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My 86 K5 build

Overview Gallery Discussion
Looks good. We need to go out some time.

What parts do you still need for the hydro assist do you need. I have some stuff laying around.
 
mrk5 said:
Not enough. :haha: I hope to have it rolling under its own power this coming weekend, but I said that last weekend too.... :whistle:
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That happens to the best of us :D

Bowtie_Bandit said:
Looks good. We need to go out some time.

What parts do you still need for the hydro assist do you need. I have some stuff laying around.
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Thanks! I ordered a ram. I'm gonna drill and tap the box myself and also do the common pump mods that most everyone does. I think one of the big things I still need are the fittings and lines from the box to the ram. You don't happen to have some of that laying around do ya? :whistle: Where in CO do you live?
 
I work in Leadville but I live in Southern Colorado. I might have some. I will check this weekend when I go home. I will let you know.
 
Alright, I am in the process and gathering parts for my own hydro assist. I have been reading and researching way more than I care to, and I can never seem to find a definate answer on this. I am planning on tapping my own box on the caps that are on the front and top of the box. I have access to the replacement front cap that's beefy and already tapped and will drill and tap the top cap myself. I have read where guys have done this and they say it has worked fine, and some people say don't do it like this. Will some of you who have done this please let me know your personal experience? I am sick of reading thread after thread of guys that say do it or don't do it but you never know if they even have personal experience with it or not. For all I know they are just blowing smoke and have never done it before. And if you tell me not to do it or to do it a certain way, please explain why. I want more concrete answers than what I've been reading. Also, I plan to do the common pump mod that West Texas Offroad shows you how to do on their website and also just plan to do the radiator hose on top of the pump for more fluid capacity. Has anyone had problems with this, and if so what did you do to fix it? Some say they have destroyed their pumps going this route and some say it works fine. Some say their fluid was getting too hot and some say it stays cool just fine (did you use different sythetic fluid?).

Let me know what you guys have done (preferrably people who have the personal experience with this). Thanks guys!
 
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I have less than $250 in my hydro assist. I used the pre-tapped end cap, replaced stock with new. Tapped the top.....all like your describing. D60 ram bracket from DIY4X, all hydro hoses and ram from surpluscenter.com.

I used a high flow valve from a hydro boost system steering pump. Supposedly and looks slightly larger diameter for more flow. I call it a redneck reservoir where I added a hydraulic hose to extend on top of the pump fill neck for more fluid capacity.

Ive had this setup for about 3 months now and love it. Night and day offroad. Street manners are a bit different but didn't take long at all to get use to. Overall, Im very happy with it, especially for the money I have into it.
 
heavyleft said:
I have less than $250 in my hydro assist. I used the pre-tapped end cap, replaced stock with new. Tapped the top.....all like your describing. D60 ram bracket from DIY4X, all hydro hoses and ram from surpluscenter.com.

I used a high flow valve from a hydro boost system steering pump. Supposedly and looks slightly larger diameter for more flow. I call it a redneck reservoir where I added a hydraulic hose to extend on top of the pump fill neck for more fluid capacity.

Ive had this setup for about 3 months now and love it. Night and day offroad. Street manners are a bit different but didn't take long at all to get use to. Overall, Im very happy with it, especially for the money I have into it.
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This is almost exactly what I will be doing. I will be getting a ram mount from DIY4x and all my hoses/fitting from surpluscenter.com as well. I have not really looked into the hydro boost flow valve, I was just gonna do the normal modification on WTO's website. I might look into that though. Have you ever had your hydraulic hose on top of the pump leak on you? Where did you get your hydraulic hose from? What size ram are you using? Have you ever thought that your fluid is getting too hot and that a cooler is necessary, or do you think that the hose on top of the pump gives you enough fluid capacity to keep it cool? Sorry for all the questions, but thanks for sharing your info. It's much appreciated!!! :waytogo:
 
Here is the break down I had written down for a FB page Im apart of.

