PSC Steering box

[frosty]

Anyone running a PSC steering box in a hydro assist setup? If so mind taking some pics of where they tapped the box?

I can see on their website that they tapped what I think is the right turn port in a different location. I have another steering box in the garage I am planning on tapping and I want to get out of that tiny vein that is currently used. Its to easy to get down to far and cut off the flow.

Measurements would be even better. :D

[breakinshit]

I can look into this tonight. Let me know the measurements or pics you want.

[frosty]

Cool thanks. A pic of it looking straight at the ports would be good. Also a measurement to give me some reference point on where to drill for the port circled. Either a measurement from the end of the input gear, end of the housing or from the step the other port is on.

http://thefrostys.com/misc/psc.jpg

[breakinshit]

1 11/16" from end of the housing or 15/16" from the face of the step down.

[breakinshit]

The port is dead center on the seam in the middle. Let me know if this works or if you need something else.

[frosty]

Sweet, thanks Chris. Thats perfect.

[b4wscrambler]

I was looking for something else and came across this, thought it might help.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/HydroAssistTap/index.html

[frosty]

Thanks for the link, I used that for my first one which is on the jeep now. The problem, in my opinion, is the fluid channel you have to hit for the bottom hole is pretty small and its easy to bottom out the fitting and restrict fluid flow.

So I am going to use the location that PSC does and I am also going to try and tap it for 3/8" instead of 1/4". There is enough meat in the area of the top hole from the link you posted and I am pretty sure that there is in the area that PSC uses.

[frosty]

Chris, are you running a PSC pump as well?

[breakinshit]

Nope just the box and ram. I actually need to get a High performance pump as I am swapping the box and ram onto the tj which still sees street time. On the stock pump it was slow as molasses which would be bad for street driving.

[frosty]

Ok. I was hoping for some pics but I found some online. I got one of their modded TC pumps and thought the suction port aiming more down than up was odd. It can only mount one way so I guess its just the way it is.

The stock was way to slow so I am hoping this one fixes that. Almost double the GPM should do it.

[Ripster]

Don't get your hopes too high. I've got one of the PSC high performance pumps and I didn't really see much of an improvement. Time for full hydro...

[breakinshit]

Let me know how it works when you get it going. I am hoping the new pump will get this thing turning fast enough it can be run on the street.

[frosty]

Don't get your hopes too high. I've got one of the PSC high performance pumps and I didn't really see much of an improvement. Time for full hydro...

In speed or power?


Let me know how it works when you get it going. I am hoping the new pump will get this thing turning fast enough it can be run on the street.

Will do. Hoping to get out to RC on the 11th. If you are there you can try it yourself.

[Ripster]

In speed or power?

Both. It's absolutely fine for street driving, very little rolling resistance there. On the trail, it does a great job of pushing a front axle with a spool, something I couldn't begin to do without hydro assist. However, it's nowhere near fast enough for rock-racing and I've been dissapointed by it when in a good rock pile. I think I'm really asking too much of it and need to step up to full hydro.

[frosty]

Gotcha. What size ram and what model pump?

[Ripster]

West Texas ram, matched very well with current steering travel. PSC remote reservoir. The pump is their high-end one that requires their bracket to mount it. I'll need to check their site to figure out which one it is. You can check it out next Sunday at the club ride.

[frosty]

That sounds like a P pump in which case you shouldnt have any flow issues. There has to be something else wrong as that is the pump they use with full hydro. Well if it is indeed a P pump.

Any idea what size ram? 1.5" x 8" or 1.75" x 8" or 2" x 8"?

Edit: It could be a CB style pump as they have a bracket in which case its not the hydro pump.

[Ripster]

Yep, it's a P pump. Ram looks to be 1.5 x 6 or 8. I agree, I think there is some other limiting factor, like maybe my cooler. I always thought it was the feed line collapsing that was the limiting factor, but I recently repaired it, so I'm not certain what it is. Honestly though, it's pretty far down on my list. Mainly I just want to get out and wheel. :D

I think the CB uses the factory belt and the P needs a longer one. Again, I'm pretty sure it's a P.

