Sorry for continuing this thread, but I have some ?'s about hydro assist on the LR steering box. Here is the deal.

I am going to be running 38"s (I know, I know, gonna break axles and cv's). The 35x14.5's I had on the truck were taxing the stock steering box. My choices are:

Keep the stock box and hope for the best

Keep the stock box and have westtexasoffroad.com tap it for hydro assist

Ditch the box and go Saginaw conversion

Option one is not really a consideration for me.

Option two has promise, but what about these questions:
Where would the assist ram go? I have the 3-link rock guard, so welding it to the housing and the track rod are out. How about using a R-hand drive knuckle and running the ram in front from a bracket on the housing to the rhd knuckle?

When they tap the box for the ram, will the output be some specific "bias" that is coordinated with the pitman arm output (pardon my ignorance of this subject and poor vocabulary). I assume a custom length ram will have to be used. And will I have to measure the travel the rhd swivel makes, to give that info to the guys making up the ram assist?

Option 3 sounds great, and has been done successfully, but:
I currently use the location on the frame that will be used for the saginaw box (my front shock mounts). Changing them out for something else is not much of an option at this point. Unless someone knows of some external from shock mounts that can use 9012 length shocks, and stay clear of the mounting location of the saginaw box. Also, would the stock steering linkage and such work for the saginaw box?

Thanks for all the help,

Blister

ps. Can't wait for the tdi to come in, so I can really start building this thing!!!

Originally posted by BillnSandi
Ditch the box and go Saginaw conversion

go for it, its the best by far. and do it right one time rather than almost right two or three.

cheapest, most simple, most reliable.

Do a search NEWBIE!!!!:flipoff2:

Okay...I would go for option #2. Drill and tap the box....Check the amount of through you need by turning lock to lock and measuring from a common reference...Should be 6-7" (guess). Then check Northern tool for a 1.5" ram with the same through. If you can't get the right through, then you can modify the ram with a stop (never done it but I hear it's easy :flipoff2: )

Now, mounting the ram is the tricky part....I have contemplated cutting a notch in the top of the SG tie-rod protector, and welding a extra long mounting tab on the tie-rod....Basically long enough to poke through the slot in the top of the SG protector. Now, you can mount the ram to the axle housing and intercept the mounting tab on the tie-rod.

One thing to remember is to mount the tab as close to the end of the tie-rod as you can (for obvious reasons).

I'm convinced that this is the way to go rather than doing the major mods required to mount the saginaw....And I'm also convinced that our pumps (thanks Adam) will be fine for a 1.5" bore ram.

--D

Hey Billster,

You know you're gonna break some cv's! :flipoff2:

Did you look at the Serious One's front suspension? I found some LWB RR shock towers and we mounted them behind the springs on the opposite side of the factory so they angled back toward the rear of the truck.

Timm also fabbed up shock mounts on the radius arms just behind the rear bolt.

The towers had a 6 inch tubular section welded in and the upper mount was converted to accept the bolt.

9012's work nicely, but I don't know about the inner wheel well situation and if it'll work.

Basically I'm trying to to the same thing you are (AGAIN!!!) with the external shock mounts on the 146 (I did an accurate measurement last night) and NOT being in the way of the Saginaw box that's already been installed.

If you're looking for ease of installation definitely go with the Rover box. I dunno how long it'll last with the 38's though. Again, hearkening back to the bob-tailed RR and the lessons learned, the box isn't strong enough to push around 38's on the Rubicon. Ended up leaking like a seive and not strong enough. He did not have a ram assist though, so that would change the equation.

Stop copying me!!!! (my kids have been saying that all day today.....)

Later,

Michael

PS You just need to fly up here for a weekend and see what's going on. You might get some ideas! (course the wheelin' isn't bad either....)

One other shock mount option (actually two now that i'm thinking about it), are the MJ Lee mounts. We could mount them backwards, pointing to the rear, and do the same shock mount on the radius arm that Serious One has.

-OR- (and I like this one best)

Talk ol smack-mouthin' RockRover into making another set of his mounts just pointing to the rear instead of the front.

Whaddya think???

Michael

Originally posted by Serious One
Talk ol smack-mouthin' RockRover into making another set of his mounts just pointing to the rear instead of the front.

Whaddya think???

Michael

Fawk it and go coil-overs man...Quit fawkin around! By the time you figure out how to run a Rancho' you would have had the coilies mounted and tuned...

-D

:)

Um, so, umm...

I'm guessing that's a NO???

:flipoff2:

Michael

Bill,

Have a thread titled hydro assist information found on how to measure the throw for the hydraulic ram (not as simple as one would think if you use a single throw ram). The thread also gives the specs on the rover pump output at differnt situations. A helpful conversion for your searches is to multiply kgf/cm^2 by 14.22 and it gives PSI.

I would go with a Howe pump and weld a custom mounting bracket (gives ~5 GPM and can use 2" or 2.5" ram). The rover box should be fine with the Howe pump. The trick is that the pump has to match the ram. I have some calculation infromation on how to get the proper ram size once you know the GPM of the pump. Cooling, filter (a must!!!), lines, also add to volume but those should be easy to figure out. For what ever box you use it will cost $475 to drill modify and tap. Depending on system it will give 100-150% more power. In other words no problems for your small 38s :)

I run 9012 up front inside of the coil with no problems. I have Rockware mounts. I am able to get a little bit more travel than you have currently out of my front end as well, so you should be happy with the flex it gives. I have pics galore if you want to see something in particular.

Way