Hydro assist AS a full hyrdo??

[Smokinthehippies]

i was thinking bout somethign the other day.

what is to stop someone from using a ported box with a hydro ram and just disconecting the rod from the steering box to pass side knuckle? wouldnt the pressure from the ram work the tie rod similar to a single sided full hydro setup?
thinking that would be an easy way to not have to get an orbital...

but the words in bold make me think its not doable.

 

[Blue85]

No way.

This does not give the same kind of hydraulic circuit. The "tapped gear" method for assist means that the ram and the box are sharing the same fluid. In the ram assist setup, the mechanical link determines how the two share the fluid. With no link it flows to the place with the least resistance - which will be the steering gear, with the ram hardly moving. Now you will be operating the steering gear to its own internal limits before you can turn the wheels. Plus, the valve works based on input torque. With only a hydraulic load on the output and no mechanical load, the whole assist function will be flaky.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

oh balls.

thanks for the good response and great explanation.