Power Steering Hose Assembly reconnect issue

Hi folks,

Wasn't leaking yet, but it was imminent based on the corrosion I saw while doing my sway bar bushings and links, so I just tackled changing out my power steering hose assembly. Technically a simple job, but can be a pig of a job if you don't take lots of things off the truck. I tried to minimize this, but I may wind up having to go back under if I find a leak. Left the AC and sway bar in place.

Had to cut a lot of things off with the sawzall once I got below the pump connections and the first bracket to frame. Second bracket nut was corroded and rounded off before I even touched it (likely from hurried dealer frame replacement in 2017), so I just left in place what I couldn't cut off safely, and the new hoses honestly felt stable enough without being bolted there. I may regret this decision, but in the meantime I zip tied it in a few places. I'll check on it soon.

Weirdly, the steering rack--thank God--looks pretty good except for a tiny bit of peeling paint.

My main problem despite having bought the correct flare nut wrenches was getting the high pressure line back into the rack. For a while it wouldn't seat, but I was gentle with it, and then finally it grabbed hold and twisted in easily by hand, then with a tiny adjustable wrench, and then a little more with the 17mm flare nut wrench. And then it STOPPED. I mean, NO MORE turns, and I felt like I was about to get a hernia trying. I got SO frustrated I just realized I had to test it out like it was. Driving fine and no leaking yet, but there is enough thread left visible above the rack that I am not entirely comfortable. I mean, maybe half of the thread!

So, my question: do I trust the torque I feel, which is *considerable* resistance, or do I need to get back under there, unscrew and start again? Once I broke the grip on the old flare nut, it twisted out easily by hand. (I'd cut the pipe off already with a hack saw because it JUST. WOULD. NOT. GO.)

So I know my threads are good in the rack. I would like them to stay that way!! I guess I'm trying to figure out how much to push... the threads on the old one were buried completely in the rack, so I'm assuming these new ones should be too?

I don't have a lift to put this thing on, so I'm working on the ground and can only put so much body weight into it. I can try taking the sway bar down and out of the way for sure. I just went out to buy crow foot flare nuts to see if a little ratchet action with a slightly longer handle (and a swivel head) might help. There's like 4" of swing in there if I'm lucky! Plenty of other parts to dodge.

Any thoughts?

 

That end of the high pressure hose is a pipe fitting, I believe. It does not have a torque spec and seeing threads is normal. The pump end has a banjo fitting and is spec'd to 38 ft-lbs. If you got you uttered at least two curse words and it's not leaking - you are golden.