Anyone have experience with power steering coolers?

I'm reviving this thread because there's a PSC kit sitting in my garage waiting to be installed. All information I needed for the cooler is here, but I wanted to repeat a summary of what I heard, for clarity sake.

  • -12AN feed line to the pump
  • -8AN return line
  • -8AN 16" Single Pass heat sink cooler
I see Jerry's comment that the bracket for the single pass cooler is no longer available. However, I can make one, so I'm okay there. Does my summary list sound correct? If so, verifying that the 16" cooler will fit through the driver side headlight opening?
Sounds about right. I was able to just mount it directly to the grill. If you look close you will see it fit perfectly lined up in the grill. I used stainless hardware and half inch nylon spacers to mount it up. Worked well

2FD80EA3-83CF-4AB2-87C4-0F72530F0190.webp
 
Sounds about right. I was able to just mount it directly to the grill. If you look close you will see it fit perfectly lined up in the grill. I used stainless hardware and half inch nylon spacers to mount it up. Worked well

View attachment 127856
This thread was incredibly informative! If you get time, any chance you could post or send me a close up picture? I have a transmission cooler in there now, so I'm concerned about having enough space for both.
 
This thread was incredibly informative! If you get time, any chance you could post or send me a close up picture? I have a transmission cooler in there now, so I'm concerned about having enough space for both.
if I can make it out to my shop where it’s stored over the weekend I will get some pictures for you. Otherwise it will be awhile as I’m having another spinal surgery Monday morning.
 
Rather than start a new thread, I'm adding to this one. I ordered the PSC 16" -8 AN single pass cooler and have two questions:

1. I tried installing it through the driver side headlight hole and can't get it to go in. Is there something I'm missing here? I even loosened the radiator bolts and removed the two top bolts holding the A/C condenser, allowing for a little bit more room.

2. When installing the the adapter fittings into both ends of the cooler, do I need to seal them with something, i.e. like a sealing compound?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QW2KZSM/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
2. When installing the the adapter fittings into both ends of the cooler, do I need to seal them with something, i.e. like a sealing compound?

Normally you never use thread sealant on hydraulic systems. Are the fittings steel or brass? Since its on the return side and not the pressure side it probably wouldn't be that big of a deal if you used a little bit of anaerobic thread sealant but I wouldn't use Teflon.
 
Normally you never use thread sealant on hydraulic systems. Are the fittings steel or brass? Since its on the return side and not the pressure side it probably wouldn't be that big of a deal if you used a little bit of anaerobic thread sealant but I wouldn't use Teflon.

The cooler and fittings are both aluminum. I didn't tighten the fitting down yet, but just wanted to ask the question before I did. Are we talking talking something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BT8GE8/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
You need to unbolt the top 4 radiator bolts, loosen the bottom 2, unbolt the top 2 condenser bolts, and unbolt the top 2 bolts holding the vbar in place. You can push everything back as you slide in the cooler.

use pipe dope or tape on the pipe threads going into the cooler.
 
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The cooler and fittings are both aluminum. I didn't tighten the fitting down yet, but just wanted to ask the question before I did. Are we talking talking something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BT8GE8/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Use red liquid Loctite on the NPT threads on the adapter into the cooler. It is a thread sealant and it prevents the fitting from backing out should you need to break a stuck AN flare loose.
 
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You need to unbolt the top 4 radiator bolts, loosen the bottom 2, unbolt the top 2 condenser bolts, and unbolt the top 2 bolts holding the vbar in place. You can push everything back as you slide in the cooler.

use pipe dope or tape on the pipe threads going into the cooler.
Lou, my cooler is shorter and goes in easier. He may need to really lean the radiator and condenser back.
 
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My cooler is not 16” long so I was able to get it in pretty easy. I also used red lock tight
 
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Lou, my cooler is shorter and goes in easier. He may need to really lean the radiator and condenser back.

Loosened the radiator and condenser and was able to get the cooler into the grill. Everything is now installed, but ran into a minor snag. In following the picture below, the '97 to '02 line out of the gear box is 3/8" hose. It's supposed to go to the cooler, which has an -8 AN fitting that uses 1/2" hose. Likewise, the line that comes out of the cooler, going back to the reservoir, is 1/2". However, the fitting on the reservoir accepts 3/8" hose.

