looking to add hydro assist to my bronco with ford box. iv heard that you have to have a saginaw box cuz a ford box wont flow enough. im just wonderen if itll work with a 1 1/2" ram instead of a 2"? any of you guys running a ram with the ford box and what size and how well does it work. my box has hardly any miles on it and would like to keep it. plus i really cant afford another box.

 

Pressure and volume is provided by the pump. The saginaw pump is more desirable, because it can provide both.

Too large of a diameter ram and the ram will react too slow, making steering difficult.
Too small and it might as well not be there.

 

If you drive it on street u will not like the 2" ram. It will be too slow and unsafe under situations where you need to react fast as it tajes longer to fill cylinder. 1.5" is pretty good and is what I run but I will soon run a psc 1.75x.75x 6 ram. My 1.5 is a 8" inch stroke which works fine but it is also a 1" diameter rod so the pull of the ram is less power than the push. The smaller diameter rod gives you closer power to the push but will never be equal. When I go with a 6" stroke 1.75x.75rod ram it will be with high steer which only needs a 6" stroke vs the 8. I figure it will react exactly the same for speed as my setup now even though the ram will be slower but it only has to move 3"s in either direction. As far as you want to save your box goes get a junk one, find a high pressure diagram pic on a standard box and drill in the galleries to find a suitable pressure spot with enough meat to be able to tap. I tapped mine with a pipe tap then welded it as well. I carry caps fir the fittings so if I ever blew a line or bent a ram or something I can block it and go back to standard power steering..

 

thanks. where did you get your 1.5x8? cant find one anywhere.

 

So speaking of hydro assist, where's a good place I can read up on it?
I'm clueless to anything other than stock. I want knowledge.

 

Ford Steering Box Adaptation For Hydro Assist Steering

 

Read the pirate 4x4 billa vista " where to tap steering box for hydro assist" thread. I'd add a link but I can't really from my phone. Just remember to use a donor junk box to find the best spot to tap. Little trick after you tapped your hole and have a fitting installed to check to see if your in the right pressure passage just turn your box right and have your ear over fitting. You should hear it blow in one direction of turn only. When you turn the other way you should be able to hear it in the other fitting. Never should you hear it blow in both directions..

 

So is there a specific tire size to upgrade steering at? I mean with 37" Swampers it didn't seem to have any trouble steering. But somewhere on the box there is a bad leak. I havn't looked at it real close and have not done anything regarding the steering box/pump. But I have to check it out soon. (Leaking P.S. fluid somewhere.)

 

Do it with 33's and push the rocks out of your way. It's not the height of tire that makes it harder to turn so much as it's the bigger wider footprint of each tire touching the ground.

 

I get what your saying. I have to admit, it would be cool to do what i've seen some crawlers do and move the vehicle by turning lol.

 

^^^ thats REALLY hard on the knuckles.


Pretty good write up there b_eastep

 

Yeah stock knuckles are not the best that's why I gusseted mine on all 4 corners and welded with pre heat and a cast nirod then let cool over a long period buried in a bucket of dry sand at my shop. Works good.

 

The main reason I put it on mine was the big tires cracked the frame around the steering box twice, hasn't broke since.

 

mark a., i just looked at your truck, and there is a guy a few towns over from me that has a 78 f150 that is damn near identicle to your truck, but it's on 44'' ground hawgs. nice truck btw.

 

Lately, I've been asked by two people if I sold mine to someone up in Albion Pa., so there are some impostors out there.