pump ought to be working fine.
 
no way of knowing until u put a wrench on it..you may look into using a line wrench for this job. I would PB blaster soak it then try a turn..if its stubborn put some heat to it and keep trying.. you could have made it home by cutting the belt..
 
Unfortunately you have got to the point of "let it go"
Starting over will be cheaper in the long haul.
 
Traction, you are right about letting go. Trouble is, I get really attached to my truck and want to keep it as long as possible. If the worst case happens and I have to scrap it, I will try to buy an " Arizona truck " on Ebay motors. Fly out, buy the truck and drive it home. Anything I buy going forward is going to get Fluid Filmed yearly.
 
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I drove an Isuzu Trooper without power steering for a year. Parallel parking is a workout but as long as you're going over 5-10mph, should be fine.
 
What's the story with brake and gas lines? They will be next. I asked a shop to replace the flex brake hoses. However in doing so they snapped the fitting on the steel line and that needed to be replaced (with copper nickel).
 
Just cut the line off at the fitting and use a 6 pt socket to remove it. Giving the ratchet a good whack with a dead blow hammer will knock it loose easily. Easy job.
 
The story you never hear on the Toyota commercials praising longevity/reliability,and ability to pass it down from generation to generation...
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Just cut the line off at the fitting and use a 6 pt socket to remove it. Giving the ratchet a good whack with a dead blow hammer will knock it loose easily. Easy job.


+1 - this seems like the best answer.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The story you never hear on the Toyota commercials praising longevity/reliability,and ability to pass it down from generation to generation...


They left out the [if you don't live in the rust belt] part.
27.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Trav
Just cut the line off at the fitting and use a 6 pt socket to remove it. Giving the ratchet a good whack with a dead blow hammer will knock it loose easily. Easy job.


+1 - this seems like the best answer.


Except...What is it with Americans and ratchet abuse?

If you need to be hitting it, you need to be using a breaker bar.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The story you never hear on the Toyota commercials praising longevity/reliability,and ability to pass it down from generation to generation...
350K on a 99 Camry in New England, all OEM lines. I replaced the brake hoses as a precaution. I'm happy with that.
 
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Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Trav
Just cut the line off at the fitting and use a 6 pt socket to remove it. Giving the ratchet a good whack with a dead blow hammer will knock it loose easily. Easy job.


+1 - this seems like the best answer.


Except...What is it with Americans and ratchet abuse?

If you need to be hitting it, you need to be using a breaker bar.


A breaker bar isn't always usable in tight confined spaces like those found on steering racks, even a small 3/8 bar might not give you the right angle.
I have a few cheap craftsman ratchets for such abuse, if they break get another or bin the thing as long as it got the job done.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Just cut the line off at the fitting and use a 6 pt socket to remove it. Giving the ratchet a good whack with a dead blow hammer will knock it loose easily. Easy job.







6 point socket sets are mandatory when working on vehicle's from the rust belt.
 
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