WTO ram assist

[thebird00]

Just got off the phone with West Texas Offroad. I think I'm about to make a purchase on the stage 2 hydralic assist kit.

They mentioned modifying the pump for free. Do you all think the shipping costs are worth the modifications to the pump?

Anybody else running this setup? How do you like it? Anything you'd do different?

Thanks
Mark

 

[gmc4cw]

you can modify the pump yourself. save the shipping. Their is a local guy running the WTO setup, he hates it. the ram leaked from the day he bought it. he finally bent the rod.

You can peice together a better setup for less money.

I personally would never tap a steering box when you can tap the top cap and end cap. Then you do not need to reassemble the steering box.

Search around and you will find countless guys that have done their hydro for half the money WTO wants.

here is mine.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201439&highlight=hydro

here is another good thread on the subject.
http://www.4x4mecca.com/forum/4x4-tech-talk/2669-hydro-assist-cheap.html

 

[brunok5]

Well im the box builder for WTO.

As for the leaking rams, we didnt build the rams a local machine shop did and Matt stoped using them years ago. Almost put him outta buisness from the start...

As for tapping the cap never done it i just think its wrong. All the pressure pushing on the cap seal, deform and or makeing the cap weak. Maybe just me...

Yes we mod your pump for free but there is also a write-up on our site or i can walk you through it. Its very very simple.

For what you get in a ready to go package i personally think its worth it even befor i started working here.

 

[thebird00]

Well the fact of getting a complete package is what i like about it. I may try to do the pump myself but I do like the idea of doing the actual box and not the caps. I don't know anything about it so I'm not sure which is best.

I might check the shipping difference with just the box and then both. If its not that much I think I'll let WTO handle it.

 

[thebird00]

gmc4cw, how did you figure out where to put the tabs for mounting the ram? I've heard that you can use the stock stabilizer bracket but I'll probably cut that off and use the thicker tabs.

Any tricks to getting the measurements right?

 

[twoslo4five0]

contact 4x4high he has tapped a few on here...he will do mine one day...

 

[walla2k5]

As for tapping the cap never done it i just think its wrong. All the pressure pushing on the cap seal, deform and or makeing the cap weak. Maybe just me...

Isn't they're already pressure,on the cap?...What would make it "weak" ?

 

[brunok5]

the drilling, tapping or welding that ive seen people do on the stock cap. I just now learned about the company that makes the caps. I mean to each his own, if i had some bullet proof reasons on why not to then i would share.

But i am definatly going to look into this more and get back to yall.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Isn't they're already pressure,on the cap?...What would make it "weak" ?

The end cap wouldn't be too bad to drill and tap since it is pretty thick from the factory. The top cap however is not very thick and there isn't much room for drilling and tapping once you have the cap off and find out where you CAN and CANNOT tap. The drilling and tapping just makes the cap that much weaker. If you do a search there are several members here who have done it and had the top cap explode. Now on the otherhand if you had a custom top cap that was much thicker it wouldn't be a problem. There is a vendor on here IIRC that does sell a custom thick top cap.

Also, drilling and tapping the end cap leaves you with a vulnerable hose fitting sitting right in harms way just waiting to get broken and ruin your day. You can build some kind of protection for it but that's more work in itself.

 

[moneypit]

I have been running WTO hydro asst for 5 yrs now. Yes I did have 2 leaky rams. Matt sent a new one out at his expense no questions asked. I have his new ram and a friend of mine has his old ram no leaks and no problems with either. Matt is a small business and a very stand up guy, the kind we need to support/keep in business. Go for it!!!!!

 

[gmc4cw]

gmc4cw, how did you figure out where to put the tabs for mounting the ram? I've heard that you can use the stock stabilizer bracket but I'll probably cut that off and use the thicker tabs.

Any tricks to getting the measurements right?

I cut the stabilizer bracket off. it didn't work for my ram. I tacked the tabs to the axle tube as close as I could to diff the center section. I bolted the ram in loosely. Then I turned the wheels all the way left and with the ram fully extended marked on the tie-rod with chalk. turned the wheel all the way to the right, compressed the ram and rechecked the mounting point on the tie-rod.

once you know its right, burn everything in tight.

I did not tap the stock end cap, I bought a JKWoffroad cap. as for the stock top cap, theres plenty of thickness there, and there is pretty much only one spot to tap it. I personally think that the fittings are more protected then a box that has the fittings on the side of the box.

If you can remove the steering pump from the engine bay then you can modify it yourself. I didn't unbolt the pump, just removed the fitting from the back. When I drilled it out I got one perfectly curled sliver of steel. I made sure to use a brand new drill bit.

I am not in any way bashing WTO. I remember finding out about them and thinking the price was great and that I was going to order one. Then after some further searching I discovered I could save HUNDREDS of dollars. You still have to install everything yourself, so paying hundreds more to have everything come in the same box is not that big of an advantage to me.