Steering

Anyone run a manual rack and pinion on a 83 f-150 with straight D44 in the front? Trying to get rid of the power steering..

What's the application? I ran a manual rack on my ranger bodied mud truck for a couple of years but if I got into a situation where I needed to saw the wheels, it was almost impossible. Now that I'm much faster and can get on top of the mud, it wouldn't be an issue but I've already made the switch to full hydraulic.

kjett wrote:What's the application? I ran a manual rack on my ranger bodied mud truck for a couple of years but if I got into a situation where I needed to saw the wheels, it was almost impossible. Now that I'm much faster and can get on top of the mud, it wouldn't be an issue but I've already made the switch to full hydraulic.

running 42 in swampers. I want to get rid of the pump and steering gear box. How did you make it a full hydraulic? any different ideas how I can steer without robbing hp

By application, I meant mud truck, pull truck, street/trail truck, full time offroad rig?

I bought a full hydraulic steering setup. AGR makes a good one but pricey. For the pump, I just run an electric pump for a dump bed

You don't need to buy a kit if you can do a little fabricating. Here's what you need.

1. Orbital valve, shaft and steering wheel from a combine or fork lift
2. Power unit like this one http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200329758_200329758
3. 2 2" x 8" stroke hyd. cylinders with clevis ends (can get a tractor supply)
4. Either reinforce your tie rod or better yet. get 1-1/2" heavy wall tube and make your own tie rod with Heims ends (never bent or broke on my puller)
5. fab brackets and weld to axle and tie rod.
6. connect hoses and electrical and bang, Hyd. steering.

When you first run the pump after its all finished. I found it best to have the front on jack stands so you can turn the wheel right and left to bleed the air out of the system.

HorsinAround wrote:You don't need to buy a kit if you can do a little fabricating. Here's what you need.

1. Orbital valve, shaft and steering wheel from a combine or fork lift
2. Power unit like this one http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200329758_200329758
3. 2 2" x 8" stroke hyd. cylinders with clevis ends (can get a tractor supply)
4. Either reinforce your tie rod or better yet. get 1-1/2" heavy wall tube and make your own tie rod with Heims ends (never bent or broke on my puller)
5. fab brackets and weld to axle and tie rod.
6. connect hoses and electrical and bang, Hyd. steering.

When you first run the pump after its all finished. I found it best to have the front on jack stands so you can turn the wheel right and left to bleed the air out of the system.

This is actually what I did, but most people don't like buying the parts from different places and just want to go with the name brand "kit" stuff...

Out of cutiosity, why 2 rams? I run a single double acting cylinder with no issues.

The cylinder is stronger when extending then when retracting back into the housing for some reason. Without a weight bar, 1 cylinder works fine. I actually did mine with 1 2" cylinder and when sitting still, I could turn the wheels left with no problem, but couldn't turn right (retracting the rod back into the cylinder). As long as the truck was rolling it would turn right and left no problem.

There is less surface area to act upon while retracting, because you lose the square inches of the ram. The "push" side has full bore capacity to act upon.

schmitty wrote:There is less surface area to act upon while retracting, because you lose the square inches of the ram. The "push" side has full bore capacity to act upon.

Wow, This guy is way more than just another......pretty face..   

More like double purty. Purty darn ugly and purty darn likely to stay that way.

pigs521bbf wrote:

kjett wrote:What's the application? I ran a manual rack on my ranger bodied mud truck for a couple of years but if I got into a situation where I needed to saw the wheels, it was almost impossible. Now that I'm much faster and can get on top of the mud, it wouldn't be an issue but I've already made the switch to full hydraulic.

running 42 in swampers.  I want to get rid of the pump and steering gear box.  How did you make it a full hydraulic?  any different ideas how I can steer without robbing hp

I use a electric pump off of a Toyota mr2 plumbed straight into the power steering box, it is a tad lazy when I hang all my weights, 1000 lbs, at a stand still, but once moveing its just like regular power steering,,, total weight is 5500