Ram Assist Question

[airemdwn]

Could the hoses for a Hydraulic ram assist, tapped off the steering box, be connected together if the ram failed and was removed?

If on the trail and something happened to the ram or its mounts, could you just remove the ram and couple the hoses together, or should they be plugged? I guessing it would be better to plug at the box,, but the box is sorta a pain to get the fittings out for plugs. Just thinking of the inevitable carnage.

 

[wayne]

You can get caps for the fittings on the box.

 

[airemdwn]

Im using these fittings and regular npt plugs wont work with them.

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2005122900475917&item=9-1501-4-4

 

[K85 Octane]

good question

I would think one has pressure and the other has pressure loss during turning, so they could be connected. BUT I have no idea

 

[Fred_M1010]

I'm pretty sure you'd loose all power steering if you connect the hoses together.
Plug them of instead.
You don't have to plug them at the box though, you could just as well do it in the other end of the hoses.

 

[Blue85]

No, don't connect them together. One side is for "push" and the other for "pull". If you tie them together there is no pressure differential on the piston and therefore no assist.

 

[combatmatt]

I was contemplating the same thing. I'm going to keep a set of plugs in the glove box so should something fail with the ram/hoses i can remove the assembly and just go back to regular steering. I thought about just capping the lines i just thought that by doing so I would have lines flopping around and it wouldnt be as solid as just capping off the box.

 

[Chaddy]

I have a steering box that is tapped for hydro assist and the holes are capped off. It works just fine and has done for years.

 

[wayne]

I have a steering box that is tapped for hydro assist and the holes are capped off. It works just fine and has done for years.

Mine was capped for awhile when I was building it. I drove it for a few months like that with no issues.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Im using these fittings and regular npt plugs wont work with them.

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2005122900475917&item=9-1501-4-4

NPT plugs WILL work with that fitting.