My power steering return hose was leaking so I am attempting to replace it. I disconnected the power steering pressure line from the rack with no problem, but I can't disconnect the return hose from the gear. It is as if it is seized to the rack. Tried PB Blaster and pulling it, but it broke (due to rust) near where it goes into the gear. Tried pulling what is left of the line with a needle nose, vise grips, and even gave it a little heat.


I'm puzzled because the fastener that holds the pressure line to the rack is the same one that holds the return line to the rack. There should be nothing holding the return line to the rack and it should just pull out. Any ideas. I'm afraid to start chiseling. Thank you.


It is a 2006 F150 with a 4.6.

 

i think i have this same issue. PS fluid was leaking like crazy from the return hose that runs from the cooler to the gear (i think). The gear plate has four hoses entering it with one 10mm bolt holding a plate on it. one of the lines had a nut on it. all of the lines were metal on the ends and all of them have lots of surface rust. cant 100% id that it is the cooler to gear line and its a bitch to get at. is there a gasket behind the plate that is being held on with the 10mm bolt. thinking i should replace all of the lines while i am at it.

 

I finally got it. The best thing to do is take off the fan and the shroud as that will give you sufficient access. The two problems I ran into is that I could not get the return line out of the rack. I broke it and tried to pull it out with vice grips and that still did not work. I had to hit it hard a few times with a punch equivilent which was a jack handle from a floor jack - it finally loosened to pull it out with the vice grips. The pressure line was easy to pull out. The other great challange was installing the pressure line. No problem installing it to the rack, but I could not get it started into the power steering pump. So I ended up taking off the power steering pump, starting the pressure line into it and then installing the pump with the pressure line attached. Needless to say, it took alot more time than anticiapated.

The return line into the rack was not generally available. Fortunately, Rock Auto had it.

 

I have a 2008 150, 5.4L. I replaced the high and low pressure lines going into steering rack but had to apply heat to get the lines out of the rack due to rust corrosion. I was careful to apply heat to the broken lines and not directly on the aluminum rack. When I installed the new high pressure (upper line) with the o-ring it recesses into the rack and is not flush with the face resulting in a little play. Is this normal? Should it have another seal on the end? It doesn't seem like it should have this play. The lines came with the same clamp as the original line that secures both HP and LP lines.

 

I know this is an old thread, but in the interest of anyone doing a future search, there were a couple of questions here left open. Hopefully someone finds this thread and gets the answers they are seeking.

I had a leaking power steering return line. Decided to replace all 3 lines (2 from rack, 1 from cooler to reservoir) due to being a northern (Wisconsin) truck and corrosion. Removed the 10mm bolt, loosened the plate keeping the pressure and return lines locked into the rack. Top (pressure) line came out easy, return (bottom) was frozen. Tried heat, vice grips, etc. Line was so rusty it broke almost at the rack. Notice I said "almost".

Look at the replacement line, the end going into the rack. Notice the tubing goes into a sort of collar. The rest of the fitting including O ring goes into the rack. The collar is significantly thicker than the tubing itself and sticks out of the rack. Ended up placing a metal stake (30") on the collar part left sticking out of the rack. After 3 hits with a dead blow hammer on this collar portion was able to remove the rest of the line/fitting with a vice grips easily. I did mine from the top as I had it apart to do timing components, but I have read others doing this through the driver side wheel well. Any way you can get access.

Upon reassembly, I popped the new lines into their respective ports and tightened the plate. I also noticed the top line has some play. As long as the O ring is on the end and undamaged, pressure will force the line back until the collar hits the retaining plate, then the O ring should seal the port and the fitting should not leak. On mine the old high pressure line seemed "tight" because the the fitting was corroded to the retaining plate. Once the corrosion bond was broken, the high pressure line slipped out of the rack easily, unlike the return line. The return line is tight and doesn't move.

Again, I hope this helps someone looking for this info in the future.

 

I also removed the power steering pump and started the line into the pump. However I inserted one of the mounting bolts into the hole on the pump first, then attached the pressure line. Otherwise you won't get the bolt in because the line is in the way. It should be obvious once you see how the line mounts to the pump.

All 3 lines were available at one other parts house, but for double the price I paid at Rock Auto. And these were identical, same part numbers and manufacturer as Rock Auto. Can't agree more with using Rock Auto.

 

If you live in a wet or salty area Lubricate or oil down exposed metals. Looks like the f`150's are prone to attract rust. Prevenative maintenance saves down the road.