Hydro Ram - size vs speed?

[Paxx]

Ok when we were at the blazer bash this year talk around the campfire went to how adding hydraulic assist to your steering slows down your steering speed. I want hydro assist but I also enjoy high speed driving where quick steering reaction is needed.

So.. can you use a 1" ram instead of the typical 1.5" or can a 1.5" be just as fast as a smaller ram if you use a high flow pump?

Has anyone combated this problem before?

Any input welcomed.

Thnx
~Max

 

[SCOOBYDANNN]

the smaller the ram the faster it is but the less "power" it has--the bigger the ram the slower it is but the more power it has----average for us is 1.5" ram

 

[mtnman210]

I'm contemplating this same issue. have some rams and hyrdo setups off old forklifts and loaders at the shop. So I was thinking of taking one of those and just rebuild it and run full hydro on my project. But the truck is gonna see mostly mud and desert so there'll be somewhat quick reations in steering. So would full hyro not be the way to go in those situations?

 

[mikey_d05]

I wouldn't go all the way down to 1", the shaft on a ram that size would be pretty small. 1.5" should do fine. I run a 2" tractor ram and it was pretty slow until I modded the pump. Now it works pretty well at idle and at ANYTHING above idle it's as fast as it was without the assist. I actually took it for a cruise around town because it felt so much better.

 

[SCOOBYDANNN]

mikey--what exactly did you do to mod the pump--i run the same 2" ram as you and have also modded he pump. i can cruise arounmd town but when i cruise w/ the desert runners i cant steer fast

 

[mikey_d05]

I did everything in KidJethro's thread including notching the large fitting. Also, my pump had two shims instead of one and I pulled them both. I'm not sure if I could keep up in a desert type of scenario but I took the corners around town as fast as was comfortable sway-wise and it didn't have any problems.

The thread:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160735

 

[Paxx]

So a good high flow racing pump should do the trick as far as speeding up the ram action? My current pump is toast so I'd like to just use a good new one if that's all it will take.

 

[mikey_d05]

If you want an h/o pump, look into the KRC one.