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Power steering return hose - cooler to reservoir - got a hole in the metal part of the hose from rubbing against something. Apparently this is a dealer only part. My local dealer wants 160 bucks for it. I went to a local hydraulic shop to see if he could braze it. He said no but asked why I don't just replace it with flexible hose? He can sell me 4 ft of heat resistant heavy duty hose for $20
Anyone ever done this or see any reason why it wouldn't work?
I'll do you one better. Measure the diameter of the metal line and then get a few inches of rubber hose that has an ID that matches the OD of the metal line. Clean the metal tube real good, slice the piece of hose the long way, coat the inside with RTV, install the piece of hose over the leak with the slit in the hose on the opposite side of leak in the metal tube, and finally install a couple of hose clamps to hold it in place. Let it sit a few hours or overnight to dry and you're done.
I'm not fond of using a 4' piece of hose because it can end up flapping in the breeze and getting damaged. Also, an easy way to measure the diameter of the metal line (or anything for that matter) is by slipping the open end of box wrenches on it until you find the one that fits snug.