Power steering system drain - how to?

[Malleus]

Having recently installed a new high pressure hose on the number 1 son's 80, and looking forward to doing the same, along with a rebuilt pump on the number 1 daughter's 80 this weekend, I was thinking about minimizing the fluid spillage. The last time I just removed the supply line from the reservoir to the pump, and did my best to catch the fluid, which ended up all over the axle and floor anyway.

Can the fluid be drained from the cooler? By that I mean, will disconnecting the cooler supply line drain the HP hose, pump and reservoir? Has anyone tried this, and with what success?

 

[thegadgetguy]

When I did this, which was admittedly quite awhile ago at this point, I jacked up the front axle so the tires were off the ground, removed the RETURN line to the reservoir, and turned the steering wheel left and right. This pumped most of the fluid out of the system through the return line, which I directed into a container. Turning the steering box seems to pump out fluid, though that's not how the system works when running obviously. IIRC it minimized spillage pretty well.

 

[KC masterpiece]

If I remember correctly when I flushed mine I attached some hose to the reservoir return line. Axle off the ground on jackstands. Have a Helper move the wheel back and forth lock to lock until the return fluid looks new and clean.

 

[on the rocks]

There is a write-up somewhere here about this method ^^^
After doing it multiple times I found it easier to pull the HP line running into the steering box and cover the box side fitting so it doesn't bleed out. put the HP line in a gallon freezer bag and zip tie it on. Manually do the steering with a helper then just to get it extra emptied, pull the coil wire and turn it over until it stops spewing out, Cover the steering box with rags and it still spews out but seemed to be much less mess than the reservoir return line method for me. you don't need the extra line either. I can never seem to get the low pressure lines off easy here for some odd reason. Always end up cutting the damn things off and replacing,

This is with driver wheel removed, engine bay cover removed to access the steering box and on jack stands also.

 

[SpenserAK]

There is a write-up somewhere here about this method ^^^

How to change Power Steering Fluid - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/how-to-change-power-steering-fluid.78646/

 

[Malleus]

There is a write-up somewhere here about this method ^^^
After doing it multiple times I found it easier to pull the HP line running into the steering box and cover the box side fitting so it doesn't bleed out. put the HP line in a gallon freezer bag and zip tie it on. Manually do the steering with a helper then just to get it extra emptied, pull the coil wire and turn it over until it stops spewing out, Cover the steering box with rags and it still spews out but seemed to be much less mess than the reservoir return line method for me. you don't need the extra line either. I can never seem to get the low pressure lines off easy here for some odd reason. Always end up cutting the damn things off and replacing,

This is with driver wheel removed, engine bay cover removed to access the steering box and on jack stands also.

Mike,

Thanks to you, and everyone else, for that. My question stems from the fact that I'm not so much replacing the fluid as I am removing the pump and HP hose assy.

In this case, my goal is not to keep fluid in the system, but to remove it altogether, so the old pump and HP hose are (mostly) dry when I pull them off. I have to do this in the parking space of my daughter's apartment, so I don't have the ideal situation to begin with, and I'm trying to minimize the drippage, both for the sake of keeping her in the apartment's good graces, and to ensure that if a miss something and a leak occurs, well after I leave, it can be spotted.

What I don't want is a spill on the axle, or somewhere nearby and to have that mistaken for a leak, or to have a leak and miss it because it mistaken for sloppy work (I said that already, didn't I?).

As it is, I'm going to have to be satisfied with just removing the battery and box. I think a pair of jackstands is beyond my carry-on limit. It'd sure be nice to have a friendly hand, but after she searched all she turned up was that prevailing opinion in Dallas that you should have someone else do your maintenance for you. (Pretty sad commentary on the state of Texas, if she's right)

 

[effjay80]

I just completed this project and was also concerned with spillage. I used a combination of zip-lock freezer bags and tupperware containers to squeeze in and place over/around lines to catch spillage as each old line was removed. I sliced the lowest HP lines first and let drain overnight. Caught most.

 

[JohnVee]

@Malleus Park on a tarp. Dispose of tarp when done. Stop over-engineering this! And...see ya next week to check out the new 40.

 

[Malleus]

@Malleus Park on a tarp. Dispose of tarp when done. Stop over-engineering this! And...see ya next week to check out the new 40.

I opted for the "aluminum turkey roasting pan" option. Many thanks to the Dallas area mudders who volunteeered to help out with the power steering bleeding effort, especially @DannyG without whose help the birthday girl's 80 would still be growling at every turn. Thanks Danny!

 

[effjay80]

May I inquire cc which set of HP lines you used for the replacement?