I found what LOOKS like the correct part here:
SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist
and here:
Terry's Jaguar Parts: Mhe3985ba
It will have some corrugated aluminum crimped on the rack end to protect it from exhaust pipe heat and 8" of steel pipe with a z-bend at the rack end.

Most aftermarket hoses like this: Beck/Arnley 109-3100 - Power Steering Hose-Pressure | O'Reilly Auto Parts
are about 6" too short, and have a short, straight pipe at the rack end. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE!

PLEASE buy the correct one. There is a short steel bracket (interlock) on each hose at the rack end with a curved cutout that fits over the other pipe to maintain proper alignment as the rack is jacked back into place.

Remove the left front tire. Remove the heat shield near the rack. Remove the 2 Posi-drive Phillips screws and clamps holding the metal tube to the cross-member. I disconnected the return hose at the power steering cooler to allow it enough slack to drop down further. You HAVE to unbolt and lower the rack, 6 shims will fall out. The steering shaft pinch bolt should be removed to allow the rack to drop enough to get to the fittings. Remove the return line 1st.

I had to support the rack on a floor jack pretty high up to enable the hoses to thread easily into the rack. Ensure that the interlocks line up as you tighten the fittings. Raise the rack and re-connect the steering pinch-bolt. If it's not lined up properly, you can't get the bolt to go thru. Use bolts to help insert the large fender washer shims as you press the rack back into the frame mounts. Use new #5 bolts and lock-nuts. Try to match the bolt heads and washers to the old circular washer marks on the mount slots so they maintain correct rack alignment. Use a torque wrench. (specs to follow)

Reconnect the return hose, cross-member clamps, and high pressure line at the PS pump. Replace the heat shield. Fill, start, allow it to bleed all the air out, then check and add again. Took me 4 hours, REALLY HARD and messy!

 

Your up there and I am down here.

In all my years when I have needed a Power steer "pressure" hose I have ALWAYS used Genuine only.

We do not have the aftermarket choices you have, but for the money, hassle, stuff ups, Genuine works just fine for me.

 

I did battle with a V12 p/s hose once. It's a bitch of a job under the best of conditions. It was an replacement type that looked different but was 'supposed to work'.

Never again. The result was nothing short of abject misery.

Use an *exact* replacement or take your original hose to a hydraulics shop and have them make new one for you. Takes 20 minutes if you catch at the right moment or overnight if you don't.


Cheers
DD

 

A few photos before re-assembly.
Notice the interlocks. I tightened the hose connections tight, then backed them off just enough to move the interlocks so they didn't actually touch the other pipes. Vibration might just wear a hole at the point of contact.

 

Wish I'd read this earlier - I guess the Beck/Arnley power steering high pressure hose that I have boxed in my garage was a waste of money

Still, thanks to the OP for taking the time to post and share this. Probably saved me many frustrating hours dicking around with the wrong pipe

 

Thanks mkinn. Was this a leak related repair, or preventive maintenance given the age?

 

Getting the threads started is really a pain on these, worst part of the job IMO. I've done it about 3-4 times now.

When I replaced my high pressure line I ordered a line that was supposed to work for the XJS and XJ6. The main difference was that it had a little tab on the end. I tried to get this to work until I broke it. $130 out the window.

So I went to a local hydraulic shop and got one made for $65. The fittings were much higher quality AND they made it modular, so the lines thread onto the bent tube from each side. If the high pressure line breaks again, I can just replace the straight line going over the cross member, instead of the whole thing.

I'd recommend talking to a local hydraulic shop.

 

Does anyone know what type of fittings are on the v12 power steering hi pressure lines? I have my subframe and rack out but haven't removed the high pressure hoses yet (I did replace the low pressure one). I've been calling hose rebuilders and the first questions are 'are they metric?' 'What type of fittings are they?'.

This is for the 6.0 '96 v12 in an xj12 not an xjs

thx

 

The steering rack power steering connections are 1/2 inch UNF (1/2 - 20) flare nuts for 5/16ths tube and 5/8 UNF (5/8 - 18) flare nuts for 3/8 inch tube. Different sizes for the input and return. Available on Amazon in brass which is better than steel. You need a double SAE flare on the pipes.
I happen to know all this as I recently made up a set which, including all the tools and materials was still cheaper than buying a set, and much better quality! These sizes of tubes and nuts are more usually found in home airconditioning systems.

 

Thanks for this Greg, I'd much rather buy the tools and do it myself!
I have double flaring tools for brake lines. What tools did you use for crimping? I'm assuming I can use the existing metal lines but add brass fittings? I'm looking at ptfe hose right now

 

I had to buy SAE dies in the correct size for the flares. For the joins (flexible to solid) I soldered on brass olives to make a hump on the pipe and used two clamps above that. After all, the pressures involved are not that different from fuel lines, and the fluid far less thin. I think you can get a tool to make the hump in the pipe instead of the olive, or just build up a hump with solder.

 

oliver,

Some of the flaring tools also enable you to do a "pull and compress" on the pipe to create the type of hump that Greg is referring.

Paul

 

It would be awesome to find AN fittings to make hoses with, but I could not find any fittings or adapters for SAE double flares.

 

cheers for this, going to take this route

 

Good point Paul. I have an idea that if you just do stage 1 of the 2 stage double SAE flare procedure, this gives a hump in the pipe.

 

I'm envisaging this type of fitting:


(if I can find) on the hard line and making ptfe flexible hoses