GEN 1 LEE power steering upgrade (light bar kit)

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Posts
31,595
Reaction score
21,461
Location
here, on frf
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

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Posts
88
Reaction score
85
Location
UAE
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

Active Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Posts
89
Reaction score
44
Location
Las Vegas, NV
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.
 
Last edited:

II Sevv

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2020
Posts
289
Reaction score
223
Location
Arizona
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...
 

elMechanic

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Posts
88
Reaction score
85
Location
UAE
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

Active Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Posts
89
Reaction score
44
Location
Las Vegas, NV
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

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Posts
88
Reaction score
85
Location
UAE
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

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Posts
4
Reaction score
0
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?
 
OP
OP
ogdobber

ogdobber

FRF Addict
Joined
Feb 9, 2017
Posts
1,154
Reaction score
1,553
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
 
Top