1972 - Power steering hoses

[Jerome P.]

Does anyone know where I could buy original replacement hoses. All I can find are one that are not original in design and are crimped differrent than original.

Thanks.

Jerry

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

Does anyone know where I could buy original replacement hoses. All I can find are one that are not original in design and are crimped differrent than original.

Thanks.

Jerry

Jerry-----


The original configuration (including crimps, etc.) RETURN hose cannot be purchased anywhere that I know of. The only way to get one is to find a real old NOS example. You can't go by part number; the part number, GM #3826278, never changed but the hose and crimps changed years ago.

The PRESSURE, EXTEND, and RETRACT hoses for your application still available from GM were, THE LAST TIME I BOUGHT THEM, configured just like the originals in all respects except, perhaps, the ink stampings on the hose. However, they are quite expensive:

PRESSURE-----GM #3826277----$94.92 GM list

EXTEND-------GM #3826275-----$100.03 GM list

RETRACT------GM #3826276-----$118.71 GM list

[Jim S.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

I was the power steering hose supervisor at Saginaw from 1971 through the mid 1980s. We manufactured and assembled 100% of the GM passenger car power steering pressure hoses during that time.

The Corvette return line hose was 3/8 inch ID and had a crimped collar that retained the hose to a thin wall 3/8 OD pipe. The collar was quite heavy metal. You need a hacksaw to remove the collar. A typical screw clamp works quite well as a replacement but is quite obviously not OEM.

The pressure lines (retract, extend, and pump outlet) had 1/4 inch ID hoses made by Goodyear. The rubber hose had a corregated cover (thin longitudinal grooves). The corregations had something to do with the vulcanization system in use at Goodyear. Saginaw always used a long flat crimp to retain the end fittings to the hose.

Saginaw continued to supply service hoses for the C2/C3 Corvette up until a couple years ago. I know that they had a very difficult time qualifying an outside source. (Sources failed the hot oil pressure cycling test.) As far as I know, outside sources did not use the Saginaw long flat crimp design.

Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

I was the power steering hose supervisor at Saginaw from 1971 through the mid 1980s. We manufactured and assembled 100% of the GM passenger car power steering pressure hoses during that time.

The Corvette return line hose was 3/8 inch ID and had a crimped collar that retained the hose to a thin wall 3/8 OD pipe. The collar was quite heavy metal. You need a hacksaw to remove the collar. A typical screw clamp works quite well as a replacement but is quite obviously not OEM.

The pressure lines (retract, extend, and pump outlet) had 1/4 inch ID hoses made by Goodyear. The rubber hose had a corregated cover (thin longitudinal grooves). The corregations had something to do with the vulcanization system in use at Goodyear. Saginaw always used a long flat crimp to retain the end fittings to the hose.

Saginaw continued to supply service hoses for the C2/C3 Corvette up until a couple years ago. I know that they had a very difficult time qualifying an outside source. (Sources failed the hot oil pressure cycling test.) As far as I know, outside sources did not use the Saginaw long flat crimp design.

Jim

Jim-----


Excellent information. Attached are photos of the GM #3826278 return hose that's been sold by GM for the last several years. There's no doubt that this is not a Saginaw-manufactured hose.

I agree that the only power steering hoses with the Saginaw-style crimp are those sold through GM. I have never seen a non-GM Corvette power steering hose (any of the hoses used for 63-82 Corvette power steering) with the style crimp depicted in your drawing. Only the GMSPO hoses have the long, flat crimp. I have not purchased a GM hose very recently, though. They may very well have changed now that Saginaw no longer manufactures them and, in which case, I'd say there are NO hoses on the market with this style crimp . The GMSPO hoses are still just as expensive as always, though, regardless of their manufacturing source and configuration.