[frosty]

From what I can tell with that pump you should have no speed issues. At least pump related. Return lines, collapsed feed lines, restrictions or a few other things are very likely your problem. Especially with the smaller ram.

I agree on the wheel part. :lol:

[Ripster]

Especially with the smaller ram.
I ordered the ram back when I had my D44 front. You should have heard the little old lady at West Texas. She was adamant about not selling me a ram until I went out and measured my steering throw. :lol:
Fortunately, it matched up perfect with my 60.

[frosty]

:lol: I was actually referring to the diameter not length. Smaller should equate to faster to a point. Bigger would mean more power but to keep the speed up you need more GPM.

[Ripster]

On the flip side, it's lightning fast compared Jeremy's Nissan. You could boil an egg faster than turn that school bus around on a trail. :lol:

[b4wscrambler]

Not sure if it helps or not but I had to drill out Main fitting to get the speed I wanted out of the steering. I went up in drill bit size 2 steps at a time until it had the speed that I wanted. It is easy to go to far and starve the pump. Small changes at a time.

http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/powersteering.html

The mod made a big difference. Definitely worth the time.

[frosty]

Yeah I gave that a whirl on the stock pump. While I am sure it helped it still wasnt fast enough. I just dont think the stock TC pump can move enough fluid. Its only rated at most 2.8 GPM.

Got everything hooked up last night and at first glance it appears to be faster. Thats just cranking the wheel in the driveway at idle but it appeared to keep up better than before.

I am sure my setup is less than ideal with block 90s and a mishmash of parts but it'll work for now. :lol:

[frosty]

For anyone that cares or wants to know.

I opened up the steering box I had planned on drilling and tapping with 3/8". I am not sure I'll use the spot PSC does simply because there is no way I can get it drilled for 3/8" and stay between the seals.

I am not even sure I could drill it for 1/4" and might guess that they make the hole into the steering box smaller than what is needed for 1/4". I'd have to look at one of their boxes first hand to find out though so its just a guess. Unless going over the seal marks doesnt matter but I think it does.

I might try after I take some measurements because at this point I havent checked it against the numbers Chris gave me. I am just going off the fact that I am pretty sure I need to land between those seals. I also need to find a better schematic of the fluid flow. The pics below should show you what I mean.

The black arrow is pointing to the hole that is the vein you normally hit on the lower of the two tap points. Well at least looking at the steering box and how it mounts on a Jeep frame.

The red arrows are the seal lines and are where I need to drill between. These should correspond to the measurements Chris gave me earlier.

The yellow arrow is where the top port is when you normally tap the box. It lands in the rough section of housing where no seals or parts ride.

The blue arrow is the supply/pressure hole from the steering pump.

http://thefrostys.com/jeep/steering_box/files/IMG_6023.jpg

The red circle in the next pic is just a slightly better shot of where you are drilling and tapping for the top hole for hydro assist.

http://thefrostys.com/jeep/steering_box/files/IMG_6024.jpg

For reference these are the top and bottom ports I am talking about in the above pics.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/HydroAssistTap/1.jpg

[Numidian]

Just get an orbital and run full hydro LOL This shit is way too complicated :flipoff2:

[frosty]

Buy it for me and I will. :flipoff2:

[frosty]

Ok so there is no way you are drilling for 3/8" NPT between those wear marks. The best I can measure is about 5/16" inside the marks, maybe 3/8". I'd be interested to see how PSC does there because you need a 7/16" drill bit for 1/4" NPT. I guess with something more accurate than my old table top drill press you could get it done but personally I'd be leery of drilling it there. I do like the location though better than hitting that vein.

3/8" is overkill seeing how the passageways are the limiting factor in the steering box but I just wanted to see if I could do it. Now to rebuild the box and throw it on the jeep.