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Twisted Sector- Full Hydro ?s Assist

M

Mudstud

1/2 ton status
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Location
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Twisted another sector shaft Saturday. I'm not sure hydro assist will solve what I'm experiencing because it seems I can't get the draglink adjusted properly or this wouldn't be happening and with so many saying just go full hydro and be done I'm entertaining this idea.

I would like to drive it on the street once it becomes road worthy- [read- no death wobble]
Got a line on a new double ended ram and used orbital for cheap.

Should go for the hydro assist first? I do like the hard connection to the steering and I've seen others that work great so - shoot idunno!

In one regard it seems over kill when all I really want to run is about a 40" tire

What is needed for the swap on my 76 K5?

Ram
ram supports/mounts
Orbital Valve
Hoses
Reservoir
Pump
Cooler needed?

What ram would be recommended?
Could I use my moded PS pump?
Need additional reservoir?

Lots of welding and fab on the dif housing and threaded tube or bungs for custom TREs.

Glad to take any advice.

47b8d700b3127cce985481ba3a5200000046100IZMWLVw5bsQ
 
Go with hydro assist, it will take tons of stress of your mechanical steering connection.

If you want to drive it on the street, hydro assist is the better choice.
 
I have heard people say that there is a way to get return to center in full hydro set ups. It's about valving or something.
 
Not sure what you've got going on there but not only is that sector shaft twisted it started to bend as well. I think i would start by checking the steering geometry. Is that pitman arm too long for instance? Does the steering bind anywhere while turning each direction?
 
You twisted that shaft without any other parts taking the brunt of the pain? That seems like a TRE would have given out or something else would have exploded.
 
Full hydro rocks. But it only rocks when it is properly setup. I run a 7.3 cu. In. Load reactive Steering Valve. And a 2.5" x8 Double Ended Ram. Love it . about 3.5 turns lock to lock .

What do you want to spend , and Double or single ended?

Load Reactive is the function withing the valve that is return to center. It will ONLY work on a balanced system with proper caster.

If you are serious , and need help PM me.
 
Midwestern4x4Parts said:
Do you have full hydro? Have you actually driven A very Properly setup Full hydro rig?
Click to expand...

Mine isn't full hydro but I've driven in a rig that had full hydro. It was a properly setup system (it was a full system from Howe I believe). It seems like you have to constantly work the steering to keep the truck going straight down the road, plus the steering is weird until the fluid heats up.

Sounds like you have more experience with this than me though, I was just chipping in my .02 from my experience.
 
38377k5 said:
Mine isn't full hydro but I've driven in a rig that had full hydro. It was a properly setup system (it was a full system from Howe I believe). It seems like you have to constantly work the steering to keep the truck going straight down the road, plus the steering is weird until the fluid heats up.

Sounds like you have more experience with this than me though, I was just chipping in my .02 from my experience.
Click to expand...

Well At least you have driven one. I love these threads. Anything non bolt on is what I enjoy . I hate the jackasses that say I've heard or this or that. That drives me nuts. A proper full hydro setup will perform awesome. Key is NEW MATCHED PARTS... Not just i got this valve at the junk yard.

If you are breaking sector shafts there is some kinda issue though. Thought about getting one cryo'd?
 
Midwestern4x4Parts said:
If you are breaking sector shafts there is some kinda issue though. Thought about getting one cryo'd?
Click to expand...

There have been a bunch of guys here in CO that have broken sector shafts. It could be that the nut gets loose and allows different leverage on the shaft or it could simply be that big tires and lockers put too much stress on the stock parts.

Going to hydro assist WILL eliminate this problem, it takes a lot of stress off of the steering box. Of course, full hydro will eliminate it too.
 
I have 36" tires on a dana 60- open dif.

I don't know what cryo'd is.

Are the guys that run hydro assist still breaking sector shafts?
 
Mudstud said:
I have 36" tires on a dana 60- open dif.

I don't know what cryo'd is.

Are the guys that run hydro assist still breaking sector shafts?
Click to expand...

All of the broken sector shafts I have seen were not used with hydro assist.

I've never seen a broken sector shaft on a rig with hydro assist.
 
38377k5 said:
All of the broken sector shafts I have seen were not used with hydro assist.

I've never seen a broken sector shaft on a rig with hydro assist.
Click to expand...
Were any of the non hydro assist guys with broken sectors shafts running panhard bars? Reason I ask is if the axle takes a sideways hit then the draglink will act as a panhard bar putting all the force into trying to twist the sector shaft.

I don’t know much about pitman arm fits, but it seems most that I’ve seen on Gms and others vehicles fit rather tightly to the box, not showing much exposed splines. Might poorly fitting pitman arms might contribute to the failures?
 
What you said about the draglink transferring the jolt up to the gear box is likely what is happening. I just can't believe it takes so little to snap it.

Given that I'm limited on time and money I'm leaning toward assist. I can get a PSC 1.5" ram and end kit and tabs for about 180 and a friend of mine I just learned can get pretty good deals on custom hydro hose so I'm guessing about 250- 275 and I'm done in a pretty short time frame.

I do have a lead on a used orbital valve and brand new ram for $100- brand unknown at this point, pictures to be sent to me today. What Midwestern said about the full hydro parts working together makes me reluctant about piecing a kit together.
Found this info about Return To Center orbitals
5.5 turns lock-to-lock with our 2.75" cylinder.
3.6 turns with a 2.25x8x1.25 cylinder.
4.2 turns with a 2.5x8x1.5 cylinder.
What I don't know is if this info is standard across the board for orbitals and rams.

When I consider the time and cost to fab up the brakets to mount it, tube to make the TREs, thread them and then buy two new TREs and new hoses all around I'm looking at a good deal of time and money. Not to mention now would be the time to get the other reverse high steer arm so I'd only do this once. Can full hydro be set up in a reverse steer application on a 76 K5 with 6" of lift on a dana 60?

Full hydro requires 4 hoses right? Two from the orbital to the reservoir and two from orbital to the ram? Is an additional reservoire and cooler recommended besides whats on the GM pump?

Thanks guys.
 
Mudstud said:
Found this info about Return To Center orbitals
5.5 turns lock-to-lock with our 2.75" cylinder.
3.6 turns with a 2.25x8x1.25 cylinder.
4.2 turns with a 2.5x8x1.5 cylinder.

Can full hydro be set up in a reverse steer application on a 76 K5 with 6" of lift on a dana 60?

Full hydro requires 4 hoses right? Two from the orbital to the reservoir and two from orbital to the ram? Is an additional reservoire and cooler recommended besides whats on the GM pump?

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...


Yeah 4 hoses , and I have no idea where you got the orbitol info. Every valve is different. Could be 2.0 Cu. Per Rev , or could be 32 . Each will vary , and change the speed. With a single ended ram you will get more power in one direction than the other. I am not positive offhand but i think somewhere around 15%slower.

There honestly is no "standard"

I am running a 2.5x8 x1.5" Double ended ram ..
http://surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2008040821543776&item=9-6688&catname=hydraulic

With a 7.3 Cu in . Load Reactive( Think return to center function) Steering valve.

And it will run @ about 3.5 Turns lock to lock .
 
jimmy88 said:
Were any of the non hydro assist guys with broken sectors shafts running panhard bars? Reason I ask is if the axle takes a sideways hit then the draglink will act as a panhard bar putting all the force into trying to twist the sector shaft.
Click to expand...

Nobody I know runs a panhard.

I never thought about that before but its a good point. You'd sure think that the bushings would give or the springs would twist before the sector shaft shears but who knows?
 
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