Hydraulic Steering

[MR.Ty]

Recently, I decided to look into a full hydro steering setup as I don't know a lot about it and I have a few questions/concerns. 1) I read that once you have said setup that your steering wheel no longer rolls back to center as a non-hydro setup would, and because of that it can be rather dangerous on the highway. Is that true? 2) What do you risk when you do not run this set up and run 37s or bigger? What breaks and is it easy to repair on the trail? 3) What happens if the system fails? Do you completely loose the ability to steer, or do you just loose the assistance and have a "stock" steering setup again? Thanks in advance for helping to educate me. :thumb:

 

[wetfootnw]

I'm running 37s and broke the sector shaft on the trail. That was no fun getting it off the trail. Used the winch to steer and took about 6 hours to go 2 miles. In the middle of installing the PSC kit now. I have the pump and gear box installed. FedEx should be here in the next hour to deliver to new reservoir mount bracket so I can finish up.

 

[Beafire]

I have been running this system for two years now and it keeps right on going.
http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/hydrosteering.html
I run a PSC steering pump to supply the fluid pressure and a PSC tank to hold the fluid. I also have Hydroboost brakes off of a Ford F-350 instead of the stock vacuum setup.

If you run a system like this make sure you instal a cooler to extend the life of the system.

 

[RodCyn]

I've been running my PSC Hydro setup for a little over a year now with no problems. After twisting two sector shafts, in two months, it was time. (I was lucky they didn't shear off) I use my Jeep (cause it's fun to drive) also as a daily driver (50+ mi's daily) and it handles well.

The only thing that I've noticed, is that it's more responsive to steering input. Once you get used to that, it's pretty much a non-issue. I was told that If the system does fail (lose a hose), then you'd still have steering, although there's a lag from input (turning your steering wheel, before the your steering box moves).

 

[13_gecko_rubi]

Are you looking at full hydro or hydro assist? Big difference. And the answers to your questions vary drastically.

Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

 

[MR.Ty]

Are you looking at full hydro or hydro assist? Big difference. And the answers to your questions vary drastically.

Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

Ummm... please forgive me but I didn't know there was a difference. While using Google, I was typing in "full hydraulic steering assist". So now my question is what is the difference?

 

[13_gecko_rubi]

Hydro assist you still have steering box, drag link and tire rod. The ram is just assisting your steering box.



Full hydro you typically have a double ended ram on your axle and only hydraulic lines running to it. No drag link or steering box.



Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

 

[JEEPAlexander14]

Hydro assist you still have steering box, drag link and tire rod. The ram is just assisting your steering box.

View attachment 114434

Full hydro you typically have a double ended ram on your axle and only hydraulic lines running to it. No drag link or steering box.

View attachment 114433

Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

What is the difference with actually steering between these two? Which ones better for road...etc

 

[MR.Ty]

Ok, I was looking at the assist not the full. Im guessing my first question is kind of answered then because you retain all of the stock steering components, and your steering still acts as a completely stock one would?

Edit: Thank you for clarifying that.

 

[13_gecko_rubi]

1) I read that once you have said setup that your steering wheel no longer rolls back to center as a non-hydro setup would, and because of that it can be rather dangerous on the highway. Is that true?

Some people have reported the steering feels twitchy on psc but I know they have different valving to fix that. Other than that same as stock.

2) What do you risk when you do not run this set up and run 37s or bigger? What breaks and is it easy to repair on the trail?

You have a miserable time turning in the rocks when aired down and running 37s. I have it this way and it sucks. Just haven't had time to add hydro assist. Also higher risk for sector shaft failures etc. If you break sector shaft on trail you are hosed.

3) What happens if the system fails? Do you completely loose the ability to steer, or do you just loose the assistance and have a "stock" steering setup again?

If the hydro assist system fails you just lose the assist. If you break something else, hydro line, steering box, drag link etc same as would happen without assist. The hydro assist takes a lie odd load of the steering system though because the ram does most of the work.

Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

 

[2013rubirick]

I have psc hydro assist with 37's and love it on the rocks. IMHO if you are driving 2 and from the trails you do not want full hydro as the steering is not good at high speeds.

