Oil loss from a broken steering rack.

[Reloader]

As you may or may not know , I experienced a minor breakage issue whilst attempting to ascend Hells gate. The left inner tie rod decided to quit on me quite forcefully. Made quit a bang inside my rig at a most inopportune moment . After a great rescue by my fellow members of the group, I quickly swapped out the defective parts at the top of the gate. I continued on with the ride only to notice my steering go to **** and then the power steering pump start a growling and the smell of hydraulic fluid. You guessed it , busted rack. It was probably broke on the gate but took a bit to flex the metal lines to the power side of the rack into splitting. The rack itself doesnt leak , its the pressure lines as Dwaine pointed out. We contemplated replacing the rack right there but Dwaine suggested building a jumper hose assembly to allow the pump to retain oil in the system and not get burnt up. We built the jumper (well Dwaine did) , filled the system and got under way without power steering after airing up the tyres to 40 psi in the front. This worked quite well although the hose popped off a couple times and lost the fluid again. After a reattach and refill I would be on my way. Positive side is the system got a good flushing out.
Well I made it off the trail ok . Got quite a workout though. Replaced the rack the next day in the street in front of the outpost.
Anyways , I saved the pipes and fittings off the old rack and made a premade jumper hose for the next time. These are metric steel lines 8mm OD which is basically 3/8". I used a metric bubble flaring tool to slightly bulge the pipes so the hose would stay in place.

I connected the fittings with a piece of 3/8" transmission oil line and secured it with a couple 3/8" fuel injection hose clamps.

Finished product ready to be installed onto the rack in case of another failure.

All you need is a 14mm open end wrench to loosen the fittings on the rack to install this bypass hose onto the steering rack spool assembly. the lines are not that tight as the fittings are o-ringed. just be sure the o-rings are in place. You may or may not have to drop the skid plate depending on the type you have. top up fluid and your ready to go.
One other thing, after replacing the rack, recheck the tightness of the 2 main rack mounting bolts. Mine came loose after running Gold Bar Rim the next day and I had them tight. This was the 3rd time on these bolts as this is the third rack in this truck, so after I got home I ordered and installed new bolts and lock nuts with some locktight. The torque value for these bolts is 91'lb according to Alldata. Seems a bit low for 18mm bolts so they got a little more.
The bolts are only about $7 ea and the nuts are .99 a piece so its cheap insurance to have a couple of each when carrying a spare rack.

 

[alrock]

Nice trail spares and write up - thanks!

 

[Hunner]

Back in ought 6 when I broke a rack I later started running a flex line all the time on that shorter pipe which seems to crack.
I have not done it yet but I want to put a piece in the longer one just in case. That like you mention will save the pump.
Extra protection

 

[06 H3]

I saw this happen and when I was under the truck I quickly assumed the seperation of the rack was what left the fluid on the ground but when Dwaine showed us this trail fix I believe it is a must to carry. It weighs less then 1/2 lb to carry and takes up virtually no space. Getting off a trail w/o power steering is a PITA but it can get you home without changing a rack on the trail and without destorying the PS pump. This is a spare piece I plan to build and carry myself.

Reloader, what about getting a piece from napa and adding another fitting onto the other side to avoid the rubber piece?

 

[backcountryislife]

I don't claim to know how it works, but the H3's pump stops trying to pump after a short time. Each time I broke mine I had to drive it a decent ways without fluid, and after 5 racks, the pump was a s solid as day 1. you'll notice it only groans for a very short period of time, then it stops.

On my last rack I had a setup similar to Hunner's made, but with more of the line being braided, and a bit more slack in it. I was told back then that you had to have a braided line for that kind of setup, glad to see that's not the case, I love anything that makes a fix simpler. IMO, any rack I were to put on an H3 again would have those lines made from flex material.



Chris, I thought about the "extension" idea, as it would save some hassle/ cost, but due to the bend in the stock hose, you'd have to likely break the stock one before you get it out of the way. It doesn't take much messing with this line to crack it.

 

[am4x4]

It weighs less then 1/2 lb to carry and takes up virtually no space. Getting off a trail w/o power steering is a PITA but it can get you home without changing a rack on the trail and without destorying the PS pump. This is a spare piece I plan to build and carry myself.

Hopefully You will not have to deal with this anymore, But I still have the remains of your old rack and you are welcome to grab the line off it to use for donor fittings.

 

[backcountryislife]

I've also got one more here as well that can be used for donor TRE's and lines. I'm not shipping the whole thing, but I'd ship parts if someone wants them.

 

[Bigunit]

I've also got one more here as well that can be used for donor TRE's and lines. I'm not shipping the whole thing, but I'd ship parts if someone wants them.

I'll take both lines if you are willing to part with them.

 

[06 H3]

Hopefully You will not have to deal with this anymore, But I still have the remains of your old rack and you are welcome to grab the line off it to use for donor fittings.

I will take em. There light and don't take up space and will save a PS pump in case someone breaks a rack. Hopefully I don't lol