Hi,

I have a 95 f250 2wd. I’ve rebuilt basically all the front suspension and am now at the steering box. I would appreciate a recommendations on what to purchase, what I should replace/upgrade while doing this project. I am not going to hydro boost but am thinking about replacing the powering steering system too due to the hard line hose that goes to it just below the fill neck has some play in/out. If there is a write up link that could be provided it would be greatly appreciated. I am looking to put a new moog pitman arm since this would be the time to replace. Truck has 230k. Thanks for your time and sharing your experience.

 

I would look at the blue top steering boxes.

 

Hydroboost is a rather easy install from the top of the engine and steering gear in place. "Easy" in terms of not needing to disassemble a bunch of stuff or mess with any of the steering gear. I recollect only making two line connections into the power steering system near the pump.

Point is that "I'm working on steering now" is not a reason to consider hydroboost now. If you choose to do hydroboost later, you won't have any installation regrets from not having done it now.

But DEFINITELY replace the PS high pressure hard line coming off the pump, if you haven't done so already. It's relatively a lot of weight hanging off the fitting and vibrating, leading to fatigue cracking right at the fitting and prompt loss of all fluid and steering assist.

 

100% do high side now. Mine failed, lots of fun getting it home (ECLB dually, ZF).

Also recommend new low side hose with inline filter. Magnefine are awesome

 

where can I get these hoses/filter? How do they install? Any specific tool needed?

way I figure with truck of this age it’s best to try and replace parts that are accessible while you are there. Learned my lesson when doing other repairs with new parts and original parts.

 

what is needed to convert to hydro boost?

I just put in new vacuum pump, brake MC, new booster, new front pads and rebuilt the rears (springs, shoes and cylinders). Bleed the system for awhile! The rabs was bubbling and took many attempts to get a solid stream. I must of went through 2 good size Bosch cans throughout this brake process.

 

blue vs red top? Is there a noticeable difference? I thought I read that blue top allows for adjustment under warranty while red voids warranty if adjusted…?

what is the recommended fluid I should use when flushing/refilling? I know it needs ATF but valvoline synthetic? I used this fluid as a recommendation from John Wood when installing his valve body and putting in a triple disc low stall TC.

 

BTW, I appreciate everyone’s help as this is my next project. Following this I’m installing my new Intercooler kit. At that time I will be installing my new headlights and adjusting my trucool tranny cooler.

 

I've heard Blue is currently better than Red. I have an old Red but the majority say red has gone down in quality. The guy that Owns Blue used to work at Red.

I use Valvoline ATF but I believe Mark and others recommend Mobile 1

Why a trucool and not a 6.0 cooler? will they not fit an OBS

 

I will take the recommendation of the blue.

trucool was because that’s what I already have for past 2 years when I replaced the TC. It was recommended at that time and there were no new 6.0 when I needed it. Trucool has been good for me so far but in the event I need a new cooler I’d move to a 6.0. Looks to be a tight fit right now to have the 6.0+the inner cooler I have to install.

 

On the "what does it take to go hydroboost?" question... here is my experience using a swap kit.

From where're you're at, hydroboost with a swap kit is basically just swapping out the brake booster. Master cylinder and brake hydraulics don't get opened up; no brake line bleeding. Unbolt master cylinder from vacuum booster, swap in hydrobooster. Connect power steering lines to new hydrobooster with Tee fittings in kit. "Bleeding" is just turning steering wheel side to side a few times and probably adding some fluid to the power steering reservoir.

Swapping in an F-SuperDuty hydrobooster means you will have to 1) deal with brake pedal rod lengths (what the pedal pushes on the booster with) and 2) source Tee fittings and lines to connect with power steering high pressure and return sides.

But understand that the higher brake line pressures from hydroboost will expose every weakness in your brake system. In testing, I blew a brake line and had a sticking caliper. So I put in new rear cylinders, calipers, hard and soft lines, and master cylinder.

The benefits... on my F-350, I did reverse shackle kit and hydroboost at the same time. My friends who occasionally did relief driving for me on road trips commented that what was formerly a handful to drive now steered and braked like they expected.

I'm a zealot on the high-pressure power steering line replacement. I luckily blew mine on a 30 mph twisting mountain climb in West Virginia. Plenty of time to recognize that I now needed to really put some muscle into steering. Would not have been fun to come into a hard turn at speed and not get the wheel cranked in time.

 

My high side failed in a parking lot, I always say to replace that guy too. One of my top five.

Soft fuel return hoses at heads to filter bowl (blew out on the freeway)
OBOD and air filtration box
Master cylinder pressure switch
HD glow plug relay

Where did you score the hydroboost stuff? F-superduty?

 

when you go to install it
use a long screw driver in the bolt hole to align it up
i used a 1x4 across the leafs to use as a lifting area and put some blocks under while i lifted it alone

 

I used a Hydratech Braking kit with their lines. This kit was set up to use stock brake pedal rod length. I think some adjustment on pedal rod length was necessary, but no fabrication or modification. I recollect, but may be wrong, that an F-Superduty (OBS era) booster requires mods to the brake pedal / rod used with vacuum boosters. Hydratech kit was basically bolt-in. I probably could have paid a lot less cobbling together a used F-Superduty booster and lines, but I had the Hydroboost installed in an afternoon. Then a bunch of time rebuilding the rest of the braking system to handle the additional pressure. Much of my brake system was still original. But looks like OP has already rebuilt/replace the pressure side of the braking system, so it should be "hydroboost ready".

 

Hydra boost is added to the list!

I rebuilt the fuel system, braking system, new GPR, newly rebuilt turbo with KC 360 balanced kit with 1.0 ar housing, deleted pedestal, all new sensors, new front end suspension on my 2WD (ball joints, tie rods, bushings all around), dual tensioner for serpentine belt, new u-joints, oil cooler, front side of the tranny and cooling, new batteries, and list goes on. But next is the steering box and ps high side line obviously. Install of the innercooler and new auto meter gagies. Then attacking the hpop. Making my way to new injectors by end of year. It has been a 3 year journey so far. Love this truck. It has taught me so much and has enlarged my tool collection in the process!