I've slowly been researching and gathering parts for the hydro assist upgrade over the last couple months. My dad and I finally got started on the project today. We got the tabs welded in place and the box is drilled and tapped.

PSC 1.75" bore ram with 8" stroke.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC001.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC001.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC002.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC002.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC003.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC003.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC004.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC004.jpg)
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That's it for today. Tomorrow we should be able to get the box and the ram bolted in place and start making the lines as well as a "reservoir". However, I don't have the fittings that connect to the ram so it won't be complete until sometime next week.

fingers has something in the work like that on his truck... helps him turn those 375/55r16 tires he has on the front...


im sure he might have some useful pointers;)


btw it looks good you doing a staight axle conversion on your sig?

Nice . Is that another center link above the leaf springs ?

Here is the link to Fingers ram assist ,http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156083&highlight=power+steering+assist

Is that a factory HD steering box? I doubt it, but if so where did u get the drop pitman arm? If it isn't what is that steering box out of......

You will find you can get ahead of the pump easily. Consider a high flow pump upgrade. Otherwise, it it the way to go IMO.

The tabs look a little too far apart. Did you dry run lock to lock with the piston in place yet?

Puffer, that's actually the drag link resting on the front diff because we had to disconnect it from the pitman arm to get the box out.

The steering box is the stock one. The drop pitman arm is from ORU and it was modified by filing the three blinds into it to fit on the stock sector shaft.

We did test the ram with the tabs in that location. It may just be the angle of the pic that's deceiving.

Now for today's progress: Bolted the steering box back up and mounted the ram, so now I'm just waiting on some 90 and 45 degree fittings to get it plumbed. I'm also still lacking the radiator hose for my "reservoir".

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC006.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC006.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC007.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC007.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC008.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC008.jpg)
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jellus!....... looks good!

Goon ty for that , I see your project is progressing nicely .

its looking good

Finally got everything finished up the other day. Also, Fingers was correct about the tabs being too far apart. We ended up having to move a pair of the tabs about a half of an inch closer. It was a little bit of a pain but everything turned out great in the end.


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC009.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC009.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC010.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC010.jpg)
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http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC011.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC011.jpg)
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The "reservoir" is just a piece of radiator hose about 9" long with hose clamps on each end and I cut the neck off of an old pump to seal it at the top.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC013.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i181/GoonRider237/PSC013.jpg)
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Total cost was less than $220 and it's definitely one of the best mods I've added thus far. The ram makes steering much smoother, it brought back the firmness in the steering wheel, and it acts as a much better stabilizer than that single rancho I had. However, I think I may have gotten ahead of the ram at one point, so an upgraded pump will be considered if it happens regularly. Thanks for all the help guys.

good job you are making that truck look and handle better every time i see it on here

If you find you only need a little more pump, there is reasonably easy mod you can do to your pump to get the extra 5%-10%. Save you paying the $$ for another pump.

Fingers, what is this mod? This sounds like something that I might be interested in for my 2007.5 SAS.

GoonRider, Truck looks great! The hydraulic assist I'm sure is a very big improvement. Nice work.

Look here (http://westtexasoffroad.homestead.com/powersteering.html) for pressure and flow mods to the pump. All you really need is the flow mod which drills out the fitting a couple sizes bigger. Does not harm and MIGHT be all you need.

There are also high flow pump available and undersize pulleys.

Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely have to read up on that.

Best thing I ever did to my old truck bar none. I have some pics its on IFS though not a SFA

I put the ram on my '04 2500HD. The space it tight, but there is no substitute for turning authority. I have no trouble turning 375/75's even with the front axle locked.

I posted pictures of it a while ago.

Nice .

For you folks with IFS, here is the thread with pictures of my install.

http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156083