After a couple runs on the new front axle I could see that the 38's, crossover and front end travel were giving me a horrible inability to steer in a lot of situations. Hydroassist seemed to be the clearcut answer to remedy this.



I wanted to use my stock pump and at the time I didn't have a welder so I wanted to go single ended for the ram type. I had heard a lot of issue with the 5/8 shaft on the 1.5" rams deflecting and ruining the seal so I wanted to use a 1.75" ram with the larger .75" shaft(stength goes up exponentially as diamteter increaes). I found PSC to be highly recomended and they had just the ram I wanted along with a hardware kit of tabs and heims with it. Stephen at ExpertOffroad gave me a good price as part of a group buy so I made the purchase.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/HydroRam003.jpg



Being that I drive this truck to and from all trails and to work and school a couple times a week I needed to be able to align the toe well at the same time I set the stops at the right place. The only way to get that to work was to get a tie-rod clamp.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/Tie-RodClamp001.jpg



I already had a cover on the D60 of AR360 plate built by Jason so I just wanted to weld the tabs to the that. I fired up the welder after a little bit of practice and burned them in.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/Weldingproject1003.jpg

I also welded the tabs to the tie-rod clamp and put the ram on to make sure it cleared at full extension and compression.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassistmounted004.jpg



I needed to build a limiter as the 8" travel of the ram will out travel the steering stops on the axle. To get the measurements I fully extended the ram and then ran the steering back to lock the other direction and measured the exposed shaft. I then took a leaf spring bushing I had laying around and cut it to fit with a little extra material to account for compression.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassistmounted02001.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassistmounted02003.jpg



I then needed to get power from the system to the ram, I decided I wanted to drill and tap the box to do that, not buy pre-machined caps. Using Billa Vista's tech article on Pirate I located the spots. I used a split point drill with grease on the tip to collect shavings, then I tapped it to 1/4 NPT and cleaned it up with magnet and by blowing compressed air through the input ports to blow out the hydro output ports.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/Tappedsteeringbox002.jpg



The other requirements it seems for a hydro assist system with longevity is a cooler, a filter and a reservoir. I didn't like the $175 reservoirs on PSC's website, but I found a unit on Ebay for circle track cars for about $40 shipped. I built a quick mount out of a piece of 1x2 .095wall and a pair of nuts welded to the back with hose clamps and mounted it about the box.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e9005.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e9007.jpg



For the cooler, Im in the middle of finishing a transmission swap(60e-->80e) so I took the stock transmission cooler for the towing package and plumbed it into the return line to the pump using 400psi rated transmission hose, barbed/flared fittings/lines adn hose clamps.



For the filter I ordered a remote transmission unit from Summit and picked up a more compact filter(the larger one was presenting mounting issues) and plumbed it right after the cooler to the pump using the same method.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e1101.jpg


All thats left is to cap the return on the reservoir, have a -10JIC line made for the reservoir to the pump reservoir, pull the pump and weld a plate with a -10 JIC fitting onto the stock top and have a set of high pressure hyrdo lines made fo rthe box to the ram.

continuing to move on.......looking good like usual......

how did the anti wrap bars ever turn out?

Well the front bar needs to be rebuilt. I welded to much in that concentration putting that gusset in and it bent the main tube just a tiny bit. Unfortunatly with a tight slip fit a little bend, even 3/16" over a foot makes it not possible. It was a little learning experience, I also learned a bit building the last one so the next one should be a big improvment anyways.

Is the cooler, reservoir, and filter really necessary for assist? I thought you only needed that for full hydro? Can you site your sources for needing theses?

You can run without the filter, just a higher possibility of eating the pump.

As for the cooler, everybody Ive seen who has hydro assist has either talked about needing a cooler or has one and suggests using one.

For the reservoir, Im sure you could get by without one, but your going to get a bunch of cavitation and reduce the life of the pump.

The goal here wasn't to get out of this as cheaply as possible, but to make a system that works without fail and doesn't limit the truck in anyway(meaning cooling time because fluid boiled out the reservoir).

Jason was a huge help in building this system(willyswanter), I read quite a bit in the yota forum as well(countless members who's names escape me currently) as well as PSC's recomended kits(which include filters and reservoirs).

