Topic: Power Steering Cylinder to Valve Hose Finish

[Dirk Pitt]

A question has come up on the finish of the two short power steering hoses that go from the control valve to the cylinder.  For an April build date Dearborn car, are these supposed to have a zinc (silver) finish or a dichromate (yellow) finish?

The current repro parts can be found in either finish and it's not clear which is "more correct".  Original parts are aged to the point that it's difficult to determine what the original finish was without access to better analytical testing equipment.  I have the silver on my car at the moment and was advised they should be dichromate.  Doing some additional research before swapping these out, the feedback from pretty knowledgeable people is mixed as to what the correct finish should be for a Dearborn car.

[specialed]

I made the comment on your judging sheet at our fall classic show about the short p/s hoses plating because i been replating original p/s hoses for last 25 years when nos hoses started getting to hard to find and useing them on restorations. I plated 67-68 short hoses silver and 69-70 short hoses gold because we mostly worked on 69 -70 boss 429 and shelbys that were made after jan 1 1969 and them later built cars from what i seen had goldish short hoses.  I just looked at some of my nos hoses out  of old fomoco p/s kits and my silver paled were dated 258 8. and 341 8 and goldish 190 9 and i got a pair of used take offs 171 9  so it looks like its a running change on the plating and all double crimp short hoses are gold. This original goldish plating didnt last long on hoses hanging on the bottom of car so only way of knowing this is going by the date codes.  I have looked at many low mile boss 429s and the p/s hoses were gold like the rest of the hoses but these cars were built starting late jan 69. So its probly a running change and we all know how inventory works and different ford vendors parts and remember the whole steering rack assembly was assembled at bendix plant and shipped all together like the rear drum to drum assembly.  Scott i will send u some photos of what i found on my hoses to your phone but i wouldnt worry about it as its one of them issues that nobody knows for sure when the plating changed or why it changed.

[Bob Gaines]

The process to do the gold dichromate is to first plate them zinc silver.The gold has to have the zinc to stick to. Consequently after the gold wears off all that is left is the silver zinc finish. That silver left over finish can be confusing when trying to determine a original finish. The gold is typically used as a extra corrosive resistant coating. On electrical it is supposed to add conductivity.

[specialed]

Scott i sent some hose photos to ken since i dont have your phone number and u can post them if u want as i only know how to forward photos on my phone (old skool). Remember these preassembled p/s racks were sent to all 3 plants but i focus on dearborn cars since thats where 69-70 boss and shelbys were made.

[Dirk Pitt]

Thanks for the photos Ed.  I've attached them to this thread so others can see as you suggested.

[specialed]

1 photo didnt show and it was a used take off set of hoses dated 171 9 and they were also gold.  So we need to find some early january feburary 69 original hoses to see when the plating changed.