45.
Upgrade power steering to TC style pump with remote reservoir and Chillkat bracket46.
Drill and tap steering box47.
Install hydraulic assistWell what a weekend it was. I went over to mudmaster's place to tackle quite the big job of upgrading my power steering as well as install my new hydraulic assist. We started off very strong with Mark's friend Jim helping with some fabrication and welding. He made short work of welding on the bracket for the hydraulic ram onto the axle while me and Mark ran to the metal yard to pick up some steel for a custom bracket to mount my new Dave'z reservoir. We then all set about designing and creating the bracket. We were making very good time and had the fabrication work done by mid day. We then set about the mechanical side of things starting with the removal of all of my current power steering equipment. By 4 oclock we had everything drained and pulled off the truck and had begun to disassemble the steering box for drilling and tapping of hydro assist fittings. Everything was going very smoothly up until we attempted to screw in our first fitting. We found that the fittings would not start into the newly tapped holes. After about an hour of scratching our heads and attempting to figure out the problem. I realized that the tap we were using had a taper such that we were not getting deep enough with it to spread the hole enough for the fitting's threads to start. After we figured that out we made short work of finishing the tapping and re-assembly of the steering box. We then began to install all of the new parts and connect hoses.
After a very long and arduous first day we were left with one major problem standing in the way of completion. The hydraulic hoses I ordered to run from the newly tapped steering box to my new hydraulic ram were too short. We racked our heads and got on google searching all over for someone who was open on Sundays making hydraulic lines. With a couple possibilities, none of which were very promising, we called it a night. I shot off an email to a guy I had been corresponding with from Pirate since I began looking into doing hydro assist and whom had recommended me the lengths of hoses that I ordered. I didn't receive a reply from him before I passed out on Mark's couch around 1 AM.
I awoke to an email from Romeo the guy who I had emailed the night prior. He let me know that he lived nearby and could bring me an extra hose that should be long enough to work, so long as the longer of my two hoses could work for the shorter run. I shot him off Mark's address and then went about testing the longer of my two hoses on the shorter run. I was able to make it work and was back in business. Romeo showed up about an hour and a half later with his spare hose in hand. I quickly installed it and we began the bleeding procedure. Now going into this I had read up while researching hydro assist, that the bleeding was by far the biggest pain in the ass and could even take 2 days to get right. I have to say our experience was nothing of the sort. My new friend Chris showed up shortly after Romeo, and the now 4 of us set about bleeding the system. Short of a couple fittings that needed a little tightening up and my power steering pump belt being installed on the wrong pulley the whole process was quick and painless. Around 3 oclock I had taken the truck around the block for a couple test runs and on the 3rd one we no longer found any leaks and the job was done!
I can't thank Mark, Romeo, and Chris enough for the help this weekend. Especially Mark for the long 2 days he put in with me and for the hospitality of his garage and his home. It was really nice getting to wrench and hang out with you before our big trip to Moab, brother. You are one cool cat and I'm glad to have made you as a friend.
My recommendation for those of you who attempt to tackle hydro assist in the future:
1. Absolutely utilize the guides on the forums out there, however make sure to take measurements for your truck in particular for hoses, as no two trucks are the same in this regard.
2. Make sure to have both a tapered/regular 1/4 -18 NPT tap as well as a bottom 1/4 - 18 NPT tap.
3. Put your axle on jack stands or jacks so that there is no weight on the tires when you do the bleeding procedure.
4. Make sure your reservoir is higher than your pump. I fully believe this is why my bleeding procedure went so smoothly.
