neat idea
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neat idea
whilst I was at work today staring blankely at the sky avoiding my tasks we got a new piece of equipment in. its a big all terrain pettybone lift. (looks like a giant 4x4 forklift). well as they were runnin it around i was watchin it a lil and noticed that it had the ability to steer just the front two wheels or all four in opposing motion to cut in real tight and it could turn all 4 the same way to crab walk. how hard do you guys think it would be to right up a hydraulic steering system like that? i figure all i waould need are two front ends froma beefy truck and two hydraulic steering boxes a big pump and a way to set up to switching to change steering modes. prolly easier said then done though
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From: Virginia Beach
You could just throw a quadrasteer rear off of a GMC and be done with it. Move over the necessary steering gear, and what ever else to get it to work and viola 
To build your own to avoid the GMC parts. . . Lets see. Assuming you make appropriate measurements and cuts, you could probably mod out a Dana 60 rear. Cut the axle tubes to length, press on the inner/outer knuckle setups onto the cut tubes. Cut and spline 2 passenger side axles, install, then add drive flanges to the outside hubs. Mount a heavy tie rod on there, and attach it to a hydraulic ram setup to a remote mount, electric pump. Operate it like BigFoot, with a 2 way toggle switch for left/right steering. Presto! Steerable rear, with disk brakes to boot 
Might be just alittle over simplified, but it should work 
To build your own to avoid the GMC parts. . . Lets see. Assuming you make appropriate measurements and cuts, you could probably mod out a Dana 60 rear. Cut the axle tubes to length, press on the inner/outer knuckle setups onto the cut tubes. Cut and spline 2 passenger side axles, install, then add drive flanges to the outside hubs. Mount a heavy tie rod on there, and attach it to a hydraulic ram setup to a remote mount, electric pump. Operate it like BigFoot, with a 2 way toggle switch for left/right steering. Presto! Steerable rear, with disk brakes to boot Might be just alittle over simplified, but it should work
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From: Virginia Beach
I don't mind experimenting at all, as long as your paying for it And you let me borrow your tools. . . and your garage. . . and maybe make me lunch? And if there is time, I might be able to help clean up the mess.
And you let me borrow your tools. . . and your garage. . . and maybe make me lunch? And if there is time, I might be able to help clean up the mess.
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From: Virginia
I saw them put a 4wheel steering system on a 40's dodge truck on the Trucks show on spike TV. There's used hydralics to turn the wheels as opposed to a steering rack. There must be an aftermarket who would sell a setup similiar?
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From: Virginia Beach
Betcha $5 that its identical to the setup on construction equipment (i.e. Fork trucks, man lifts, etc.). Better yet, you could probably update/upgrade the stock Hydro assists found on old Hi-Boys. Lose the steering box for a larger pump and ram for full ram steering 
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thats what i said
thats what i said top begin with it is construction equipment and i am a construction worker. they kind of go hand in hand. the only problem is i dunno how i would rig the steering wheel to control the pumps (front and rear) and be able to get it to 2 wheel steer 4wheel steer and crab walk. if i cant do all of that i dont want it. 
dag blast it im an american and i demand to be spoiled rotten with cool steering. cant we just kill someone or start a war and confiscate it from someone else. okay im done ranting
dag blast it im an american and i demand to be spoiled rotten with cool steering. cant we just kill someone or start a war and confiscate it from someone else. okay im done ranting
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From: Virginia Beach
Oh yeah, I forgot you started this thread. I'd forget my head if I didn't have it tack welded on 
For just playin' around, I would leave the front end with a steering box, and setup the back end with a toggle switch for just left lock, center, right lock. Wonder if you could plumb the lines into the power steering pump?
For just playin' around, I would leave the front end with a steering box, and setup the back end with a toggle switch for just left lock, center, right lock. Wonder if you could plumb the lines into the power steering pump?
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still boggled
i understand the plumbing prob that is an easy fix, but i dont under stand the idea of an toggle switch controlled lock on the rear steering assy. if it was a quadra steer rear off a gmc that is all hydraulicly controlled. now i was thinking bout finding a front end off another 79 bronco or similiar vehicle and flipping it so that the pumpkin is on the drivers side same as the front. now from my experience with uv joints is that they bend. (duh) the pumpkin on the front diff is exactly its width off center to the drivers side of the truck. so thats only about 4.5 inches to the center of the pumpkin where the yolk is i figure the drive shaft for the rear would make that angle pretty easy. either that or pickup a second transfer case and where the rear shaft would come out of of the first one would connect to the seond one drive input and give me the extra off set i would need to be in a straight line as well as the cabibility of disengaging the rear. i would be able to flip drive from front to rear or all 4 and steer with all four. sounds neat but would take alotta work.
oh well mayb ie the other guy earlier is right and there is a 4 wheel steering after market kit or something and save my self the headache.
oh well mayb ie the other guy earlier is right and there is a 4 wheel steering after market kit or something and save my self the headache.
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From: Virginia Beach
You can't just flip a front end around. Well, I guess you could, but the gears would be driving on the "coast" side of the gear teeth I believe. Not the best idea for proper wear and long life. You'd also have to firgure away to get the drive shaft to turn the opossite way to get forward motion in drive. If you flip it upside down, You may not receive proper lubing for the pinion, and all your chamber/caster adjustments would be upside down and backwards. As would your brake lines. And steering linkages. I still say it would be easier to adapt the knuckles onto a rear end and have custom inner axles made. The steering linkage wouldn't be too hard to fab. The toggle switch idea was just for a simple steering setup. Flip the switch left, and the ram would turn the rear left until the predetermined stopping point, at which time that side of the circuit would stop until you flicked the switch again. Returning the switch to the middle position would center the tires, and flicking it right would turn the wheels right. Like on the front end, steering "lock too lock". Thats just for following the K.I.S.S principle