GM sells different power steering hoses through the Delco parts system. These hoses have different GM part numbers than those sold through the GM parts system under the part numbers I previously provided, are likely just Delco-branded aftermarket hoses manufactured by Edelman or others, and are WAY less expensive than the GM hoses. They have a completely different crimp than the Saginaw-style shown in your drawing and the GM hoses I've seen over the years.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

Jim, et al-----


Here's some interesting things about the different 63-79 power steering hoses available from the General Motors Parts System and the Delco Parts System. All are currently available:


pressure hose-small block

GM Parts---GM #3826277-----GM list price=$94.92

Delco---#36-352490, aka GM #19146718---GM list=$22.62; Delco about $15

extend hose

GM Parts---GM #3826275-----GM list price=$100.03

Delco---#36-353850, aka GM #19146805--GM list=$20.78;Delco about $15

retract hose

GM Parts---GM #3826276----GM list price=$118.71

Delco---#36-353900, aka GM #19146809--GM list=$19.15; Delco about $15

Inasmuch as the GM hoses are no longer manufactured by Saginaw and are likely manufactured by one of the other power steering hose manufacturers, I wonder what makes the GM hoses worth more than 5 times what the Delco hoses sell for? That's a BIG difference. I wonder how the GM hoses, manufactured by an outside supplier, differ from the Delco hoses, also manufactured by an outside supplier?

[Jim S.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

Here is a Saginaw drawing of the Valve to Cylinder (Retract) Hose Assembly. It is typical of the other pressure hoses in the C2/C3 power steering system. Note the 8 segment 0.55 inch flat crimp.

If I remember correctly the Corvette 1/4 inch ID hose end fittings had the crimped end bodies brazed to the tubing and then zinc plated. All of the other millions of Saginaw pressure hoses with 3/8 inch ID had mechanically locked end bodies to the tubing.



I think that I have a couple pressure hoses and a return line hose laying around somewhere. They would be from mid-1970s production. I will try and find them and post some pictures.

Jim

[Jim S.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

Jerome sent me some pictures of a set of Valve to Cylinder Hose Assemblies. They had a different hose rubber manufacturer than I had remembered.

Earlier in this thread I mentioned that the hose rubber for the Corvette pressure hoses was manufactured by Goodyear with a GY designation ink printed on the hose cover. The GY hose had a cover with very small grooves or corrigations molded along the length of the cover. The GY construction number for this hose was 4749. Here is a picture of Goodyear rubber with a date code of 015-0 (the 15th day of 1980.)

Well the hose assembly picture I received from Jerome was of a hose obtained from a early 70s C3. It had a different hose manufacturer. The letters EHR were ink printed on the cover. EHR stood for the Electric Hose & Rubber Company. This hose had a smooth cover with two closely spaced small grooves along the entire length. The EHR hose construction number was 3571. The hose date coding was 2569-A which would be the 256 day of 1969, "A" for the first lot of the day.

It seems that EHR was our rubber supplier in the 60s and early 70s. Goodyear was the supplier in the later 70s and 80s.
Jim

[Jerome P.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

I have no problem with you using the pictures. Credits appreciated.

The long and short is that these hoses are Corvette hose that are appropriate for a 1972. Correct?

Another question maybe two 1) Why did one hose have 100% ribs and the other only partial? 2) Do you know of anyway to clean the metal without damaging the rubber?

Do you also have any first hand knowledge about the Control value and the piston for power steering?

Again thanks.

Jerry

[Jim S.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

I remember that the EHR hose had the two grooves that were permanently molded into the hose cover and identified it as EHR. The multiple grooves on the GY hose may have been tied to the method of curing (vulcanizing) their hose. I am quite sure that the EHR hose is correct for an early 70s C3.

I do have some knowledge about control valves and assist cylinders. Do you have particular questions?

Jim

[Paul O.]

Re: 1972 - Power steering hoses

I know that the return hose to the reservoir was made by Swan hose company on my early 1971 #1914 was printed on the hose 2nd owner from 1974 till 2007. Paul 18046