D44 Hydraulic assist options?

[gorillaxj]

So I have been putting it off and its finally time to address the fact that I need hydraulic assist, I have gone threw 2 steering boxes since last June and need to take the stress off the box and "frame" of my XJ. Just for background I ordered a kit, 1.5" ram 8" stroke (measured my tie rod and it moves 7.75" lock to lock) I am running a Durango steering box and will be porting it before I install my new one (warranty ) I also have a Waggy front axle with Chevy flat tops, and its setup with crossover steering.

this is my current setup (has new track bar setup)




Would love some opinions as this is my first Hydraulic assist setup and want it to be the only one for this rig lol

The porting and welding I can do, I have looked around and it seams so many people say things are good/bad both ways, looking for real life opinions.
So My really questions are-
how did you mount yours? any pics?
will the stock tie rod hold up to assist? do I need to get hiems and make a new one? if so what size materials would you use?
If the stock bar will work can I bolt it to where the hole it for the "inverted T" tie rod end bolted in?
would you use clamps to attach it to the tie rod? have you had or seen first hand any problems with this?
What do I really need to watch when setting it up?
how do you mount it to the steering? the tie rod? the knuckle? whats the "best" option, as I don't want to tear the arm off the knuckle...
should I get a skid for it? maybe this mount and call it done http://www.cutthroat4x4.com (for the axle side)

Pic of ^ on someones rig


Sorry for the book, just wanted to lay it all out straight lol

 

[I Lean]

Mount it between the tie rod and the axle tube, or the diff cover if you don't have room the other way. Don't use the stock tie rod though, you'll just have to redo the work to mount the ram to the new tie rod once you bend the stocker. You can choose heims or tie rod ends for the tie rod. Leaving the tie rod connected to the factory arms reduces stress on the high-steer arm and steering box since part of your steering force is now on the tie rod, but you already knew that.

If you're worried about your balljoints and knuckles, you can limit the stroke of the ram so it stops exactly where your steering stops hit. Personally, I've never gone to the work to do it--I just make sure I don't force the steering wheel against the lock.

Skidplate is if you want to. Usually the ram is somewhat protected behind the tie rod, or even above. Whatever you do, just make sure it's as parallel to the tie rod as you can make it, so it doesn't try to rotate the tie rod up/down when steering.

 

[UNSTUCK]

I always limit my assist rod to just less then the tie rod travel. So if you have 7.75 inches of travel, you will brake stuff if you keep the rod at 8.
I'm not sure the stock bar will hold up to it or not. I would think the tube itself is strong enough for the job, but not up against rocks.
1.5x .25 wall is always a good choice for steering links if you're going to be in the rocks.
Mount it with a clamp or welded tab. Which ever you like. Clamp cost more, but gives you adjustability, not that you will ever need to adjust it if you mount it right the first time.
Most important thing to watch is your travel lengths. You steering stops on the knuckles should always be the limiting factor in the steering system.

 

[gorillaxj]

Mount it between the tie rod and the axle tube, or the diff cover if you don't have room the other way. Don't use the stock tie rod though, you'll just have to redo the work to mount the ram to the new tie rod once you bend the stocker. You can choose heims or tie rod ends for the tie rod. Leaving the tie rod connected to the factory arms reduces stress on the high-steer arm and steering box since part of your steering force is now on the tie rod, but you already knew that.

If you're worried about your balljoints and knuckles, you can limit the stroke of the ram so it stops exactly where your steering stops hit. Personally, I've never gone to the work to do it--I just make sure I don't force the steering wheel against the lock.

Skidplate is if you want to. Usually the ram is somewhat protected behind the tie rod, or even above. Whatever you do, just make sure it's as parallel to the tie rod as you can make it, so it doesn't try to rotate the tie rod up/down when steering.

I always limit my assist rod to just less then the tie rod travel. So if you have 7.75 inches of travel, you will brake stuff if you keep the rod at 8.
I'm not sure the stock bar will hold up to it or not. I would think the tube itself is strong enough for the job, but not up against rocks.
1.5x .25 wall is always a good choice for steering links if you're going to be in the rocks.
Mount it with a clamp or welded tab. Which ever you like. Clamp cost more, but gives you adjustability, not that you will ever need to adjust it if you mount it right the first time.
Most important thing to watch is your travel lengths. You steering stops on the knuckles should always be the limiting factor in the steering system.

Awesome, thanks for the feed back.

Tie rod mounted it is. (and parallel it will be) I would hate to rip an arm off on a trail and limp it off without steering and then wait for an arm before I can make it home... (dd )

It can pop my ball joints out? lol, never crossed my mind. that would suck, Well I have a lot of slop in my box, and i may actually have 8" or a little more, but my steering is hard to turn even on pavement at the moment... so I'll check again with the front end off the ground to be sure. I'll look into adjusting the ram stops as a back up.

I am leaning towards the clamps as its still my DD (hopefully only another year, then I'll be towing it) and adjusting toe in a pain free way sounds appealing. Or is there an easy way with welded tabs I am not wrapping my head around? would I need to un-clamp it every time to set toe?

I think a skid is good for me as I tend to hit my front end more often then I would like

I guess I'll just build the bar now and do it all right in one shot. so 1.5" .25 wall, what size hiems would be good? (kinda new to the fab world) 3/4" hiems come to mind but don't want to be to small, I learned my lesson about cheap joints... No matter the size I'll be getting ruff stuff hiems from Dan. (I am sold on his stuff after seeing my track-bar kit I bought from him)

*EDIT* After looking I guess 3/4 is my only real option as I shouldn't drill out the knuckles past 5/8ths so I have read... so 3/4" hiems with 1.5" 250 wall will be the way I go for that.


Thanks just what i needed to hear and things I need to look into! Always willing to hear more opinions or tips if anyone has any!

 

[driver920]

well i just got through with this little upgrade on my toyota with dana 60 and grizzly locker and i love it but i took the simple way out i had a old stock ford steering ram from a 76 ford ........... they had a ram with a spool valve incorpeated into the drag link .......... but the ram will bolt in to the stock steering stabilizer mounts on dana axles 44 or 60 with very little modification i haven't as of yet got pics of it on the puter but i will try to get them up tomorrow it has only been on 2 trips now but being able to turn the tires while bound up in the rock is priceless