custom power steering setup problems

[Lincolnmania]

ok davids superlincoln has not only the 96 explorer engine, it also has explorer accy brackets and accys........everything is working excellent except the explorer power steering pump make so much pressure, that it blows the seals on the steering box.........it is running a 92+ panther ps resoivor, a 98-02 steering box, and a 96 explorer ps hose custom fit to the 98-02 panther power steering lines........the explorers have rack and pinion steering, and i cannot find any pump of this size and mounting dimensions that has a std power assist steering box.
i should also mention that power assist isnt great at idle..........looking at karens 03 focus, it looks like the mounting tabs are the same on it as the explorer pump......is it possible that the small car would have less pressure to assist the rack?.............would a valve in the pressure line to cut back flow help? is there any way to modify the explorer pump to reduce high rpm pressure?............i also thought of underdrive pulleys, but it appears none are made for the 96-01 5.0 explorers.............please help me guys!..............the project has gone too far to give up.............if it were my car i would just install the stock accys, but this was daves request, and i'm sure you guys can understand that theres alot of money invested in the brand new accys (170 amp altenator, new ac compressor, new explorer water pump that came with the engine, new explorer ps pump, new idler pulleys and belt and tensioner, $150 for used accy brackets, 75 for a used explorer ac hose etc) theres gotta be a way to cure this issue easilly
thanks
scott

[Freshmeat]

Running larger hoses should reduce the pressure... it's just like exhaust... but I'm not sure how it'd work having the same size fittings on the ends...

[Blaze86Vic]

I would do your best to modify the braketry to support a correct power steering pump, or convert to rack-n-pinion.

[turbo2256b]

Been a long time sisce I took a pump appart but there should be a spring in the pump like an oil pump does to set the pressure. At least in the old 60s 70s pumps there is.

[p71towny]

Was it factory speed sensitive power assist. On my towncar I can move a switch to low, med, or high pressure. Might have to wire that in.

[mrltd]

Nothing is ever easy...

[gadget73]

Townies in the 80s didnt have variable assist, and I don't think the Exploder did either. At least there is no fitting on the side of the PS pump for it. I think Turbo has the right idea with the pressure spring. There is a thing that looks like a pipe plug on the side of the PS pump. I'll bet the pressure spring is under there. All else failing there should be some way to put a pressure regulator inline with the PS pump.

Blaze: you'd never get a standard PS pump on that motor with the current bracket setup. Where the PS pump belongs it has an AC compressor. The whole bracket system would need to be re-arranged to do it and there aren't really many choices for 5.0 bracket systems. You get either stock TC, Mark VII, Mustang, Couger, truck, or Explorer. The only ones that actually have substantially different/ more modern components are the Exploder ones, and the newer style parts was the main goal of the accessory swap.