Suggestions on a Power Steering Cooler

Tan Comanche

Tan Comanche

Desert Speed Shock Tuning
Location
Santaquin
I finally took my Comanche (I attached a pic) out for its maiden voyage. All in all it went well, minus a broken front driveline and boiled power steering fluid (it is now black in color).

I need your input and experience on, what type of power steering cooler to use, where to place the it and anything else beneficial to get this machine back online.

Thanks in advance!
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Just have to ask, did you use real power steering fluid or ATF? My brother runs one of the tubetypes with radial fins and with full-hydro and it has worked well for him.
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Do you have a budget limit in mind? Many vehicles came with various sizes/shapes of power steering coolers from the factory, so you can junkyard one. You can use an aftermarket transmission cooler. You can use the finned aluminum P/S cooler mentioned above. There are also reservoirs that have fins and larger capacity, not sure they're as effective as a dedicated cooler, but they'll be better than nothing for sure.
 
I am using standard PS fluid (NAPA brand) with my full-hydro setup, but I don't run a cooler either. I'm told that power steering fluid resists cavitation much better than auto trans fluid, so I'd recommend the PS fluid over ATF. But, if your system is getting your fluid hot enough that it is turning black, I would bet there is something wrong... That sounds bad.

What sort of setup are you running? Stock Jeep pump and reservoir? Remote fluid res? Hydro-assist?

If you decide a cooler is the fix you need, the stacked plate type are the most efficient, but not as easy to mount as the radial fin type.

This link CLICK ME! is helpful to learn about the different types of coolers (granted, it is for auto trannies, but the principle is the same...)
 
i just walked through the junkyard looking for trans or power steering coolers that looked like they'd work. i ended up with a cooler from a 90's chevy truck, it's probably 3"x12". it was like $5 and has worked fine. i put it just behind the front "frame" crossmember so it doesn't see a lot of airflow but just the added capacity alone was worth it.
 
I run tractor hydraulic/trans fluid. Full hydro steering. I run a big trans cooler with a fan set up to come on at 180 degrees. It has never ran to my knowledge. One thing to keep in mind that others over look is fluid capacity of your whole system. I have a pretty large system on my rig. This allows the fluid to have more time to cool before returning to the pump to make the loop again. Get the biggest cooler you can fit/afford. This gives you not only more cooling but more system capacity at the same time. Use as big of reservoir as you can (within reason) for the same reasons.
 
xj_nate said:
i just walked through the junkyard looking for trans or power steering coolers that looked like they'd work. i ended up with a cooler from a 90's chevy truck, it's probably 3"x12". it was like $5 and has worked fine. i put it just behind the front "frame" crossmember so it doesn't see a lot of airflow but just the added capacity alone was worth it.
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This is what I did. Works great. I put mine in front of the radiator on my toyota. I got my larger ps reservoir while I was there out of a bmw.
 
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