Well I had to cap the steering box and to do so I needed a steel fitting so I got a coupler fitting and machined it a little.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e14001.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e14002.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e14003.jpg
Then I made a cap for the steering pump in place of the plastic cap(while I had the box out of the vehicle) with a hole drilled in it to fit the fitting. Then I welded the cap the box and the fitting to the cap. Sealed it up and pressure checked it and found a pair of little holes and fixed that and put the pump back in.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/80e14007.jpg

your steering box looks an awful lot like my power steering pump. :flipoff2:

Doh! Thanks for the correction:laughing:

Ok, now its inches from done. I have all the parts, just need a little more time to assemble it.

Needed to cap the -6AN return on the reservoir as Im using the stock return line to the stock reservoir. I didn't want to pay for an $8 anodized Al fitting and another $5 to ship it for this low pressure app. So I got the thread size and pitch off McmasterCarr(9/16-18...fine thread btw) pickedup a washer, welded a bolt cap I had cut off for something else to it and put it on with a veryhealthy does of teflon tape.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassist20004.jpg

Also put the -10AN to barbed fitting on the bottom and put on the 5/8" hose from the new reseroivr to the top of the old reservoir.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassist20005.jpg

Just need to cut this up and put the fittings on and connect the ram and Im done finally.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/hydroassist20006.jpg

You can run without the filter, just a higher possibility of eating the pump.

As for the cooler, everybody Ive seen who has hydro assist has either talked about needing a cooler or has one and suggests using one.

For the reservoir, Im sure you could get by without one, but your going to get a bunch of cavitation and reduce the life of the pump.

The goal here wasn't to get out of this as cheaply as possible, but to make a system that works without fail and doesn't limit the truck in anyway(meaning cooling time because fluid boiled out the reservoir).

Jason was a huge help in building this system(willyswanter), I read quite a bit in the yota forum as well(countless members who's names escape me currently) as well as PSC's recomended kits(which include filters and reservoirs).

I asked a reputable vendor on here about this. This was his reply. FYI.....

You do not need any of that stuff. The other companies try to tell you that you do just so they can sell you more stuff, but i promise you, you do not NEED them. A Larger Reservoir is never a bad idea but again it's not needed. Also a cooler is not a bad idea but you need to remember the pump is going to be working less to do the same amount of work so it should run cooler than before. Filters are a bad idea all around in my opinion. They cause back pressure in the return line which is extremely bad on the pump but if they get clogged up then you will blow out a seal somewhere. I will not ever sell one of those filter reservoirs with any of my kits. If you want a filter then go to your local auto parts store and ask for an inline automatic tranny filter. Put it on and leave it for a weeks worth of driving and then take it off and throw it away. after a week there fluid should be clean and since the system is a closed loop system there should be nothing to get in it.

I never said you needed any of it, if your goal is to transmit hydraulic power then, no a cooler and filter are not required to make it work.

If a system is clean(meaning clean from the onset) and closed, there should be little restriction through a filter element. The filter is cheap insurance for hard parts. There is no such thing as a clean closed system when metal or moving parts are in the system. Corrosion and friction will give you plenty of particulate matter to deal with. Trust me, we run filters on our chiller systems to all of our equipment for a reason. Interesting that we keep having to change them out as they clog and the differential rises over time being there's nothing but water in the system, right? Oh and that unit is an inline automatic transmission filter.

The issue with the idea the pump isn't working as hard is in that we are trying to exert more force in steering, not the same as before. Remember, I couldn't turn the tires before, now Im going to be able to? Being this, the pump has to make the same pressure as before but move more fluid meaning it is working harder. Usually the above would be correct, that Im not requiring more out of the system, like in driving down the road, so the pump is not working as hard. But you have to factor in peak usage in systems, this is why you can't put a 15amp fuse on a motor that pulls 15amps, it peaks near 30a at startup and the fuse will just pop shutting the system down. You can get by without a cooler, but its a fairly cheap way to keep the system running optimally in all situations.

Oh and post this vendors name please, you asked me to cite my sources, Im asking you.

Oh and post this vendors name please, you asked me to cite my sources, Im asking you.
:laughing:



I agree with biggreenchev reasoning. I run a big old cooler with a thermostatic fan, switched on @ 185*F. It only takes about 5 minutes of normal driving for the fan to get switched on. Next time you get done with a trail, grab one of the hoses and tell me that the fluid doesn't get damn hot. Granted, I am using full hydro, but really if you think about it, sitting in your driveway, cranking the wheel from lock to lock, the p/s pump is doing practically all of the work in either system. It's not so much of a case of whether it's assist or full, the pump's doing about the same amount of work either way. Its a matter of traction, tire scrub, etc. that's what taxes the system.

