In a message dated 4/15/2016 6:26:29 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
dennisjowell@GMAIL.COM writes:

Being  under my Westy I noticed that the metal power steering hoses look
fairly  rusted. Is there a way to confirm that the hoses should be  changed?

ive never seen a east coast vanagon that didn't have rusty PS
lines..esprcially near the RR wheel area. Usually its just scaly surface  rust.   if
theyre compromised, they will be leaking  and youll need to  repair the damaged
areas... in the past ive just spliced in hi pressure  rubber hydraulic hose
in the compromised areas and its been good to  go...   Otherwise if theyre
not leaking, and just look ugly,  id  just rough them up with a scotchbrite
pad and spray the lines with a can of  rustoleum or some other preservative
paint and you should be fine.

remember the early vanagons didn't even have power  steering...