Steering Box Flare Sizes

Do any of you guys know for certain what size the flare nuts holding the steering lines to the top of the steering box are? Mine are rusty...to the point of being flaky. I think I will have one shot at getting them off, and I want to make sure I am using the proper size. With the mix of metric and SAE under the hood, I sometimes am unsure.

It seems the steering lines and the steering box have corrosion issues on these cars. My dad's '95 Impala had the same problem; rotted lines right above the box/rusty box itself.

If you're married to the idea of using a wrench:

1. Buy new lines.
2. Figure out what size wrench they require.
3. Use that wrench.

Or, bust them off LIKE A BOSS and use a socket like everyone else.

They are metric. You can get a set of butterfly sockets on ebay There are different size sets and I got the smaller set for brake lines. The larger set will probably fit the steering. The set comes with 4 sizes, and one will fit the nuts. It is almost impossible to round off the nuts, although the line may not allow the nut to turn independently. You probably should get new lines, or used ones that are clean/rust free. The northeast is noted for having rusty parts, so the rust is not a surprise.

I think I used a 13 mm wrench on them the last time I took them off.

As Bewber said, order a set of lines (and while your at it order the 9C1 line with cooler built in), brake the old ones off and use a socket to get the old ones off. Chances are the line is gonna twist when you try to loosen it, then snap off.

Thank you, gentlemen.  The breaking of the line to use a socket makes absolute sense.

I ordered a new set of lines from RockAuto just before coming here tonight.  Sadly, I had no idea about any 9C1 line w/coooler, and I didn't see any such option among the RockAuto offerings.

Once I'm in there, is it going to be obvious how to move the plastic collar that surrounds the bottom portion of the steering shaft out of the way so that I can easily access the line fitting that it partially obscures? I don't want to break it.

You have to pry it over the interior line, and it will slide about 2 inches up the shaft. It might be easier to install the line on the pump if you remove the pump.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

You have to pry it over the interior line, and it will slide about 2 inches up the shaft. It might be easier to install the line on the pump if you remove the pump.

Oh, the pump is out, Fred. This job has snowballed.

Anyone have a PN for the 9C1 lines? I didn't know they had a built in cooler too!

All of that for a power steering hose?

Forgive me for volunteering my opinion, friend, but I think you're doing it wrong.

LOL Bewb.

brokecello wrote:

Anyone have a PN for the 9C1 lines? I didn't know they had a built in cooler too!

26036034 - PIPE. Steering Fluid Cooler.



http://parts.nalleygmc.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_assembly=367500&ukey_make=1024&ukey_model=14492&modelYear=1996&ukey_category=19542&ukey_trimLevel=14350

Says VPI, but a search on that site showed no stock. Probably need to go to the dealer for a search of old inventory.

- J

Bewber wrote:

All of that for a power steering hose?

Forgive me for volunteering my opinion, friend, but I think you're doing it wrong.

No sir. Steering hose wasn't even on my radar when I pulled the car into the bay.

Sprocket wrote:

95BRMW wrote:

brake the old ones off

 

Don't get worked up over the "9C1 cooler". It's not really a cooler, it's just an extra loop of line. If you want a cooler, cut your line, and add in a small trans cooler. Not needed at all unless you are on a road course frequently. That's the only time I have ever had hot PS fluid.