• DCRC 2024

Hydro Assist Options

Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
I used the search function, honest, but came up with mostly redneck ram stuff. If there is a post out there i missed please point me to it.

Im looking to get ram assist steering on my Jeep YJ. Wondering what my options are. I looked into PSC but the kit they have for 37" tires is only their "extreme" version and states its more for off road use. I also checked into AGR but it seems i need to modify my resevoir or something. States on their website that welding is required for resevoir modification, whatever that means since my resevoir is plastic.

Background info is im running 37" tires on a ford dana 60 kingpin axle. I do currently have a power steering cooler, its basically a 8 inch u shaped thing with fins on it. only has one pass so im not sure if thats sufficent or not. I will be running the ram behind the axle with a reversed tie rod. I can do the mount welding and such myself, just need to know what to buy.

I believe im going to need to piece a kit together since pre made kits for my yj seem to have a 6.5" ram stroke and i believe ill need an 8" one. The only thing that worries me about piecing one together is ive read that you have to match up all the parts or they just dont work right. I think what im looking for is someone to say you need this, this, and this. Maybe a vendor on here that carries a particular brand could offer some insight? Or i could try calling PSC direct, would prefer someone local though. Anyone with a discount with any of these companies(psc, agr, etc..) :D

Im trying to get this done for EJS and i want to do it once and do it right so any insight is most appreciated.

Thanks!

P.S. I havent slept in 20 hours so hopefully this makes sense. Ill check it over tomorrow :)
 
Chevycrew

Chevycrew

Well-Known Member
Location
WVC, UT
Id just go pick up a 8" ram and lines from lowrange, then drill and tap the box yourself. I did a cheap radiator hose extension on my filler neck to up the fluid capacity.

(now im planning a psc pump, cooler, and remote res though)
 
Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
Most companies with kits will say they're for off road use for liability reasons. You'll lose the return-to-center function and some feel of the road. I didn't mind the one I had on my old XJ, and drove it all over, including to Farmington NM. BTW, Matt did the ones I've had, but I did get my box drilled and tapped from other sources. I highly recommend a remote res.
 
Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
Thanks for all the responses. It's helping!

Bart said:
Most companies with kits will say they're for off road use for liability reasons. You'll lose the return-to-center function and some feel of the road. I didn't mind the one I had on my old XJ, and drove it all over, including to Farmington NM. BTW, Matt did the ones I've had, but I did get my box drilled and tapped from other sources. I highly recommend a remote res.
Click to expand...

so you just had your box tapped and ran lines to the ram? Did you have to replace the pump? On my yj the reservoir is a remote one so its not attached like the xj ham can ones.
 
cruiseroutfit

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
I had a 1.5" x 6 or 8? (old Rocklogic version) on my FJ40 for 6-7 years, no issues on or off-road. It finally started weeping out of the seals after a broken axle.

I'll be watching this thread as I'm thinking of replacing it but don't want to bolt one on that is going to leak in a couple thousand miles. Thoughts? Good long-term results out of the Trail Gear one offered by many? Worth ponying up for the PSC? Rebuild my RL?
 
Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
Looks like the extreme duty psc ram is 1.75 and the street/light trail duty one is 1.5 so heres the questions i have, and it may be something i have to ask psc directly.

1. Is 1.75 still ok on the road
and if not then
2. Is it ok to swap the 1.5 cylinder in?

Im a little paranoid since i remember reading a writeup in one of the magazines im subscribed to where they installed a PSC system and one of the big things they pushed was how all the parts are matched for each other and thats why their kits are so much more compared to redneck ram and such.
 
AX10TOY

AX10TOY

Undecided
Location
slc,ut
If you upgrade your pump to flow better the 1.75 would be fine , The 1.5 on stock pumps do great
Do it once and leave it

The bigger the ram the more flow need


My .02
 
Anchor_Mtn

Anchor_Mtn

Work Less, Travel More
Vendor
Location
Fruita, CO
I ran the 1.75"x8" ram on my YJ for 4 years on/off road with one tons and 40's and never had a problem with it. I love the PSC stuff. The quality is great and its made in the USA. All their steering gears are 100% brand new.... Not reman. The stuff isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Im running all PSC on the new buggy as well...even upgraded to some of the race grade parts. The fit/finish is second to none.
 
thenag

thenag

Registered User
Location
Kearns
Post # 140 through #148...
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up/page10

The more I looked into it I found quite a few people that needed a new PS pump after they got everything all setup. So if you have an old pump just buy a new one. (The WJ pump is slightly better than xj/tj and has a bigger reservoir) (edit... you said yj, not sure if a WJ pump will bolt on...)

