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Twitchy as hell after hydro assist

NorCal_Chris

NorCal_Chris

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So just got my assist done. Works bitchen. goes lock to lock sitting still no problem. The issue is when im driving 25+mph.

You can turn the wheel slightly untill you feel the ram and it moves. It seems like hardly any input at all and it wants to turn like crazy. I tried backing my sector shaft adjuster 1/2 turn but no change. My steering felt fine before at the previous sector adjustment.

Also there is no return to center. Do i need to just keep backing off the sector shaft adjuster till it returns to center? Am i missing something here?

1.5in ram 3/8 hoses 1/4 adapters at box.
 
Not sure but the ram seems rather small. The adjustment in the selector shaft should matter for the twitching.
 
the smaller the faster they move, not sure what size my ram is it might be that size I just know they move faster the smaller they are.
 
I don't have ram assist, but I never heard of any that get to keep the back to center feature, the ram blurs is out, it's something I hear you get used to.
If anyone has succeeded in keeping that feature, I probably would go for a ram assist.

NorCal_Chris said:
So just got my assist done. Works bitchen. goes lock to lock sitting still no problem. The issue is when im driving 25+mph.

You can turn the wheel slightly untill you feel the ram and it moves. It seems like hardly any input at all and it wants to turn like crazy. I tried backing my sector shaft adjuster 1/2 turn but no change. My steering felt fine before at the previous sector adjustment.

Also there is no return to center. Do i need to just keep backing off the sector shaft adjuster till it returns to center? Am i missing something here?

1.5in ram 3/8 hoses 1/4 adapters at box.
Click to expand...
 
I drilled my pump fitting to 5/32. Maybe i should go grab a stock fitting and plug that in and see if that helps slow it down. Maybe i have too much flow for it and thats why it is so reactive.

Thoughts?
 
and IDK what all this confusion is with the size...

It is a 1.5in ram with a 1in rod.

SPECIFICATIONS
Double acting
Bore x stroke 1-1/2" x 8"
PSI max. 3,000
Rod dia. 1"

That means the inner piston is 1.5 in
 
might, seems I have the same size ram so that's not going to be the reason. My fitting I did make the biggest I could
 
kgblazerfive said:
might, seems I have the same size ram so that's not going to be the reason. My fitting I did make the biggest I could
Click to expand...

My stock hole was quite a bit smaller than 5/32nds but i didnt have a smaller bit avaliable so i went with it.

the tech article for redneck ram says to drill it a few sizes larger not to exceed 5/32nds so im guessing im at the top of the flow and maybe should have gone a tad smaller.

http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/powersteering.html
 
I think your on to it with the 5/32nds.

I started stock and made small adjustments in size and tested until I was happy. I can't remember the size I ended up with but it was only marginally bigger than stock.
 
kgblazerfive said:
Too small, its a 1" inch ram the 1.5 is the size of the ram it-self the 1" is the shaft.
Click to expand...

He's running the same SurplusCenter ram that 90% of the hydro-assist guys on this forum run, including myself. There's nothing wrong with that ram, in fact that's the size I would always choose for a street-driven rig.

I also drilled my pump to 5/32", didn't modify the spring, but I did notch the valve thing...I went to that RedneckRam site and did all the mods that increase flow, but didn't mess with pressure at all (didn't need to and didn't think it was the best idea). Honestly, I can't think of how increasing flow would do anything but prevent what you're describing. What you're describing sounds like intermittent flow to me...just can't think of why it would be speed related. Either that, or maybe it's something to do with the pressure valve thing inside the box, but that doesn't make much sense if it was working fine the other day.

My truck drives excellent. Much better than it ever has since I owned it, even on the interstate. The only difference I can think of between your setup and mine is the fittings. I used 3/8" NPT fittings on my steering box after reading a lot of threads about it on Pirate. Everyone over there said that 3/8" was borderline too small, and that 1/4" was a bad idea.

Mine has noticeable feedback/return-to-center for about the first half of the rotation back to straight when I'm driving around corners in the neighborhood. The 16.5" wide Pitbulls had the feedback a little vague before I ever put the assist on though, so I can't really say what exactly is going on there...I've never really done an alignment either so who knows. I will say that the feedback is apparent enough that my girlfriend (who is a typical woman who thinks it's scary to drive, etc) did not notice any weird handling issues even when I asked her if she thought the steering was vague.

I'm not quite able to wrap my head around why yours would be behaving that way, even with a bottleneck at the fittings...would help if I was there and could actually see it for myself of course.

Where is your box tapped? Is this behavior RPM-related at all?

Do you have a variable sector shaft? I don't think I have ever knowingly drove with a non-variable, I'm sure it's noticeable though if you're actually paying attention. I can't think of why it would make a difference here but it seems like the idea is worth exploring :dunno:

Are you 100% sure there's no air in that ram or somewhere else?
 
It doesnt seem to be rpm related. Just speed related. The faster i go the twitchier it is. I tapped my box in the usual chevy spot near the casting line up top, and on the bottom near the the factory plug. Think it needs to be bled more? I mean the power is there but my fluid is a little frotthy. It has no issues low speed or sitting still turns nice and smooth
 
With the fluid being foamy, I'd bleed it more. Also, you've got a good cooler on it right?

Since you said it's speed related, any chance it's DW and you're feeling what the ram can't control? Ever had a DW problem before the assist?

Lastly, was the assist ever not twitchy? Or has it been like that since the install?
 
i have a cooler on it. And I did have a shimmy wobble thing at speeds over 45 before assist. I do have a variable box as well. This is more like I'm driving a go kart. Feels like any input at all and I'm going into the next lane. It tracks damn straight if I don't touch the wheel.

I was even thinking the smaller 1/4 fittings would cause the ram to slow such would be nice lol. Truck drove fine w/o assist other than the aforementioned shimmy at 45+

Oh and I just finished the assist this morning, so this is a brand new install brand new issues
 
NorCal_Chris said:
It doesnt seem to be rpm related. Just speed related. The faster i go the twitchier it is. I tapped my box in the usual chevy spot near the casting line up top, and on the bottom near the the factory plug. Think it needs to be bled more? I mean the power is there but my fluid is a little frotthy. It has no issues low speed or sitting still turns nice and smooth
Click to expand...
Hey Chris, you did change 2 things, maybe they are related, I saw you made new rear shackle mount, did you change the loaction? caster?
as for DW, I know that axle was giving me DW but after Chris went thru it and has been driving it all this time, I am sure he would have noticed it before if that is what it is, but changing the caster with a different height shackle might have made the difference and now i has DW.
:dunno:
 
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