Just considering instead of buying a new power steering cooler (old one is completely rusted out) I could just buy the pressure and return lines for a lot cheaper from LMC. Anybody go this route and have good/bad experiences?
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As
@L31MaxExpress noted earlier in this thread, the PS cooler is a necessity in certain situations.
An informal study on GMT400 earlier this year made note that GM seemed to equip the GMT400 PS systems without or with coolers of various sizes based on rear-gear ratio (read: high engine RPM yields high PS pump RPM at road speed) and whether optioned with hydroboost. That's how I remember the discussion, anyway.
My 1998 K1500 Suburban 4L60E (i.e., overdrive, meaning lower RPM), 3.42 gears and vacuum brakes has NO cooler. This truck has about 3000# on the front axle and 3200# on the rear, across the scales, lightly loaded. Oh yeah, it also came with EVO/variable steering.
My father's 1995 K1500 RCLB 4L60E and 3.73 gears and vacuum brakes had a small tube cooler that wrapped along the inside of the frame (using the frame as a heat sink).
My brother's 1988 K3500 RCLB TH400 w/ 4.10 (?) rear gears (the engine really buzzes on the highway) and vacuum brakes has the tube-and-fin OE cooler in front by the radiator
Those are few data points for you.
As
@someotherguy suggested, if you're not really doing any work with the truck (e.g., plowing snow ... plow hangs over the front tires, 1000# of salt in the bed, and there's lots of steering action) then you're in the same camp as my Suburban, which had no cooler as delivered.