Installing WTO Ram Tomorrow...

[willyswanter]

I'm installing the WTO ram on my 60 tomorrow morning... Had a question on the installation. Do I just extend the ram all the way, turn the wheels to full lock, and then weld the brackets in at that position? Or do I have to leave a certain amount of extra ram travel so when the wheels hit full lock there is still a little travel in the ram left over? Any tips are greatly appreciated... /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[Seventy4Blazer]

take this in the nicest way possible please, for what i am going to say is not very nice.... YOU ARE A BA$$TARD!!
but in a good way.

congrats on your new toy. as for the WTO ram im not sure. but i do work with hydraulics every day. you need to find the total travel of your steering. i imagine matt sent you a ram with almost the exact same, maybe a bit less travel than the average chevy. slo find the exact center on the ram. run it all the way out by hand, measure. runn it all the way back in measure. measurements should be taken from eye center to eye center. do the math, adjust to the center. locate where you want it on the axle at center and install. tack weld the brackets and then check for clearance.

now, the fun part. DISCLAIMER: i have never installed a WTO ram assembly. i do not know thier procedures for them. thats how i would do it. im am sure it is right. but i would PM/Call/e-mail matt.

once again you are a bastard, and need to send me the system. then i will install it on my 60 and tell ya how it is in about 10million years when i drive my truck again.
grant

 

[willyswanter]

Yeah, I got ahold of Rod (Savage1) since he just put his on and gave me the info I needed. Basically same exact thing you said /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif. Thanks for the info. And hey, after blowing my steering box apart while trying to turn 40" tires in the rocks 3 weeks ago I think I deserve this setup /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[jekbrown]

i basically just put the ram at exactly half way through its travel... then pointed the tires straight ahead and mounted it... no idea if thats right or not. lol!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

j

 

[SAVAGE1]

Yup, that's basically what I told Jason. Also make sure the ram bottoms out before the steering knuckle hits the bump stop.

 

[Derf00]

One other thing, you may want to consider changing to synthetic ps fluid, it does not foam as much as non-synthetic. Once you have it installed, take your time and jack up the front so both tires are off the ground and crank the wheels back and forth numerous times before you start the engine. Keep the cap on the power steering pump at all times, and check the fluid level frequently.

 

[jekbrown]

wait... keep the ps cap on? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif when i bled/tested my system, I kept the cap off, had the engine running.. and went lock to lock a dozen or 2 times. Seemed to work... are ya sposed to have the cap on to bleed the system properly? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

j

 

[willyswanter]

My book says to keep the cap on...

Anyway, yeah I did the steering box swap a couple weeks ago so I've been through that part already. Switched to synthetic too. I'll have to go pick some more up though for today..

 

[Derf00]

Keeping the cap on helps stop a big air bubble from blowing fluid out of the neck and all over the place. If you do most of your bleeding without the engine running it won't be quite as messy.

 

[TheLakeRat]

Sorry but i've been out of town or i would have said something earlier.
I now have an instruction sheet if anyone wants one i can e-mail it to you as a Word document or i can fax it to you also.

 

[yeild2me]

LOL...thats pretty funny matt...Just this weekend when I was installing my ram, one of the guys walks up and says "Where are the instructions??" I started laughing and told him..."This isnt a Lund visor, it doesnt come with instructions." We looked confused as he walked away.

The only problem I had was at full left turn, the ram mounting bracket I welded to the tie-rod hit the bump stop on the knuckle and was really pushing hard on it. So hard that the bottom king pin was pushing away. I removed the bumpstop for now, but will re adjust the ram so it doesnt push that far.

Rob