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hydro assist steering...diff cover options

blazin_blazer

blazin_blazer

1/2 ton status
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i'm about to buy a diff cover for my d60f and would like your guys input!

i was originally planning on solids diff cover($80) b/c i like how heavy it is and was going to sand the top of the word off, so that ''solid'' would stand out.
DSC00387.jpg


but now i'm wondering if i should buy kerts diff cover w/ the hydro brackets made onto it($190), so when i go to assist steering i have that mounting bracket already in place(it also comes w/ brackets to weld to crossover rod).

DSC00385.jpg


or i could go w/ solids diff cover(above) and kerts bolt on hydro assist bracket($45), i may have to clearance the ribs on the solid diff cover to get the bolt on to fit. or i could use the solid diff cover and weld the ram brackets to the tube beside the diff!

DSC00386.jpg


opinions on which route you would go. the solid cover and bolt on bracket would be a cheaper route and let me sand the word solid shiny and be the way i want it. but would like your opinions and why you would choose that route..thanks
 
I have Kert's cover. I did have to shave it some because my tierod was rubbing it at full turn. It was just barely and I also have the biggest tierod you can get from ORD. I really like Kerts cover though.
 
Have you considered high steer? Then you could just use the normal solid cover, and not have to worry about any brackets down there. I was able to put my whole high/rear steer system together with hydro for less than what ORD charges for their standard crossover kit. The brackets were pretty easy to make at home too.
 
I have kert's cover on my 14bff, it's awesome and I love it, If I didnt get such a good deal on my d60 rockcrusher cover I would have a diy4x cover on the front as well.

Also keep in mind that hydro rams are not all the same, so if you got ram mounts now, you better know which ram you are going to get.
 
no i haven't...well i have, but....

pvfjr said:
Have you considered high steer? Then you could just use the normal solid cover, and not have to worry about any brackets down there. I was able to put my whole high/rear steer system together with hydro for less than what ORD charges for their standard crossover kit. The brackets were pretty easy to make at home too.
Click to expand...

how do you mount your ram w/crossover and hi-steer? do you have any pictures of your setup?

i really want the solid diff cover, i guess i will get it and weld the brackets to the tube when the time/money comes,..i plan on using the aftermarket tapped end cap on steering box and drill and tap the top plate beside the lash adjustment screw and use most parts from the $100 hydrosteer thread on here
 
Well for now, here's one showing my lack of exposed steering linkages. :D I've got some better ones somewhere...


DSC01151.JPG
 
Just click one of the pics below if you want a larger view.

I did a lot of research and put a bit of thought into this setup. I've got a few advantages going this route.

For one, I have a better turning radius than all my buddies that have hydro with the tie rod in the stock location. There's a little less throw at the tie rod with these arms, as opposed to the stock location. A 8" ram will actually limit turning radius a little in a normal application. I was actually able to move in my steering stops (do so at your own risk) and improve my turning. I can beat K5's around corners on tight trails. I was following one of my wheeling buddies in his K5, and was able to one-point it several places where he had to two-point a turn on those tight WA trails.

Another benefit, would be the fact that I was able to use the surpluscenter $50 ram, without cutting and turning it. :D Plenty of room for the fittings where it's at.

Also, my ram, lines, and tie rod are very protected. I can bash boulders with my DIY razorback all day long, no sweat. :p:

For arms, I went with Sky-manufacturing. I think I was able to get them for $185 for the pair, I believe. Just the arms and studs, nothing else. That's the double ended one, and the rear facing intermediate drivers side arm. I also got some 7/8-18 jam nuts from them, I think they were 2.50 a piece.

For the rod, a group of us went in on a 20' stick of 1.5" DOM, with 3/8" wall. That's some pretty heavy stuff, and I know I won't ever have to worry about it breaking or bending. I think it was around $180 for the 20' stick, and we split it up according to how much we needed. Came out pretty cheap. I asked around a bit, and was able to find a local that had a 53/64" drill bit, and the 7/8-18RH tap. They sell them on ebay too, if you can't track one down.