Anyways, back to the subject, I believe strongly in coolers and filters. I was talking to someone about filters (station maybe? i dont know), and he suggested running a high pressure filter between the pump and the orbital valve (or steering box) so that if the pump ever does scatter, it will be caught before it can harm the big components in the system, not after. If you catch it after it goes through the valve (or box) then all you are really stopping it getting cycled, but it will likely be too late for the valve/box anyways. I don't have one of these prefilters, but I think I just talked myself into getting one.




Oh and resize your pics! :flipoff2:

Intesting arguments guys! I'll send the guy an email and ask if its okay to post him name.

Intesting arguments guys! I'll send the guy an email and ask if its okay to post him name.

I guess that vendor doesn't like their name attached to their opinions:laughing:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/Rubicon07147.jpg

So I basically came to terms with the fact I end up wheeling by brail sometimes. I talked with Jason(willyswanter) while we were on the slabs on the Rubicon and suggested going to a double endded ram but staying assist asking if he thought it would work. He, of course, said that he had done exactly that for a couple years and it was awesome. We talked part specs a bit and displacements but we never got to finish that conversation :(

So here I go, I think I've got my bases pretty well covered. The ram is a SurplusCenter 2.5" x 8" stroke unit with a 1.5" rod internally threaded for 3/4-16.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.1002.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.1001.jpg

I tried to mill the clevis ends out of 1018 cold roll rod but the mill at work just isn't sturdy enough to do deep cuts in mild steel so I had to order a set from Station at POS.

I bought 4 chromo 3/4" x 3/4" heims for the mini-tie rods and I'll drill the knuckles out to accomodate them.

For the mini-tie rods I have 36"s of 1.25"OD .3125 wall 1020 DOM which will hopefully yield enough for 3, one being a spare. They will be bored open to 11/16 on the ends and tapped to 3/4-16. I'll sleeve them in 1.5"OD .120" wall that I'll butt and rosette weld together.

I ordered a cast iron serpentine KRC pump with a 3.7gpm valve and a block mount kit to replace my stock P-pump. I already have the external reservoir and a system cooler which will help being the KRC unit has no integrated reservoir.

I ordered fittings to adapt the 16mm and 18mm o-ring ports on the steering box to -6 JIC as well as a -10 JIC x 1/2" NPT tee fitting to allow my to gravity feed the pump and have the return come in below the fluid line to keep from airating the system.

All the hoses and JIC fittings I got from discounthydrualichose.com, there prices are nothing short of awesome. I'll just need to get the fittings crimped locally once I cut it all to length.

With this system in place once I link the front (which I'll now do a triangulated 4 link instead of a 3 link) I'll swap the steering box for an orbital and run it as full hydro. It's going to make it so much nicer to not be tethered to a panhard and be able to push the front axle farther forward.

I'll update as I get more into building it:D

for the resivior are you just going to run the current one you have for all the fluid capacity or are you going to add something to it. also what did the clevis ends run from pos.

Yup, that reservoir will remain. Being a balanced ram I shouldn't need a huge fluid reserve for anything but more cooling. That was one of the things Jason and I talked about as I run this reservoir on his recomendation, he said it worked just fine as long as I route the return below the fluid level to prevent cav.

Stations cost for the 3/4" clevis ends and hardware was $85+s/h which ended up being $15.

Steering box ports (16mm and 18mm o-ring) to -6 JIC
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.2.jpg

Woohoo little 3/4"x3/4" chromoly heims.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.3002.jpg
Little 3/4"x3/4" heims compared to a larger 1"x1/-1/4" heim.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.3001.jpg

More packages!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.4.jpg
Clevis's from Station at POS. I really enjoy the reduced shoulder bolt that he used to get a full unthreaded shank where the heim is located, cool solution.

1/2 of the hydraulic fittings and hose( 4 -6JIC hose ends, 2 -10 JIC hose ends, -10JIC/1/2" NPT tee fitting, -10 2 wire hose and -6 2 wire hose), still waiting on the rest. Hopefully it will get here before the weekend so I can have all the hoses mocked up and ready to be crimped Monday

Interesting write up.

So teach me about cavitation.

If your pump is cavitating wouldn't you hear it? I mean, wouldn't you hear the pump wine. And wouldn't you see the bubbles in your fluid if you where to look in the reservoir?

I am wondering if I have cavitation, since you said with out a reservoir, I assume you ment external reservoir, you would get cavitation.

I have had assist steering for about 4 years now. I don't run a external reservoir. I do have a cooler, and a inline filter.

I don't think I have cavitation, but this is only based upon no pump wine, and no bubbles in my fluid.

