Hydro assist idea

[Kocher93]

So while at work today a random thought popped into my head.....could you do hydro assist with the stock push pull system and not have a need for cross over? I didn't really put that much thought into it I'm sure some knowledgable member will tell me I'm totally wrong. But is this possible?

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Push/pull is crap, and binds too easy.

 

[supermotard750]

Of course why not. I imagine if your
In one of those binds where you can turn lock to lock with your tires barely turning, it will cause your suspension or
Frame to actually flex back to where your geometry it correct. Some one correct me if I'm way off

 

[K85 Octane]

oh yeah, most of the mud trucks around here have hydro assist with push pull. All you are using is the tierod. With the mud trucks, they don't see much articulation anyway. What I'm wondering about (since you have good timing, I was thinking the same thing) what does happen when your driver side is at full droop and the ram is still trying to push the tierod.

 

[Stomis]

I think the issue with the draglink maxing out with droop would cause binding on the ram.

 

[Kocher93]

Well that answers that lol I think its good I don't design things for a living

 

[supermotard750]

I was pretty amazed by the strength of these rams I'm not sure if it would bind or find a way. Or maybe even bend the draglink

 

[Kocher93]

OR replace the draglinks with the RAM! of course its so simple!

 

[supermotard750]

Lol. Then you would no longer be assist. It would be full

 

[NorCal_Chris]

Well think of with stock push pull with driver tire at full droop you cant turn. Hydro assist is gonna make it turn so what is gonna get jacked when it does is the question

 

[big dan]

The problem with using hydro assist on the stock push pull steering is that the ram doesnt bind. The drag link will bind when the suspension flexes but there is nothing to stop the ram and its got plenty of power to break lots of stuff when the mechanical linkage binds. My guess is that the sector shaft will break first.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Doesn't the pump go into bypass when you max out the steering box, meaning it would stop delivering pressure to the ram also?

Cross-over and hydro-assist really address two completely different issues, but they are both common issues when off-roading.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Possibly, but the box is not maxed out when the driver side is drooped. Its a geometry issue with the length of the push pull draglink. This prevents the mechanical part of the steering from functioning correctly, but if you rotate the input of the box "trying" to turn the ram WILL travel. This has been discussed here before and the consensus is that it is not an optimal setup for wheeling.

IMO if you NEED Hydro Assist you NEED crossover as well. Most people actually do it the other way around. Crossover is a great upgrade for any truck regardless of how it is used.