Hydro assist parts came from surpluscenter, $50 for the ram, and $5 lines, a few fittings, and you're set.

I got the TRE's for $14 a piece, I guess you could say I know a guy....it was on a commercial account with a local parts supplier.

My 2wd steering box was free, drilled and tapped it myself WITHOUT taking it apart. I used a magnet and a vacuum, and am confident that I didn't get any shavings in the system. Either way, two years later everything still works great.

I've got the ford van steering arm, from a 75 econoline at the junkyard. Paid like $2.50 or $4 or something, can't remember. Got it reamed for a TRE by a local fab guy. Perfect clearance at the frame, with reduced torsional stresses on the frame as compared to the big dropped pitman that everyone uses. Stays out of the way of the leaf spring at full stuff too, some people have a problem with that with the dropped arms. If you want to know more about the advantages of this steering arm, there's a good thread here.... http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172159

I found some big 3/4 inch grade 8 bolts in the dirt at the junkyard while I was looking for the arm. Didn't even have to pay for them, cleaned them up, cut them down, and used them. :D You can see one of them sitting on the ram in the first pic. Worked well for mounting the ram, saved me a few bucks.

For the mounts, I used a DIY spring plate I picked up through a complicated trade that I can't remember. Welded a piece of 3" square tube to it, cut out on one side, shaped up a bit, and gusseted. Been working well. For the tie rod mount, I slid a piece of 2" 1/4 wall square tube onto the tie rod. The OD of the tie rod is 1.5", so it fit nicely. Then I made a couple big tabs out of a piece of 3/8", and welded them onto the outside of the square tube piece. At full extension, the mount on the tie rod comes within 1/16" of the passenger side spring plate. So, it BARELY fits, but there is room for everything under there if you do it right. Hope this all can help a bit.



















 
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Edit: Moved all my explanations to the same post as the pics, now they're on the same page. Should make a bit more sense if someone's trying to read and look at pics at the same time.
 
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I am using a Ruff Stuff cover on the 14BFF (I love it) and I was planning on Kert's razorback with hydro tabs for the front, but now pvfjr has got me thinking. :thinking:

I even already have a set of D60 reverse high steer arms. :thinking:

BTW pvfjr, I love how you mounted the tabs to the tie rod. BEEF. I'm gonna copy you. :bow:
 
BGKYK5 said:
BTW pvfjr, I love how you mounted the tabs to the tie rod. BEEF. I'm gonna copy you. :bow:
Click to expand...
Thank you, and feel free to copy away. :D Oh, and if you have the arms already, then I don't think you have much of a choice about the matter...:p:
 
Well the arms came with my D60. They are kinda genaric. There is no angled TRE mounting to account for the king pin angle. I was gonna ditch 'em and go regular crossover. Now I am wondering if I should try the ones I have. :D

My only concern with going to a setup like you have is that all that hyro assist force is acting on your u-bolts.
 
I'm gonna go with Kerts and hydro.... I considered hi-steer, but I gotta draw the line somewhere... :haha:
 
i went to ord, and they state vehicles w/alot of lift, they do not recommend hi-steer, b/c you have to use a spacer under the arm and w/hi-steer you would have to use the spacer under both arms and they say it would cause to much stress on the knuckles, so looks like i will be doing the crossover, but have to leave tierod in stock location, so now i'm questioning the whole hydro assist option, i have a 12'' swamprunner lift!
 
haha, I just reread that awhile ago... I was tentatively planning on Kerts cover with ORD's 1 1/2" tierod and hydro...

I'm just starting to research all the steering arms, tie rods, etc out there for the 60... I'm not running much lift, 4" + 0-rate, so that has me leaning towards just crossover, no histeer... Tho I do have their x-member.. I'm already looking at over 5 g's in parts over the next 6 months probably, if not more, so funding is a consideration too...

But that tan/black shot of their hi-steer is so sexy! eh, I've got 6 to 8 months to figure all this out...
 
Whew! 12" is a lot of lift. I've got 7-8 ish, no spacers, everything works beautifully.
 
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