I'm looking for some opinions on non-radiator mounted power steering coolers.

I picked up a tranny cooler that I'm going to use for a PS cooler. But, due to my radiator placement, I don't have room for anything in front of the radiator(nor do I want something there)

One idea I've thought of is to mount it face up right under the radiator. Aside from a possible rock problem, does this sound like a good idea?

Anyone have a "better" idea on where to mount it?

Might try in the front tire well(inside engine compartment) just under the master cylinder with a fan....or the best one that I saw had it mounted in the heater area to heat up the passenger compartment, could also put an auto tranny cooler their to then ax the cruiser heater and be set....

Mount it where it works for you. Just having it does allot so even if you cant put it the best spot it isn't that big of a deal. my .02

I had a similar problem. I already had an oil cooler and tranny cooler pretty much obscuring the front of the radiator. So, I mounted mine below the radiator, on the cross member that runs under the fan (K30). Basically I built a square frame out of 1/8 strap stock and mounted it down there in the gap between the core support and the cross member. I also used some rubber donuts to help isolate the cooler from vibration and torque that might be transmitted from the cross member. Haven't had time to beat on it yet but, I don't see any problmes. In my case, the cross member lip sticks down under the cooler and it would be very hard (almost impossible) for a rock to get up in there.

I run an 18" 2-pass cooler with a filter before on my PS setup....cooler is mounted to the drivers side fender, on top. Seems to work fine up there, tho it's higher than the filler on the pump. Haven't offroaded the setup yet, just went in 2 weeks back.

Filter is a NAPA p/n 1-8087, designed for import car tranny lines. Works great. Under $20.

I wanted to mount mine low with the lines on top to avoid issues with bleeding and drain back overflow. I also used a piece of strap to form a loop that holds the lines on the frame to make sure they don't get into the fan.

Woody, I got my tranny cooler the other day from a "large" american car. It is 8"x10" and has 8 rows through it:p ($9.99) Grabbed it while I was grabbing a replacement PS pump(blew two up with the "presure" mod)

It appears that the concensus is that air flow over/through the cooler isn't that big of a deal. Just the large radiating surface and extra fluid are worth the effort.

If I can track down a cheap fan for it, should I take the time to mount one up?

Right now, I don't have hydraulic assist but hopefully by the end of the summer I'll have it added on :smokin:

I put mine inside the radiator, seems to work fine. My radiator (diesel version) has a built in oil cooler and tranny cooler, I wasn't using the oil cooler, so I hooked the steering into it.

Pete

w/ the cooler on the radiator (the tranny cooler) doesn't this mean that the temp of the ps fluid will maintain a close temp to whatever your engine thermastat is. so if you have a 180 degree therm, then the coolest the temp will be is 180 (assuming your engine always gets hot enough to open the therm) don't know what the avg temp of ps fluid, but i always thought this was the same argument not to use the the stock tranny fluid coolers in the radiator, i was always told to use an external one.
don't know if this is correct just what i've heard.

Originally posted by pcorssmit
I put mine inside the radiator, seems to work fine. My radiator (diesel version) has a built in oil cooler and tranny cooler, I wasn't using the oil cooler, so I hooked the steering into it.

Pete

This is a non-issue for me as I've got a re-cored FJ40 radiator that doesn't give me cooler provisions :p

Originally posted by kaiserm715
w/ the cooler on the radiator (the tranny cooler) doesn't this mean that the temp of the ps fluid will maintain a close temp to whatever your engine thermastat is. so if you have a 180 degree therm, then the coolest the temp will be is 180 (assuming your engine always gets hot enough to open the therm) don't know what the avg temp of ps fluid, but i always thought this was the same argument not to use the the stock tranny fluid coolers in the radiator, i was always told to use an external one.
don't know if this is correct just what i've heard.

Yes, it'll keep the p/s fluid around 180.

The info about not using the in-rad auto cooler is a little inaccurate though.

You don't want your tranny fluid *TOO COOL*

I realize for you Kalifornians that might be hard to grasp, but up here in the cold north things don't work too well at -20 deg.. and they work worse if you're trying to "cool" your tranny fluid down to -20. :D

So we run an aux cooler first, to take any extra heat in the trans out, then run it into the stock in-rad cooler.

If the aux cooler isn't up to snuff, the primary cooler in the radiator still takes heat out.

OTOH, if it's -20.. the stock rad cooler actually *warms* the tranny fluid so the trans works better.

On my trail rig, the p/s cooler is a medium sized A/T cooler, mounted in front of the radiator. Keeps me from boiling the fluid with my front Lockright.

On my race Scout, I ran the same sized A/T cooler and mounted it to my shock hoop (roughly where a stock inner fender would be) in very close proximity to the pump and box.

no problems. Just having the cooling fins helps to keep the fluid cooler.. plus the extra capacity.

I haven't felt the need for a fan on the cooler yet..