Is there another sign of cavitation?

Sorry to hijack but do you guys run ATF or power steering fluid in your rigs?

Interesting write up.

So teach me about cavitation.

If your pump is cavitating wouldn't you hear it? I mean, wouldn't you hear the pump wine. And wouldn't you see the bubbles in your fluid if you where to look in the reservoir?

I am wondering if I have cavitation, since you said with out a reservoir, I assume you ment external reservoir, you would get cavitation.

I have had assist steering for about 4 years now. I don't run a external reservoir. I do have a cooler, and a inline filter.

I don't think I have cavitation, but this is only based upon no pump wine, and no bubbles in my fluid.

Is there another sign of cavitation?

Nope, pump whine and aerated fluid would be the two signs. You do need a reservoir, if you don't have a massive ram the stock one should work as you have enough to make up for the volume change in an unbalanced ram. I may have been a bit hasty and definitive in my suggestion, you won't always get cav without a larger reservoir. I have to run one however now with the KRC as it has no integral reservoir and without one at all I will get cavitiation.

Not much progress but I had a couple moments this evening.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.5001.jpg
Through the ram together tonight, I'll have to make a pair of .550" aluminum spacers to limit the travel just a little but thats easy to do with 10ft of 2" .250" wall 6061 laying around.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.5002.jpg
My 5/8" inverted hex adapter, $.72 worth of hardware is better than a $13 allen wrench IMO.

So I have 36"s of DOM for the mini tie-rods, well they need to be 12-1/8" long. I guess my spare is going to be 1/2" short. Oh well I'll have to thread the heims out and go easy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.5003.jpg
The rest of my hydraulic fittings, 10ft of -6 2 wire hose, 4 -6JIC 90* hose ends, 2 -10JIC hose ends, 4 -6JIC/ 1/4NPT fittings, and a -10JIC/ 1/2NPT.

Sorry to hijack but do you guys run ATF or power steering fluid in your rigs?

Valvoline Synthetic PS fluid, don't need the all the detergents of the ATF in the system IMO.

ditto.

Valvoline synthetic.

As far as the resevoir, I do have a extended pump resevior, filler neck, maybe that is enough.

Thanks for the info.

Cleaned up the old stuff, including cutting off the tabs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6002.jpg
Out with the old in with the new.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6003.jpg
Made the truss tube. Notice the flange I made so I can unbolt that side when I pull the diff cover.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6004.jpg
Welded it up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6005.jpg
Cut out a base plate.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6006.jpg
Mocked up for the evening, going to be a bit tight. Need to make some spacers to up the ram a bit so the clevis ends clear the tubing but the leaf spring clearance will be tight.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bggrnchvy/DEHydroAssist01.6007.jpg

Well I found if I turned the clevis's almost 90*'s I can make it all work and bring the ram down almost an inch. If I turn the passenger clevis all the way 90*'s it interfere's with the diff cover on full lock driver.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.9002.jpg
I also got my standard misalignment spacers from Ballistic, I like the SS nature and the large footprint they leav on the knuckle.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.9001.jpg

I have recieved my pump, well my second pump I returned the first one on delivery. I had originally planned to use a big pulley on a cast iron pump so I could have the higher max flow of the cast iron unit and not be too high over the max RPM of it. After chatting with KRC support about hoses they suggested even though the aluminum E flow valve is only a true 3.2gpm the aluminum pump with a small pulley would be a much better match to my system and for low RPM crawling.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.9004.jpg

I also turned a ram spacer, obviously it's only limited on one side. This is do to the ram body being mounted a little offset. With the spacer one the passenger only I can run equal length mtr's so I'll only need one spare. As well the mtr will clear the mount tube at driver lock without a strength killing notch.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.9003.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist01.9005.jpg
I'm aware of the arguement regarding the pump bypassing once the knuckles hit the steering stops but I've seen my former bushing (.750ID) stop on my SE ram pass a 3/4" washer (1.25OD) through the ID. If thats the bypassed pressure doing that on the smaller ram surface I'm all for a ram stop on the larger ram.