 

[David1tontj]

Looks like everyone is mostly just talking about hydro assist.

I'll throw this out there-
Full hydro, I don't think is street legal, and while it is very strong and simple- it is also dangerous.. If your engine stalls, you have no steering. And I mean NO steering!! Kinda scary!

Hydro assist, if your engine stalls, you at least can still turn, just like a rig with power steering that stalls.

Also- If you go hydro assist and you break one of your mechanical steering components (sector shaft, drag link, pitman arm, etc) you will still have a SMALL amount of steering capabilities from the hydro assist ram. This can sometimes be enough to get you off the trail.

 

[MR.Ty]

Some people have reported the steering feels twitchy on psc but I know they have different valving to fix that. Other than that same as stock.



You have a miserable time turning in the rocks when aired down and running 37s. I have it this way and it sucks. Just haven't had time to add hydro assist. Also higher risk for sector shaft failures etc. If you break sector shaft on trail you are hosed.



If the hydro assist system fails you just lose the assist. If you break something else, hydro line, steering box, drag link etc same as would happen without assist. The hydro assist takes a lie odd load of the steering system though because the ram does most of the work.

Sent from my SM-G900V using WAYALIFE mobile app

Well that answers all of my questions. And it looks like I shouldn't have to worry about on road handling with the different valve set up. Thank you.

 

[MR.Ty]

Looks like everyone is mostly just talking about hydro assist.

I'll throw this out there-
Full hydro, I don't think is street legal, and while it is very strong and simple- it is also dangerous.. If your engine stalls, you have no steering. And I mean NO steering!! Kinda scary!

Hydro assist, if your engine stalls, you at least can still turn, just like a rig with power steering that stalls.

Also- If you go hydro assist and you break one of your mechanical steering components (sector shaft, drag link, pitman arm, etc) you will still have a SMALL amount of steering capabilities from the hydro assist ram. This can sometimes be enough to get you off the trail.

Yup, I confident now that the tragic thread I was reading was referring to a full hydro steering, not just hydro assist. Ill deff be going to assist route once I need it.

 

[David1tontj]

Yup, I confident now that the tragic thread I was reading was referring to a full hydro steering, not just hydro assist. Ill deff be going to assist route once I need it.

Hydro ASSIST is really the best way to go imho.

 

[MR.Ty]

Hydro ASSIST is really the best way to go imho.

LOL Damn these terms that Im still getting the hang of. Yes hydro assist is what I meant.

 

[ridg3runner]

Yup, I confident now that the tragic thread I was reading was referring to a full hydro steering, not just hydro assist. Ill deff be going to assist route once I need it.

After you get it, you wonder why it took you so long to do it, yup.

 

[jeeeep]

I've had the hydro assist since May and once they got the valving correct it's been great, handles well on the freeway at all speeds. only reason I think the valving was off is the install shop did not send out my steering pump to get valved, they used one they already had and I found out there is a slight difference in the 2010 model versus what they installed.

Also, PSC told me the kit should have come with caps to bypass the ram in the event of broken hose or ram failure on the trail. Once the caps are on you should have stock steering using the pump only (I still need to get those caps as the shop lost them). As mentioned, if the steering pump fails you have the ram to help.

I'm moving up to 37's once the BFG KO2's become available and hoping the ram assist keeps the easy stock feeling I have now.

 

[upnover]

Those that have installed this with the 3.6, can you show pics of the installed parts? I have heard its a bitch to get stuff to fit.

Is anyone running this without a drag link flip and raised track bar bracket?

 

[wetfootnw]

Those that have installed this with the 3.6, can you show pics of the installed parts? I have heard its a bitch to get stuff to fit.

Is anyone running this without a drag link flip and raised track bar bracket?

I'm am in the middle of the install now and the pump and gearbox have no issues. The reservoir has the space problem and most have used the stock reservoir. PSC just updated the kit a few weeks ago to include a new mount bracket for the reservoir and their site shows pictures of a stock air box with some modifications.
I tried a test fit last night with the AIRAID CAI and that won't work w\o major modifications to the box.