GEN 1 LEE power steering upgrade (light bar kit)

[The Car Stereo Company]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info. sorry bring back this old thread. But, I have been looking around the forum for the same issue (upgrading Power Steering for the gen1) as I blew 4 of them.

I am considering the Lee PS kit, but have some questions.

First, whats you impressions on it for those who installed it after a long period? Any problems?

My second question, does the kit come with an intercooler? If not, does it need one?

Thanks in advance

blowing 4 ps pumps isnt a ps issue. practice steering by throttle. smaller wheel movements, and more gas. dont fight the wheel let it go where it wants. its important to not fight the wheel.

 

[elMechanic]

blowing 4 ps pumps isnt a ps issue. practice steering by throttle. smaller wheel movements, and more gas. dont fight the wheel let it go where it wants. its important to not fight the wheel.

All 4 pumps blown were caused by PS oil aeration (quoting ford dealer), due to the factory issue with designs.
4ps pumps in 8 years, good to go.

In 4 times, the damage occurred after doing donuts/ sliding the truck. Every single time.

Yeah I may have helped to cause the damage, but everyone knows there is a problem with the Raptor’s PS oil reservoir (mainly) and pump

 

[Chinmasterflex]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info. sorry bring back this old thread. But, I have been looking around the forum for the same issue (upgrading Power Steering for the gen1) as I blew 4 of them.

I am considering the Lee PS kit, but have some questions.

First, whats you impressions on it for those who installed it after a long period? Any problems?

My second question, does the kit come with an intercooler? If not, does it need one?

Thanks in advance

I'm now 1.5yrs/25k mi into having this kit installed. I've had no performance issues whatsoever. I had checked the fluid last week and it looks more or less the same as it did a year ago and still super clean. I'll probably change it here soon but only because I'm planning other maintenance.

My only problem with the kit has been the filter sliding out of the mounting bracket during offroading but this was fixed with a couple of hose clamps on the filter housing.

I suspect the kit will probably pay for itself in the time saved alone. Its been a great reliability upgrade.

 

[II Sevv]

I hear ya...but this one lasted 46K miles as I don't beat the bag out of my truck so the cost of the stock replacement and the RPG resi will be less than half the price of the Lee kit so....I will most likely go that route. If the Lee kit was under $1000 it would be worth the upgrade (for my circumstance) but as it sits I just don't see it at the moment.

- Travis

I beat the shit out of my truck with weekly desert trips (has 128k miles on the stock pump) and regular fluid flushes and the addition of a power steering cooler have kept the pump alive just fine...

 

[B E N]

Holding the steering wheel at hard lock will destroy any PS pump... Do your donuts at part lock.

 

[elMechanic]

I'm now 1.5yrs/25k mi into having this kit installed. I've had no performance issues whatsoever. I had checked the fluid last week and it looks more or less the same as it did a year ago and still super clean. I'll probably change it here soon but only because I'm planning other maintenance.

My only problem with the kit has been the filter sliding out of the mounting bracket during offroading but this was fixed with a couple of hose clamps on the filter housing.

I suspect the kit will probably pay for itself in the time saved alone. Its been a great reliability upgrade.

Thanks for the insight, well, seems like its the next upgrade coming to the truck,

one more question, so the kit doesn't need a cooler to be attached to? everything is good without a cooler. ?

Holding the steering wheel at hard lock will destroy any PS pump... Do your donuts at part lock.

I never fully lock the steering.

 

[Chinmasterflex]

Thanks for the insight, well, seems like its the next upgrade coming to the truck,

one more question, so the kit doesn't need a cooler to be attached to? everything is good without a cooler. ?

I never fully lock the steering.

The reservoir position and design seem to take care of it. I removed an rpg reservoir/derale cooler and had similar hesitations about no longer having a cooler in the system. The guys at Lee really stressed using a mineral based fluid as well. I'd check with them too about the cooler if you wanted to add one, they were super helpful.

 

[elMechanic]

The reservoir position and design seem to take care of it. I removed an rpg reservoir/derale cooler and had similar hesitations about no longer having a cooler in the system. The guys at Lee really stressed using a mineral based fluid as well. I'd check with them too about the cooler if you wanted to add one, they were super helpful.

good to know,, thanks for the help .. will contact them regarding the cooler, as I live in the middle east, and I wanna make sure it can perform very well in high temps especially in the summer,

well, LEE is definitely my first choice here,

thanks a lot

 

[SchmittyLBC]

Has anyone who bought the Lee PS Pump started with the Lee fluid only to switch to something else?
What did you switch to?
How did it perform?
How did you find out to switch to that?

 

[ogdobber]

Has anyone who bought the Lee PS Pump started with the Lee fluid only to switch to something else?
What did you switch to?
How did it perform?
How did you find out to switch to that?

I switched to Lucas oil when I moved the pump from the raptor I sold to the other I kept. Aprox 20k on the original install with lee oil and now 80k on my current raptor.
Just seemed to be the best available at the auto parts store. I haven’t noticed a difference