Based on what I'm seeing, I need to put two 3/8" to 1/2" reducers inline. One on the return line coming out of the gearbox, going to the cooler, and one on the line leaving the cooler and going back to the reservoir. Or, are there fittings that can be installed in the gearbox and reservoir that can just accept 1/2" hose?

PSC Cooler Hose Routing.jpg
 
Loosened the radiator and condenser and was able to get the cooler into the grill. Everything is now installed, but ran into a minor snag. In following the picture below, the '97 to '02 line out of the gear box is 3/8" hose. It's supposed to go to the cooler, which has an -8 AN fitting that uses 1/2" hose. Likewise, the line that comes out of the cooler, going back to the reservoir, is 1/2". However, the fitting on the reservoir accepts 3/8" hose.

Based on what I'm seeing, I need to put two 3/8" to 1/2" reducers inline. One on the return line coming out of the gearbox, going to the cooler, and one on the line leaving the cooler and going back to the reservoir. Or, are there fittings that can be installed in the gearbox and reservoir that can just accept 1/2" hose?

View attachment 150281
PSC has a -8 male x ORB fitting that screws into the reservoir on the return side. I silver braze -8 male fittings onto a short section of the hard line where it comes out of the steering gear to hook up the -8 return.
 
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I was able to stop by a local hydraulic hose supply store and purchase a -8 male flare to -8 male o-ring boss fitting to go in to the reservoir. Talk to the guy above for the fitting at the gearbox.

It was $2.93 for the fitting from the hose store.
 
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I went down to a local hydraulic hose store and picked up the -8 AN fitting for the reservoir (left fitting in picture). I didn't have the option of brazing a fitting for the return line coming out of the steering box. However, I was able to piece together a 90° -8 AN return line fitting for it, which let me run the 1/2" hose straight from the steering box return port to the driver side of the cooler.

I mocked everything up and it fits. My only concern at this point is the 90° steering box fitting. Although it fits, there's only about 1/4" between the fitting and the curved part of the grill directly above the steering box. I'm guessing that the body will flex more than 1/4", which would mean the grill would press on the fitting. Am I correct to worry about this?

4OGEC0c.webp
 
I went down to a local hydraulic hose store and picked up the -8 AN fitting for the reservoir (left fitting in picture). I didn't have the option of brazing a fitting for the return line coming out of the steering box. However, I was able to piece together a 90° -8 AN return line fitting for it, which let me run the 1/2" hose straight from the steering box return port to the driver side of the cooler.

I mocked everything up and it fits. My only concern at this point is the 90° steering box fitting. Although it fits, there's only about 1/4" between the fitting and the curved part of the grill directly above the steering box. I'm guessing that the body will flex more than 1/4", which would mean the grill would press on the fitting. Am I correct to worry about this?

View attachment 150538
I worry which is why I make the fitting I use.
 
i think i'm next down this road..................... good info thanx guys.

i'm probably just gonna go with a new ported gear, pump/resi and cooler for now. i can always add the cylinder to the sys later if it's warranted.

kinda hesitant to pull the trigger on what would be my biggest single purchase...........but on the shiney side it'll probably be needed soon anyway and be 1 of the more performance effective upgrades
 
i think i'm next down this road..................... good info thanx guys.

i'm probably just gonna go with a new ported gear, pump/resi and cooler for now. i can always add the cylinder to the sys later if it's warranted.

kinda hesitant to pull the trigger on what would be my biggest single purchase...........but on the shiney side it'll probably be needed soon anyway and be 1 of the more performance effective upgrades

It is an expensive upgrade, but one you'll not have to worry about, if done properly. I bought the entire kit, with cylinder, but decided not to use the cylinder, since I only have 35" tires. Don't forget to factor in the cost of the cooler, when ordering. I'm not sure what others spent, but by the time I was done it was almost $1800 (PSC SK250 kit, Anti-splash valve, cooler, Swepco fluid, extra hose and a couple fittings). I also had to make a bracket, using aluminum, for the cooler.

In terms of pricing, check with Northridge. I believe they have a sale going on now.

Edit:

Here's the kit from Northridge, which also includes the '97 - '02 pressure line.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...ts/sk250-psc-extreme-duty-cylinder-assist-kit
 
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