to some maybe an odd question

[Xantia 521]

Hi all...hope your staying safe and well.

Maybe and odd question?........I am mainly thinking about the power assisted pipe from the pump to the stearing ram, but the answer could be upon all hoses.
Q. what is the reason/s for the flexible hose in the above pipe?
Q. does the answers apply to all flexible hoses in the Xantia mk2 2001.

looking foward to all/any replies on above. for those interested my car is parked up going nowhere due to grrrr LHM leak each turn leads to a dead end.
I guess thats the price in getting old and chronic illness, in my young days I made a point of seeking out and helping such people.

Cheers all
Steve@ melton

[wheeler]

Im not sure of the exact pipe you mean but the ram is on the rack that is bolted to the fixed subframe whereas the pump is on the engine which is on flexible mountings & moves so a flexible pipe is needed. if there wasn't a flexible section the rigid pipe would likely fracture fairly quickly.

[Stewart(oily)]

The reason for the rubber bits is to allow engine movement AND to act as a damper for the pulses from the pump, if its is the power steering pipe you have a problem with are you aware that this pipe is the same size as ordinary common or garden 3/16" brake pipe ? I repaired mine using just that and ordinary compression fittings and just replaced the corroded section, a good quality pipe flaring tool will enable flares to be formed and regular brake pipe fittings to be used, In extremis I reckon that ordinary rubber flexible brake pipe might be used though I have not tried this, there is a detailed thread here somewher concerning drilling and tapping the ends of the the big rubber bits, all is not lost.

[Xantia 521]

Thanks 'Wheeler' and Stewart(oily)......very good of you both, and does make sense, I was asking for the avoidance of doubt.
Cheers lads,
Steve
whoops nearly forgot, does anyone know of a person/friendly member now any one local to me who could do the job? of course well paid.
kindest regaurds

[Stewart(oily)]

I forgot to add, the brake flexibles are ordinary and available from good motorfactors, I repaired my power steering pipe in situ, it was holed where it passed beside the wheelarch, I needed clean pipe to make my joints oiltight, there is a long straight run across the crossmember which had a protective coating of oily dirt on it, when wiped it revealed shiny black paint and when released from its clips gave me a nice straight run to work with, the forward join was made beside the radiator, I removed a mounting clip to reveal enough clean pipe for my needs, cuts were made using a Dremel type tool, compression fittings came from a caravan shop, they use them for gas plumbing, the pipe was regular 3/16" copper coloured stuff on a roll from the factors, I have also repaired a front brake line on another Xantia using the same method, in both cases the vehicles have been working for at least two years without incident, sorry that I am not closer or I would be happy to help.

[Xantia 521]

Thank you Stewart....good lad
Steve