So I cut, faced, bored, tapped, chamferred and milled some mini-tie rods.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist02.2004.jpg
Got them mounted as well.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist024001.jpg
I turned some 1020 DOM spacers for the bottom of the heims at the knuckles so I could weld the spacers in place to shrink the bending moment as well as provide more working area the bolt will operate against. It took some time but I think I welded it up strong enough with a thorough pre-heat, post-heat, peening, more heat and insulation for a 2 hour cool.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist024004.jpg
I mocked up my manifold that will be plumbed inline from the reservoir drain and the pump inlet.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist02.2001.jpg
I also got a new cooler for better flow and hopefully heat dissapation. It's 15"s long, finned in and out, all aluminum with 3/8" ports that match my return line size.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist02.3001.jpg

I have to remove the stock p-pump, mount the KRC and then cut my hydro hoses to length, remove my current cooler, mount my new cooler, get my hoses crimped, weld my ram spacers in place, paint the cover and ram mount, fill and bleed and I should be about ready to go.

I got some time later this afternoon to get back to work on the truck.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist025001.jpg
I kind of had to take a little more than just the p-pump out. The KRC is in now way going to work with the stock bracket and being it's cast aluminum I can't modify it. It also happens to hold the AC compressor so it all had to come out.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist025002.jpg
Aluminum KRC vs. P-pump.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist025003.jpg
This is kind of what I need it to look lik and I was using it to take measurement and get an idea of spacing.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/KRCbracket.jpg
I have to build that tomorrow morning and hopefully get it all bolted back together easily enough.

I got out of one of my labs early tonight and being I don't have wrok because the lab takes all afternoon I had some daylight to burn today.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist026002.jpg
I got the frame built up and the front side gussets in. I still need to make the standoff's from the block and gussets for the back but I ran out of that daylight I had.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist026007.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist026008.jpg
I did mock it up on the block and it all seems to fit fine, just loose without the 4" long or so standoff's.

Well I finally got the tube I ordered to make the sapcers on Friday but the Appleton CRF hasn't shown up yet even though I payed to have it drop shipped so it would be here this week...sigh.

Chopped, faced, and chamfered the tube.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist028001.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist028002.jpg

Burned it on with each one individually bolted on to insure flush mounting. I also added a pair of support rods to counteract the pulling force of the serpentine belt. They are thin but they are only loaded in tension.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist028005.jpg

And other than paint, which I'm waiting to dry currently, the bracket is all done.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist028008.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist028009.jpg

AC pump and KRc pump mounted.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist030002.jpg
Quick and dirty expansion reservoir, I'll build a tube unit later.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist031005.jpg
Mounted CFR
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist032003.jpg
Painted mounts.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist032002.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist033005.jpg
Hydro lines cut, ready to be crimped.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist032001.jpg
Ram and links bolted up with the right hardware and the lines connected.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist034.jpg

Well after working on the truck late last night and early this morning between getting off of work and class today it's within inches to being done.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist035001.jpg
Tires are back on and aligned.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist035002.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist035003.jpg
Hydro hoses are crimped and installed along with a new serpentine belt (my 3rd try to get one to fit). The belts original application was for a Jeep 4.0L funnily enough. I could have stolen the belt from the XJ and probably found myself a winner without having to do anything.

I have fluids and tranny gasket in hand so hopefully it will be running around tomorrow. The battery is recharging currently. I'm supposed to be going to Hollister Friday morning and I won't be home tomorrow afternoon, eek.

Awesome work Kyle. Hope you get it going for Hollister. Let us know how it works if you take it wheelin.

After much consternation with bleeding and the system never taking on more than a quart of fluid. I finally cracked the passenger side ram supply/return line only to have no fluid drip for a couple seconds. Hello air bubble. After that I bled it without power for a couple minutes l-2-l, put another 3 quarts in and ran it with power for a while.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PU_-JFDQEY
It works, albeit a bit slowly. I'm not sure if the issue is in the in the bore/pump displacement or if the steering box is restricitng me. I guess I can find out by removing the steering box and converting to full hydro easily enough.

I started building the new expansion reservoir this evening after lab. I wanted an internal baffle to keep any splashing from reaching the breather. The easiest way I though of doing it was combining two peices of tube.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist037002.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist037003.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c299/bggrnchevy/DEHydroAssist037004.jpg

Well it works great. The 3.2gpm aluminum KRC pump may be a bit on the small side at idle but just off idle makes enough flow to keep me happy. The only time I wish I had more flow is in parking lots, makes me want to bump it down to low so I can have more rpm's while not moving quickly.

I ordered an orbital for the linking that's to come soon and while I was on th ephone with Sean he said they're 6.5gpm p-pump is supposed to be going fown in price to $300 when they get produciton up. Mmmm, 6.5gpm's sounds so good. I even have the stock mounting bracket still laying around.