SAS'ing

greengoon

greengoon

Test Drive
Location
United States
Both... On Pirate 4x4 I saw someone that set up hydraulic assist and drilled and tapped the box. Where did everything else go? Are there any other power steering upgrades that people are doing to handle a solid axle and bigger tires?

Maybe this should be a new topic in the SAS forum.
 
TheFauxFox

TheFauxFox

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Huntsville, AL
greengoon said:
Both... On Pirate 4x4 I saw someone that set up hydraulic assist and drilled and tapped the box. Where did everything else go? Are there any other power steering upgrades that people are doing to handle a solid axle and bigger tires?

Maybe this should be a new topic in the SAS forum.
Click to expand...

You are correct. For a hyrdo-assist, you need to drill and tap your stock steering pump (or if you find an alternative, tap it). From there, run the 2 lines to the ram, which is basically a hydraulic shock run by the pressure in your steering box. The ram should be connected on your horizontal steering arm and on your axle. The axle provides an axial resistance to help push (or ram) your steering arm left or right.

6edi7b.jpg


I don't know much about the actual size or location of the holes, but that should get you started.

As for any upgrades, I noticed those who run Pathys swap to the Xterra (3.3L) steering box. I don't know if there is a similar swap for Xterras like there are for Jeeps and using a Durango box.
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
It definitely gives the rig a different feel on the highway. If the pump isn't pushing enough fluid then it'll have a sluggish response which could be bad on the road. However on the rocks its nice.

Sent while mobile, typos likely.
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
I don't really see a reason to have it in the sand... I guess it'd act as a hardcore steering stabilizer.

but It'll shine in the rocks.
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
I would love to add hydro assist to my project but I have a more warm and fuzzy feeling knowing that my steering arm and linkage have a "mechanical" connection to the steering box and then from there the pitman arm its all mech linkage. To have another hydraulic link where a cylinder takes control of my steering tie rod that worries me if not done right. Say for some reason something goes wrong and the existing system pumps high pressure to one side of the cylinder? Next you know your doing a 90 deg turn at high speed. Packaged profession systems from companies who specialize in this type of equipment must have built in safety systems. I would think home made hydro assist steering systems are they safe or something to stay away from??
 
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SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
The valve used to drive your existing power steering is what drives the assisting ram. Its basically a stronger version of what you already have. If you were to take apart a steering box to take a look at how it works you would know what I mean.

Sent while mobile, typos likely.
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
what do you call it when trucks have no pitman arm and draglink setup, only a hydraulic ram moving the tie-rod? I assume this is the "hydraulic steering"? This was what my original e-mail was about. If you loose the ram or as you say a line brakes then you have no steering. Can a person run the stock steering and then add an additional hydraulic ram? Can the ram act as a steering stabilizer?
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
OK, so what do you call it when you have a setup exactly like the bottom picture but no draglink and use of pitman arm? I have seen that out on the trails. Couple of questions how do I modify the existing steering box for the hoses to the ram and secondly do they use hydraulic flow limiters to control the flow of oil so the assist does not overpower the drag link/pitman arm setup? I would assume everything has to be balanced right? I am interested in trying this sometime. Thanks for the clarification.
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
xterraminator said:
OK, so what do you call it when you have a setup exactly like the bottom picture but no draglink and use of pitman arm? I have seen that out on the trails.
Click to expand...

That doesn't make any sense? why would you have a pitman arm without anything connected to it?

The options pictured above are the only 2 ways to do it..

Here is another picture of a Hydro assisted setup.

281164d1168186283-another-request-hydro-assist-steering-pics-has3.jpg
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
Sorry to mix you guys up. what I meant to say was - "so what do you call it when you have a setup exactly like the bottom picture but no draglink rod and pitman arm." Must have been some sort of steering assist. I saw this one time and there was only one rod coming out the end like the last picture. Anyhow would be nice to hydro assist one day.

Can the stock 2000 pump be taped for hydro assist or as stated above would be best to get a different setup?
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
Oh you're talking about full hydro with a single ended ram.
That's full hydro and not hydro assist.

Yes it can be. We might be doing one soon. Ill post up if we do.

Sent while mobile, typos likely.
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
If your modifying a stock steering box that would be good to get the procedure on how to do this. Can a person use any ram? There are literally 1000's of hydraulic rams out there.

Sent from Samsung Note 2 using Tapatalk
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
yes, it's be modding the stock box, I actually have pics for my pathfinder box getting modded, it's the same concept.
We'll see if we end up doing the hydro assist on the captains X. if we do I'll add it to the build thread.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
But seriously, As I understand it, you don't want hydro assist just to have it....Once the rig is built, and if you like the feel of it without, then fuhgedabout it. I think what Steeevo is saying (correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Lutz) is that he'll know whether hydro is warranted once he has it up and rolling on its new legs
 
SteeevO

SteeevO

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
fontana,ca
Actually you want hydro assist in the rocks regardless I just haven't done mine yet I'm slacking

Sent while mobile, typos likely.
 
CaptainMorgan_SOS

CaptainMorgan_SOS

Need Bigger Tires
Location
Alamogordo, NM
I have been contemplating it ever since I got to NM and saw all the rocks here. I was most likely going to do it whether I went with the 3" SL or SAS. With the bigger tires, it makes much more sense to do it now since there is that much more size and weight and it is that much more likely that they will have to push hard on something since I will be doing more aggressive trails than I could do with the BL and 33s.

But this is the last thing. That is it. I promise ;)
 
greengoon

greengoon

Test Drive
Location
United States
SteeevO said:
Oh you're talking about full hydro with a single ended ram.
That's full hydro and not hydro assist.

Yes it can be. We might be doing one soon. Ill post up if we do.

Sent while mobile, typos likely.
Click to expand...

I know the perfect, local, 2000 X you can test this on. Then we can go back to Johnson Valley to compare before and after...

I even have sliders now!
 
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CaptainMorgan_SOS

CaptainMorgan_SOS

Need Bigger Tires
Location
Alamogordo, NM
NMTerras said:
want, sure. need?
Click to expand...

Shoot man, it's all about the wants. I mean, I could be driving an old Geo Metro and keep to the pavement, but I don't necessarily want to ;)
smileys-cheers-641856.gif


I had been saving up for while now to build an old street cruiser (67-72 shortbed Chevy), but once I went off road out in NM for the first time, I abandoned those plans and went this route.
 
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