X7 Steering Rack Hypothetical Engineering Question...

[bobins]

I've been trying to think of a workaround for the lack of availability of high and low pressure pipes for the X7 steering rack, so this is an exercise in brain picking

Here's the pinion housing where the HP and LP pipes fit into. One bore is approx 12mm and the other approx 11mm dia. They are approx 30mm apart centre - centre.

X7 pinion housing - own work

Would it be possible to use AN hose and fittings to make up new pipes ? AN fittings come in all sizes and threads so the pinion housing ports could be tapped to take fittings, then flexi pipes used - but is it possible to connect the AN flexi pipes to the existing steel and ally HP and LP pipes at a convenient location ? Is AN pipework up to the pressures involved ? Anyone got any experience ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN_thread

[Gibbo2286]

I can't be much help on this except to say braking pressure under panic conditions is around 600psi and power steering pressure depending on the system can be up to 2000 psi, more usually though around 1400 psi.

[Sloppysod]

I can't be much help on this except to say braking pressure under panic conditions is around 600psi and power steering pressure depending on the system can be up to 2000 psi, more usually though around 1400 psi.

Also, on my 2003, C5 mk1, the main front to rear high pressure pipe leaked at the point where the metal pipe joined the flexible pipe just as it went down the bulk head. I didn't want to replace the whole pipe as it looked like an engine out job, so I had a local plant hydraulic repairer replace the flexi pipe in situ. It was fine for a while but then started to get damp. After giving it some thought the dampness was probably LDS guild seaping through the replacement flexi pipe as it was a finer than normal Hydraulic fluid and at a higher pressure. Citroen engineers used aluminium pipes for a reason so any modifications should be similar. .

[bobins]

Flexi pipes are used in the steel and ally pipes on the X7 steering pipes so, theoretically at least, they could be used on an engineered solution. There's also only one piddly little 'O' ring sealing each pipe where they enter the pinion housing so pressures must be manageable ?

[Jay-Bruce]

AN fittings are more typically known in "real engineering" circles as JIC, and are more than up to those pressures. JIC fittings seal on a conical face externally chamfered on the male fitting, internally flared on the female fitting, very much like an oversize brake pipe single flare fitting. Looking at those ports on that housing, they'd be expecting a seal from an o-ring around the pipe that goes in there. As such you would need to molest the housing's ports with a tap to accept a threaded fitting say an NPT to JIC nipple, then put the nipple in there, put the JIC hose onto the nipple, now you've got to come back to other styles of fitting as the Power_Ssteering pump.

If you send me that housing, I can measure it up, and produce something like you're mooting. This would sit nicely alongside the LDS pipe flaring system I'm developing.

[Jay-Bruce]

I can't be much help on this except to say braking pressure under panic conditions is around 600psi and power steering pressure depending on the system can be up to 2000 psi, more usually though around 1400 psi.

Also, on my 2003, C5 mk1, the main front to rear high pressure pipe leaked at the point where the metal pipe joined the flexible pipe just as it went down the bulk head. I didn't want to replace the whole pipe as it looked like an engine out job, so I had a local plant hydraulic repairer replace the flexi pipe in situ. It was fine for a while but then started to get damp. After giving it some thought the dampness was probably LDS guild seaping through the replacement flexi pipe as it was a finer than normal Hydraulic fluid and at a higher pressure. Citroen engineers used aluminium pipes for a reason so any modifications should be similar. .

More likely a prablem with the swage of the hose onto the hardpipe, typically the ferrule bites into the steel, but if the ali pipe has yielded rather than been bitten, the seal will be less than perfect. 22 grade hydraulic is thinner than LDS and often used in crazy high pressure systems, sometimes in five figure psi ranges. I've personally used 22 fluid at 5,000psi on "normal"/"budget" 2SN 1/4" hose.