Assist stuff showed up today....

[KidJethro]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/My%20Truck/ram1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/My%20Truck/ram.jpg

Gonna start putting it together tommorrow. Should be done in a couple days. Also gonna try some of the pump mods for morep ressure/volume. I'll take pictures along the way.

BTW, Does anyone have pictures of Ram mounts on non hi-steer setups? Perferably NOT off the diff cover. :)

[zcarczar]

When I did mine I just cut off the factory steering stabilizer mount and welded the tabs for the ram as close to the knuckle as possible while trying not to interfere with the u-bolts.

[KidJethro]

Pictures?

[barbastard]

http://www.norcalbigdawgs.net/Gallery/album23/2004_1014image0020

Looks like that’s the only one I still have of my old hydro assist setup on my D44. Basically I welded the mounts on the axle tube right next to the diff cover and then to the tie rod near the end of it. Worked just fine. Never hit my ram on anything (that I know of or could tell) and it steered pretty good.

As far as the pump mods go…..I’ve done 2 or 3 of them and they work ok. I would recommend taking small steps in modifying the pump and see what works best.

I’m anxious to install my new KRC PS system that I just got. It puts out twice the power of a stock pump and should be MUCH more reliable and stronger and low RPM’s. Hopefully I’ll get that done in the next couple of weeks. When that gets done I’ll have two stock PS pumps and reservoirs for sale….one modified for high output and one bone stock. If you want one for a spare let me know and I’ll let it go for cheap. I also have a spare set of the fitting, spring and valve that you modify if anyone needs/wants that. I pulled it out of an old pump before I tossed it.

Good luck and post some pics up of your install…….

[CaptainInsano]

Heres some pics of mine...

http://silverlegend.biz/wheelin/projects_02.htm

http://silverlegend.biz/wheelin/ChiefRam.JPG

[KidJethro]

Install pictures/writeup here-
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1419770#post1419770

First thing on order was taking the ram apart and chucking it in the lathe to cut the weld...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010038.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010039.jpg

Remove the end and weld back on 90* apart-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010041.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010042.jpg

Mount Ram and plumb lines-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010043.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010052.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010046.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010047.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010048.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010049.jpg

And this is my temporary fluid resivoir extender thingy-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010051.jpg

The mounting tabs are made from 3/8x2" flat bar...Jesse's old shackles. If I had had some 1/4" material, I would have used that. The 3/8 material looks alittle goofy. Everything works fine...except I have to be at like 2000rpms to get any assist out of the stock pump. At 2k rpms, I can now turn lock to lock on concrete, where I couldn't before. Below 2k theres nothing. I think the flow/pressure mods are pretty much required with a stock pump. I have a brand new spare that I'm gonna mod and install tommorrow. The one I have on there now, is less than a year old, but has some serious hard abuse on it. If that doesn't work, I guess it's time to start researching aftermarket pumps.

More pictures tommorrow or Friday.

--------------------------------------

Today I took the parts out of my new pump, modded them, and stuck them into the pump on the truck. HUUUGE difference. It works exactly how I hoped it would work. Lock to lock with my pinky, on pavement, at about 900rpm, 6psi in the 42's. Too cool!

Pictures-

Remove the big fitting from the back of the pump, takes a 1" wrench-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010060.jpg

Fitting-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010054.jpg

From right to left, these are the parts inside the pump. 1" fitting on the right-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010059.jpg

First thing I did was drill out the hole in the large fitting to 5/32"-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010053.jpg

Next I took the flow piston apart. Requires a 7/16" wrench/socket. These are the parts inside the flow piston. I removed the shim, second from the right, and just barely took a bit off the the small end of the limiting stud (4th from the right) with a file. Re-assemble-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010055.jpg

Then I stretched out the large spring from inside the pump housing till it was at about 2 1/2"-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/P1010058.jpg

Just doin those few small mods made all the difference. Before, at anything less than 2k rpms, I had nothing. Now it's lock to lock standing still with my pinky. I got most of the info from the West Texas Off-Road website-

http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/powersteering.html

One other thing I might try, thats not listed on the WTO site, is this mod to the main fitting-
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/KidJethro/Hydro%20Assist/DSC04937_1.jpg

Supposed to help flow from idle to low RPM's. That info I found in BOWTIE's photo gallery-

http://www.texasoffroad.net/galleries/members/albun67?page=1

Might help bring the assist down to idle rather than the 900rpm's it seems to really kick in at now.

All in all I think I had about two hours from start finish on the pump mods. Hardest part was getting the fitting off the pump in the truck- draglink and engine x-member made it hard to get wrenchs in there. Otherwise it's a pretty simple project.:D

[shewheeler]

Hey, can you make your pics a little bigger? :flipoff2:

[gr8pumkin]

Thanks for the write up joe, I'm going to take your info and order my stuff soon, now that I got my high steer. :beer:

[KidJethro]

Hey, can you make your pics a little bigger? :flipoff2:

I most certainly can. :flipoff2: And I will if you keep bitchin about it. :blink: :p

Those pics are only 1024x768. Thats pretty normal. I can make them twice as big if you'd like- 2048x1536. :flipoff2:

[Nosmog73]

Did you have to limit the stroke of the ram (SHAD UP YOU FAWKERS) since it was a 8" stroke ram..If so what/how did you do it.. ...

[UseYourBlinker]

Just placed my order... Everything shipped was a little over $100-

I will send out the ram to you Joe,as soon as I get it.. Thanks again.

[k5LS2]

looks good Joe, For sum reason with my hydro boost and the Agr rock ram I didnt need thos mods?? At an idle I can turn lock to lock with my foot mashed on the brakes :blink: I have a new pump I was thinking of modding, just so its faster, do you think thoes mods will help? :2thumbs:

[KidJethro]

looks good Joe, For sum reason with my hydro boost and the Agr rock ram I didnt need thos mods?? At an idle I can turn lock to lock with my foot mashed on the brakes :blink: I have a new pump I was thinking of modding, just so its faster, do you think thoes mods will help? :2thumbs:


Alittle different with 42's aired down to 6 psi.

Don't hydro boost pumps put out more pressure anyways?

[bggrnchvy]

Im interested to know how long that pump will last in its modded state. Someone who will remain nameless has said that p-pumps just burn up with these mods in a matter of months.

[KidJethro]

Time will tell. :)

[barbastard]

I modded my stock pump 2 years ago and it’s still working fine now.

But…..I don’t trust it. So…I got one of these:

http://www.krcpower.com/item548996.ctlg

Haven’t installed it yet, but I will after this weekends trip. I’m sure it’ll work a lot better and my steering won’t be slow at idle anymore.

[UseYourBlinker]

FINALLY...got all my fittings together,and they all work :flipoff2:

Thanks Nate for tapping my box

Thanks Scott for helping getting the right fitting,and putting all my shit back together.

Thanks Joe for cutting and re welding my ram back together. (I've been lacking on your "gift")


Thanks in all :2thumbs: