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Hydro assist on the cheap...Under $100

38377k5 said:
Aside from the discussion of mounting an assist ram to something that isn't really fixed, make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

I made my own hydro assist setup a ways back and it's been ok for me.

The PSC pump has significantly more flow and pressure than the stock pump, which is a big deal in the hydro-assist world.

Yeah, you can modify a stock pump, I've tried that. It did not work well for me the couple times I tried it (either too much pressure and it blew the seals out of everything or I didn't notice much difference). It's just one of those things, you don't know which particular steering pump/valve you have so it's tough to really know how to modify it and make it reliable. Plus you're using some kind of used or rebuilt pump.

I've been through 4 NAPA pumps in the last few years and my truck doesn't see all that much run time. They are all properly bled etc, adding hydro assist simply asks that much more from the pump. Using a stock or modified stock pump at or beyond it's design capacity will burn it up quick.

PSC pumps last much longer and work better simply because they aren't being pushed to the limit 100% of the time like a stock pump might be. Depending on application, PSC pumps are ~30-50% more flow and pressure.


Some of you have wheeled with me and my steering setup works ok (stock Saginaw pump, 1.5" ram). I wouldn't call it reliable per se because I seem to go through pumps pretty often, and I'll certainly be switching to an aftermarket pump when I go to full hydro in the near future.


So that's pretty much my .02, mount the hydro assist cylinder to something solid (usually tabs welded to the axle tube) and use a good pump. Adding hydro assist means significantly more load on the steering system and means that the rest of your steering system needs to match it: more pressure, more flow, better cooling, more fluid capacity etc.
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Thanks for the advice. I have your crossover steering setup and your bigass 1.5" tierod.:D
I will get a pump from PSC or AGR. Thanks again!
 
38377k5 said:
It's up there now, under the fabrication section. There are links from both crossover steering sections as well.
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thanks for the pic, but if i could be a little bit more of a pain in the ass-could i see the mount in use? just so i can look at where it welds up, and if it will work for me?
 
k5blayzer said:
thanks for the pic, but if i could be a little bit more of a pain in the ass-could i see the mount in use? just so i can look at where it welds up, and if it will work for me?
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I won't be back in the office until Monday and hence won't have access to any pics until then.

As per how they are used, it's basically fairly vertical if you can fit it or angled forward with the ram mounted under the high steer tie-rod if motor/crossmember clearance is an issue. Of course you can cut the brackets down and make anything in between as well.

How much lift are you running? Any chance we could get pictures of your setup?
 
38377k5 said:
I won't be back in the office until Monday and hence won't have access to any pics until then.

As per how they are used, it's basically fairly vertical if you can fit it or angled forward with the ram mounted under the high steer tie-rod if motor/crossmember clearance is an issue. Of course you can cut the brackets down and make anything in between as well.

How much lift are you running? Any chance we could get pictures of your setup?
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yes i will get pix up in the morning when ive got some light.. i think its lifted about 8"
 
heres that shot of my front end, i was told that my highsteer was from ORD but i could be wrong.:doah:

003-1.jpg



036.jpg

a%3E
 
Sweet rig k5blayzer...
I'm gonna by-pass all the assist options and go full hydro...less parts to deal with and when I put 42's on it I won't have any worries about steering...
 
blazin' j said:
Sweet rig k5blayzer...
I'm gonna by-pass all the assist options and go full hydro...less parts to deal with and when I put 42's on it I won't have any worries about steering...
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thanks for the compliment.. i would run full hydro, but i still drive mine on the road. full hydro would scare me on the road.
 
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38377k5 said:
I won't be back in the office until Monday and hence won't have access to any pics until then.

As per how they are used, it's basically fairly vertical if you can fit it or angled forward with the ram mounted under the high steer tie-rod if motor/crossmember clearance is an issue. Of course you can cut the brackets down and make anything in between as well.

How much lift are you running? Any chance we could get pictures of your setup?
Click to expand...


let me know if you happen to get any shots of the bracket in use, it would be a great help! i took my rig out over the weekend and it just sucks not being able to steer out of the deep ruts!
 
Well it's prolly like driving with a Detroit n the rear, u get used to it after a while...and besides, it's not gonna b my daily driver anyway...
 
blazin' j said:
Well it's prolly like driving with a Detroit n the rear, u get used to it after a while...and besides, it's not gonna b my daily driver anyway...
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It's different than that, the steering valves don't have a slow spot in the middle like the mechanical steering does. It's almost like an on/off thing, when the wheel turns slightly right it will move more than you want it to and you end up constantly correcting the thing.

As Stephen puts it full hydro at speed is the kind of thing where you have both hands firmly on the wheel and are paying lots of attention, not a lean back and drink coffee while you drive kind of thing.

If you drive it on the street you don't want full hydro.
 
I have to do that now with all the slop from worn out parts now...I appreciate ur input but I'd rather build it once in the event it becomes a trailered rig in the future...
 
38377k5 said:
As Stephen puts it full hydro at speed is the kind of thing where you have both hands firmly on the wheel and are paying lots of attention, not a lean back and drink coffee while you drive kind of thing.
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I wonder if it is just due to the parts used, but tractors and combines are "full hydro" and they drive just fine. I suppose they would probably be scary at speeds in excess of 30 mph?

Martin
 
Ive got all my parts for hydro assist and I got the ram from surplus center ready to install but have a question for those of you that have cut the mounting end off and turned it to point the fittings up:

Is it necessary to disassemble the cylinder before cutting and welding?

Ive done some searching and research and as far as I can tell you do not but seeing as I do not know much about the internal operation of the cylinder I would like a definate answer before I start cutting and welding on a new hydraulic cylinder.
 
I had Kert at Diy4x cut and turn mine. Call him, he will tell you the right way to do it!!
 
big dan said:
Ive got all my parts for hydro assist and I got the ram from surplus center ready to install but have a question for those of you that have cut the mounting end off and turned it to point the fittings up:

Is it necessary to disassemble the cylinder before cutting and welding?

Ive done some searching and research and as far as I can tell you do not but seeing as I do not know much about the internal operation of the cylinder I would like a definate answer before I start cutting and welding on a new hydraulic cylinder.
Click to expand...

Nope. Extend the ram out and wrap a wet towel around everything or stick it in a bucket of water. The heat's not that big of a deal when you're cutting though I guess. It would also be nice to have a metal plug for at least the extend port because if you leave a plastic one in there, it will melt.

Use a thin cut off wheel like an .065 and cut right where the tube meets what looks like a cap, a little more in to the tube side is preferable I believe on that cylinder. It's only like ~.120-.150" wall thickness, so just go slow and you will see a crack form inside the cut when you get to the ID.

It's basically just a tube with a machined and stepped cap, with an eye welded to that cap. Really simple, and if you've got the ram extended, you won't be working near anything that the heat will damage.

I welded mine up with flux core. I didn't think it would work, but I was in a hurry and it's outlived two pumps now with no signs of leaking.
 
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