Hydro Boost Hoses

[skerrybronco]

From my research here, I have read that you either have a reservoir with dual return or one. I have the explorer res with one return. so what is the best option, adding a tee, if so is it close to the res or to the steering box.
option 2 creating a second return on the reservoir.
Also please let me know if my high pressure hoses are configured right in the diagrams, thanks.

 

[Rustytruck]

If you T your returns you want your power steering return hose to the reservoir to be the straight shot through the T and the return from the hydraboost to be in the dead end leg. Powersteering flows much more fluid. Not all Tee's are created equal you need one with large through holes.

 

[carter2772]

x2 ^^^^ I have also come across Y style fittings. Not sure if your routing as far as the high and return lines are correct to the ports shown, hard to make them out. PS Pump high pressure side is the smaller port of the two. I imagine the hydro is the same, I dont know for sure.

 

[weasel]

Here is what I used for routing my hoses. I did not use a check valve, its unnecessary.

 

[wesleydax]

i drilled and tapped my res. and put a 3/8 i think barb fitting. essentially make it a dual return and theres no chance of the return fighting each other

 

[Sun_and_Steel77]

i drilled and tapped my res. and put a 3/8 i think barb fitting. essentially make it a dual return and theres no chance of the return fighting each other

Plastic or metal reservoir?

 

[wesleydax]

its plastic

 

[garberz]

I used a Tee with my Explorer reservoir. The return on the Hydro Boost unit only spits out about a tablespoon of fluid when the brakes are applied. Using a Tee has never been a problem on the ones I've set up. Follow Rustytruck's post on proper Tee plumbing.

mark

 

[skerrybronco]

Thank you all for the inputs......great diagrams, so my high pressure configuration looks good, and in option one, I would just adjust the tee accordingly, I forgot my cooler which with only one return on the res, I would install in line from the steering box to the Tee, correct.

 

[Viperwolf1]

Thank you all for the inputs......great diagrams, so my high pressure configuration looks good, and in option one, I would just adjust the tee accordingly, I forgot my cooler which with only one return on the res, I would install in line from the steering box to the Tee, correct.

Correct.

 

[skerrybronco]

Correct.

thank you

 

[Rustytruck]

Watch out how you orientate your cooler. Mounted the way you show it will fill up when you start your truck and drain out when you shut off your motor. I used a large cooler and mounted it this way and after it filled up the reservoir was low and I filled it. Then when I shut off the motor the cooler drained down and overflowed the pump reservoir. I learned to either mount the cooler below the pump or turn the reservoir so it self traps the fluid in the lines and doesn't drain down on its own.

 

[skerrybronco]

Thanks for the tip
It's not actually mounted yet, I just threw it in the picture to make sure I got the orientation of the lines right.

 

[ntsqd]

Interesting reading all of this particularity about plumbing the T. My Bronco came to me with HB using a single return reservoir. The T is set up with both the box and the HB returns on the run, with the drain on the branch. Both the PS and the PB work fine and as expected. No occasional weirdness or anything.

 

[skerrybronco]

Watch out how you orientate your cooler. Mounted the way you show it will fill up when you start your truck and drain out when you shut off your motor. I used a large cooler and mounted it this way and after it filled up the reservoir was low and I filled it. Then when I shut off the motor the cooler drained down and overflowed the pump reservoir. I learned to either mount the cooler below the pump or turn the reservoir so it self traps the fluid in the lines and doesn't drain down on its own.

I thought to put mine on the fender front, vertical with the loop on top, but below the res. what do you guys think, or should I fab something to be in front of the rad…...

 

[ntsqd]

My plan is to use the small aux stacked plate type trans cooler off of a Ford pick-up oriented vertically. The lower port from the box and the upper port to the reservoir. I hadn't thought about it over-filling the reservoir, my plan was based on purging air from the cooler, but it works for both issues.

 

[skerrybronco]

My plan is to use the small aux stacked plate type trans cooler off of a Ford pick-up oriented vertically. The lower port from the box and the upper port to the reservoir. I hadn't thought about it over-filling the reservoir, my plan was based on purging air from the cooler, but it works for both issues.

do you have a photo of your t set up , not clear on the drain thing.

I thought the air would go up to the res.

 

[ntsqd]

Sure don't. Box on one branch of the T, H-B on the other branch, return to pump on the leg. So the box & the H-B are pointing directly at each other and the fluid has to turn 90° in the fitting to go back to the pump.

 

[skerrybronco]

Sure don't. Box on one branch of the T, H-B on the other branch, return to pump on the leg. So the box & the H-B are pointing directly at each other and the fluid has to turn 90° in the fitting to go back to the pump.

so I guess it works ok both ways, the T inline from box to res or inline to HB
thanks

 

[ntsqd]

Like this:

H-B -> T <- Box
........Pump

Works on this rig, but I've read of others having issues with T-ing the lines though I've no idea how theirs was plumbed.