Power steering return hose
 

Alright, I'm trying to replace my steering box but when I try to loosen the return hose fitting its rusted to the metal hose and twists it around. I've shopped around and nobody has been able to sell me the right return hose - all that I've been able to obtain is a rubber hose that's sold by the foot - and this is the same part listed at sites online and every part store I've gone to.

What I'm looking for is a metal hose that comes out of the steering box, turns toward the front of the car, bends down and runs parallel along the bottom of the radiator, it makes a U-turn and doubles back along the same route and back up to the power steering pump. Everybody's trying to sell me a rubber hose when its supposed to be metal with a fitting on one side to go in the steering box. Can anybody help me out here? A part number maybe? A site that has what I'm looking for?

Its the power steering cooler line. It'll be prob a dealer only option. If your nto allt hat worried screw it and run rubber hose.

The return hose consists of a short metal tube with a fitting, the metal cooler line, and a short piece of rubber hose that connects the two. The auto parts stores most likely will only show the rubber hose on their computer, so that's why you're having trouble.

That cooler line probably is a "dealer only" item.

Quite a bit late but for anybody else who's lookin.....
It is a dealer only item.

Or, do the common-sense thing, and go get a $4 piece of 3/8" brake line, and make your own. For what the dealer will charge you, you can buy the material and the tools, and still come out ahead.

Special high pressure hose used only on the IROC steering boxes.
So I would go with the dealer part, and its a little expensive.

I don't have my car anywhere near me, otherwise I'd go out and look, but I know I replaced my pressure line with one from Advance Auto parts, but they also just tried to give me a piece of hose for the return. I'm trying to remember whether rubber is just held onto the hard lines with hose clamps, or if it is crimped. If it is just held on with hose clamps, get a piece of hydraulic hose and replace the rubber. If it is a crimped line, I know I've taken things to a guy who works on small engines to be fitted with new rubber, as he has a crimping machine. It shouldn't be hard to find somebody who could crimp a new piece of hose onto your hard lines. I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but I'm just making a suggestion.

The return/cooler line isn't very high pressure. The cooling line is held to the rubber lines with hose clamps.
Today I'll be doing one on an 86 cavalier. I'm using 5/16 brake line since the stealership didn't have it prebent.