I have a 1.5 x 8 inch ram.
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-7258-8&catname=hydraulic

I got my fittings and lines at Evco, they will make lines what ever size you want. (some people prefer other shops around town, Evco was close and fairly helpful I brought in my ram got all the fittings I needed) (I actually had my lines made a little long and brought one back to be shortened for a not too much money, so that was helpful)

I lost return to center, at highway speed the steering feels touchy, like if you sneeze you will swerve.

Off road it is totally worth it, just do it.

Nathan
 
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Xiled1

Xiled1

Member
Location
Mesa, AZ
The choices really depend on what you are expecting out of the hydro assist. If its a daily driver and you are particular about how it drives on the street, then you may want to go with a kit. If its just a toy, then you can go a little cheaper and deal with all the little differences of going Hydro. I'm pretty picky on the way mine drives and we use it for a lot of long trips. So I went with a PSC kit specifically designed for 03-06 TJ/LJ's. Even then, I've had a number of issues and have had to do a lot experimenting. One thing that I have to live with is loss of assist at idle. If you are cruising in a parking lot and slowly pull into a spot, you are good. If you try and turn the wheel fast - the pump runs out of flow at the lower RPMs and you are fighting the wheel with no assist. This is especially apparent in manuals. Upping the idle can help but has its own affects on the way the Jeep drives. The touchiness of the wheel and the reduced centering can be adjusted to. The way you mount the ram also will effect how it drives. The ram is like a super stiff steering stabilizer, so when its mounted to a tie rod, you experience increase tie rod rocking. This is where the tie rod will rock on the TRE's or heims instead of moving the rod left or right. This creates a dead spot in the steering and can be difficult at highway speeds. Again, depending on what you are already used to, you may or may not mind this effect. It drove me crazy and scared the heck out of me on the highway - 70-80MPH.
 
Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
Thanks for all the info. Keep it coming!

I think ive decided on going with PSC and will probably be purchasing that in the next week or so depending on what new information comes in. I am ok with it not driving like a cadillac but dont want to die on the street. From what clemsonkrawler said it looks like i should be ok with the 1.75x8" stuff. I have see the tie rod rocking thing in person but it was caused by loose jam nuts. I wonder if i used heims and welded the jam nuts if that would resolve most of that issue.

Nathan - thanks for the link to the build. Im thinking i will stay away from the tap the box yourself stuff for this project and get a full blown kit, just need to decide on a manufacturer. Mainly because id like to get a new power steering pump and box as ive had multiple issues with mine and with all the reman replacements ive swapped in. My steering is worse with the reman stuff then it was with the leaking squealing stuff i had before, go figure.

This week my goal is to figure out if im going to be able to run the tie rod behind the axle or if i will have to stick with it being in front. Once i nail that down its time to order the ram :)
 
UFAB

UFAB

Well-Known Member
Location
Lehi Ut
Trail gear 8" stroke 1.5" bore for faster steering response.

Tap a good box

Run the trail gear hydro lines

Drill out pump 25/32 at orphice

Less than 300 bucks your good..
 
Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
I did seriously consider this method but my concern is after swapping in 3 steering boxes and 4 pumps(no joke) I still ended up with worse steering then with my original leaking stuff. Shame I can't get it back now. I even drilled out the pump and that didn't help at all. That's why I'm leaning to a new kit since I would need to buy a new box and pump anyways seeing as the reman ones around here are apparently junk

UFAB said:
Trail gear 8" stroke 1.5" bore for faster steering response.

Tap a good box

Run the trail gear hydro lines

Drill out pump 25/32 at orphice

Less than 300 bucks your good..
Click to expand...
 
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Team1k

Team1k

Active Member
Location
Lehi
Yeah i wouldnt be too worried about tapping the box and doing that whole thing, the problem is that my box and pump are crap and all the reman units ive put in since its under warranty are crap too. Im looking to go with new.

So far, as far as kits go, ive found PSC which im leaning towards, or AGR. Anyone have any experience with other companies/kits that supply a new gear box and pump?
 
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