Section525's Hydro Assist

[section525]

Why am I going hydro assist? Not many people know this but I grew up in a hydraulic shop. My dad ran the shop from just after I was born until he retired a few years ago. The shop is right across the road from my house (which is why he bought this house I now live in). Anyway, you could say I have a hookup over there. So this won't be costing much and it gives me something to do!

So I decided to go with a 6" stoke, 1.5" bore ram. I dropped off the parts list yesterday, so hopefully I'll have everything this week. I think I went with 4'6" long hoses which may be an over-kill, not sure.

I bought a tap and die set along with a 1/4" NPT tap today. Tapping my FJ-60 box is exactly like an IFS box I guess. We'll find out.

So today I worked on the clamp for the tie rod to ram mounting. Here it is so far. I'll put the tabs on when I know how wide they need to be.

 

[cgriffin_5139]

This might be a dumb "?" but why clamp it on the tie rod? Why not just weld tabs to the tie rod?

 

[tdavis]

This might be a dumb "?" but why clamp it on the tie rod? Why not just weld tabs to the tie rod?

You can not really adjust the tie rod with an welded on tab, now can you?

Besides, the clamp makes it really easy to take it all apart, and replace parts, and get it all back together - and then it's 100% adjustable.

Whereas, with welded on tabs - well, it's a bigger pain to adjust.

I made mine with a clamp, but instead of two sets of bolts, I did a single set with allen wrench heads. Works great, and I can easily adjust or replace the tie rod and not worry about it.

 

[section525]

Tom I was wondering how yours worked. So you only cut one slit down the tube? So your clamp slides on prior to the TRE going on? What size thickness tube is your clamp?

TD's

Rick's (at one time)

Brian1's uber bling

Hopefully I'll get my hydro parts tomorrow to make this thread more interesting.

 

[tdavis]

Tom I was wondering how yours worked. So you only cut one slit down the tube? So your clamp slides on prior to the TRE going on? What size thickness tube is your clamp?

TD's

The tie rod is 1.5", the clamp is made from 1.75/.120 HREW tube, split with a single slit. It's a tight fit onto the tie rod before I even start to tighten the bolts.

Yes, I slide the clamp on before installation of the tie rod ends.

I have had zero problems with it.

 

[cgriffin_5139]

You can not really adjust the tie rod with an welded on tab, now can you?

Besides, the clamp makes it really easy to take it all apart, and replace parts, and get it all back together - and then it's 100% adjustable.

Whereas, with welded on tabs - well, it's a bigger pain to adjust.

I made mine with a clamp, but instead of two sets of bolts, I did a single set with allen wrench heads. Works great, and I can easily adjust or replace the tie rod and not worry about it.

Ahhh ok now i get it.

 

[Stic-o]

No more street time huh:

 

[Brian1]

Your clamp came out nice. You may want to buy another 1/4NPT tap to cut off the tip to turn it into a bottoming tap since 1 of the holes will be in a shallow port I am assuming, at least it is on a saginaw box.

Speaking from experience it is nice to have the clamp on bracket for aligning purposes. I came back from a trip and noticed my tires were toed out about 1" I still havent figured that one out but it was easy to just loosen the bolts, turn the tie rod and not caring where it stopped because the bolt on clamp would always be in the right place where as welded on tabs may not.

 

[IZwack]

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[tdavis]

Your clamp came out nice. You may want to buy another 1/4NPT tap to cut off the tip to turn it into a bottoming tap since 1 of the holes will be in a shallow port I am assuming, at least it is on a saginaw box.

The FJ60/IFS box ports don't need a bottoming tap - the side port is straight into the body of the piston, and you actually have to be careful NOT to drive the tap fully in/down.

The top hole, into the vein, is also deep enough that once you've bottomed out the tap, if you've drilled deep enough, there is plenty of thread.

BTW, I'd replace both sector and pitman arm shaft seals on that box - it's easy to do when you have it apart, and if it's anything like mine was, they are close to toast anyway.

I'd say bring the box down here to Pinole, and we can do the drill/tap and rebuild.

 

[Msupertek]

Just when I said I was done with my truck I see this. Looks good thus far. I have been wanting to add on to my steering for a while, its hard to turn the wheel with the front being locked in (has a full spool). I am curious how much are you spending on parts if you wouldn't mind sharing the info?

 

[jrgaylor]

I have had a hard time adjusting to the slower response time with my hydro assist I put on in January, So I have it plugged off right now. On the street it is fine but on the trail when I need to make a quick sharp full turn (typical of PNW jeep trails) it sucks, I have even upgraded my PS pump to a new Saginaw unit. I am hoping I will see something in one of these threads that will help

 

[section525]

What is your stroke, bore, and rod size?

 

[tdavis]

Who's pump did you install?

Not all powersteering pumps are suitable for hydro assist - normally it needs more flow than pressure.

Also, too big of a cylinder will cause slowness in the steering.

 

[Brian1]

I run a 2" bore ram and I am satisfied with the steering performance on my 38's. I have always heard from guys like Scott at Rockstomper that 38s and above can use a 2" but smaller than that it is better to have a 1.5" bore.

Also for better low RPM steering I bored out the high pressure fitting in the pump for more flow. Details Here

 

[IZwack]

Brian1 >> are you running an assisted steering or a ram/cylinder-only steering?

 

[jrgaylor]

here is the pump I put in, and except for the boring it is already to the specs on westtexas redneck
http://www.cardone.com/English/Club/Products/STEERING/Protech/Tech_Bulletins/pt50-20.asp
and the specs on the ram
Bore x stroke 1" x 8" Rod dia. 5/8"
and I have 3/8" hoses and fittings
I wanted the ram on the small side just because of this.
This setup does work how it should, But here in the NW the trails were built by peoples with jeeps and that makes them tight and with a 112" WB I have to wait till the last second to turn and then turn quick, and it is only the last bit of a full turn that I fight the ram

Also I am not satisfied with the placement of the ram, because I have a trac bar and TRE over knuckle I am limited as to where I can place my ram

 

[Brian1]

Brian1 >> are you running an assisted steering or a ram/cylinder-only steering?

Hydro assist. I still have my pitman arm

On top of the hydro assist steering and power steering box my brakes (hydro boost) run off the same pump so the increased flow mod was pretty much necessary for me to do. I am running a Chevy non hydro boost pump which I believe is refered to as a Saginaw P style pump. I also run a tube and fin style cooler and an extended filler neck on the pump for extra capacity. FYI, for those of you that may not know this is all on my Jeep not Explorer but the principles are still mostly the same.

 

[tdavis]

Brian, didn't you have problems turning with it after you did the hydro assist? I never did see a post saying how you fixed it..

 

[Brian1]

Brian, didn't you have problems turning with it after you did the hydro assist? I never did see a post saying how you fixed it..

Tom, it was the other way around. It wouldnt turn left at all when not moving. I put the ram on there and now it works great. It took care of the problem and it has not broken anything. To this day I have not figured out why it wouldnt turn left but I dont worry about it anymore with the assist ram.