(9-7258-8) 1.5x8x1 Ram cylinder (x1) $99.95
(9-1503-4-4) 1/4 NPTM x 1/4 NPTF 45 degree swivel (x1) $2.45
(9-1501-4-4) 1/4 NPTM x 1/4 NPTF 90 degree swivel (x1) $1.35
(9-6901-6-4) SAE 6M x 1/4 NPTF 90 degree swivel (x2) $6.80
(916-1448) 1/4" x 48" 1/4 NPTM x 1/4 NPTM 2750 PSI Hydro hose (x2) $18.00
Source: http://www.surpluscenter.com/home.asp

Hose for extra resevoir space attached to steering pump - $8 @ Oreilly's

1/4" NPTM caps (x2) - $3 @ Oreilly's

Saginaw steering gear tapped aluminum end cap - $40 @ http://jkwoffroad.com/offroadproducts.php#31

I drilled and tapped (1/4") the top plate on the Saginaw gear box for the other port.

Dana 60 Ram assist mount (x1) - $52.49 @ www.diy4x.com

I pulled a high flow valve from a hydro boost steering pump for the slight larger diameter valve. But the West Texas Offroad modification should do the same thing.
http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/powersteering.html

Total = 229.04 + tax. (Hence $250 hydro assist)


As for the heat issue....I have talked to numerous local enthusiasts with gnarly rigs and local shops that have the same or similar reservoir set up I have and they have had no issues so I thought I would give it a shot. Now, that's not to say that a cooler isn't in the near future cause Im over cautious (maybe slightly paranoid, lol) about it and want it to last.
 
Thanks for all of this. Most of these links I had, but it's real nice to have it all in one place now (plus the part numbers from surpluscenter will make it alot easier when I order those :D). The only difference for mine is I got a 2'' ram. I know everyone says a 1.5 is better for the road, but I thought I would rather get the larger 2" right now just in case I go bigger later on (plus the 2" ram was only $60). I have actually read of guys that say they have driven their 2" ram on the street and it's not that bad. Not that fast :laugh:, but not that bad. Some have said that yes it is slower than stock, but they don't feel as though it is unsafe at all. We shall see. Plus, I have heard of guys saying the 1.5" rams have bent on some of the larger chevy's.

Once again, thanks heavyleft!!
 
You really need a cooler in your system to keep from burning up the pump.
I'm running a PSC system so I cannot tell you how good a put together system is, but mine is much better then before.
 
Got some more parts in for the hydro assist. Got this replacement end cap that DIY4x use to make (don't think they offer it anymore, but there are other companies that still make them). I bought this off a buddy. It comes with a little wrench that helps you hold the cap still when you try to tighten the fitting while it's installed on the box. If not, it would be hard to hold it still and you might damage the o-ring that the cap seats on.



Also got this....DIY4x flat back d60 diff cover with ram assist mount. I know it's been said over and over again, but Kert's stuff is so beef and so bad a it's not even funny. You are the man Kert!! Fits the ram perfectly :thumb:







And I have decided to try a different color than the silver. What do you guys think?



Waiting for my hydro lines and fittings to show up hopefully in the next week or so from surpluscenter.com (that is the cheapest place I found for this stuff). I am hoping to get this stuff going in the next couple weeks, but my wife and I are closing on our home tomorrow :waytogo:, so it might wait for a little while.
 
Looking good :waytogo:

Ive always been a fan of black on red color schemes.
Reminds me of a black widow and you just dont wanna mess with those haha
 
Hmmm. I like black and silver... But that's what I'm gonna do.. So yah I like the red!! :whistle: lol.


Looks good man.
 
1970worthog said:
Looking good :waytogo:

Ive always been a fan of black on red color schemes.
Reminds me of a black widow and you just dont wanna mess with those haha
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Haha, we have plenty of black widow's around here. Never really thought of it like that...funny. I think it will look cool though!

78SWB said:
Nice :thumb:
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That d60 looks good under your rig bro :waytogo:. Keep it up

Deuling said:
Hmmm. I like black and silver... But that's what I'm gonna do.. So yah I like the red!! :whistle: lol.


Looks good man.
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Haha, thanks man. You have been making good progress on your's. Keep rocking it!


I got my hydro lines and fitting in. So now I really just need to find some time to put all this stuff on. My wife and I just closed on our house on Wednesday. So it has been a lot of cleaning and moving and painting....and everything that keeps me from working on my blazer :haha:. But it's all good. It's been fun to watch my two little boys in our new house. They seem to like it. I hope I will have some updated pics soon of the install. Maybe in a week or so.
 
You are several steps ahead of me. I've got a long ways to go. Really digging your truck. Looks good.
 
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