FJ40 hydro assist (1 Viewer)

[woody]

Bruce, this thread is old enuf that the pics aren't there....let me look around tomorrow and see if I can re-link them.....

 

[Rascal]

Sorry to be such a newbie here but thanks. If it's too much of a pain - I think I've got it pretty well pieced together...

 

[D'Animal]

I spoke with Mace and he said you had a thread when you went Hydro. Are you still running this same setup? He also mentioned that it would be easy for you to take pictures of it in the current state your rig is in. (Wisconsin right? )


I'm looking for pics on How-To for the Ram Mounting brackets for a Lukes 4x4 Labs High Steer set up on my rig. The arms I have are the rear steer with a 2.5" arch to make room for the SOA. My Tie rod is 6 1/2" to the center of the dif housing and my draglink is 6 1/2" to the diff housing.

Here is what I'm looking at.

 

[slickrock]

Woody, what dit you make your Tie Rod clamp out of? Can I get a close up of it?
Slickrock

 

[D'Animal]

I know this thread is over 5 years old but I heard that he upgraded his system and that it would be easy for him to take pics of.

Woody wheels his rig more than anybody I know so I figured I would like to see some pics of what works and what he changed.

 

[slickrock]

How are you doing yorus dan? Are you using 80 series TRs or 60 series?

DOOOOOHHH on the age of this post. I was searching hydro set-ups and didn't notice.

 

[D'Animal]

Ya, I know what you mean on the search. two thread come up for Hydro Steering as titles.

I have the Lukes 4x4 labs hi-steer set up with Dana 60 (very similar to 80 series) TRE's.

I have a 6 1/2" space between the center of my dif housing and my tie rod and drag link. You can see them in the pic above running down the side of the axle housing.

I have seen some guys connect the ram to the steering arm, I don't know how if that is right but is common on full hydro set ups.

I have seen some guys with high steer weld the mount to the front cover of thier dif, the metal of the cover "tears" away from the dif cover. Tomsryd has experienced this first hand. I don't have Hi steer on my FJ40 but do have hydro assist. My cover is starting to tear.

If I was to use a bracket similar to what woody has pictured, they would both need to be 3". 3" out from the Tie rod and 3" out from the Dif housing. In my mind, I see this as a weak spot. I think it could easily bend the Tie Rod.

So, right now, I don't know how I'm going to do mine.

 

[slickrock]

Just a thought, but on the 60 /40 axles, the u shaped wheel stops could be used (with reinforcement) as the base for the ram and then the other end to the TR (like an aftermarket steering stabilizer). One of the thoughts I had. The other is to strengthen the diff and go to the TR.

 

[woody]

3 pics of mine, just took them...

8" stroke ram from West Texas OffRoad...hoses from Fleet Farm....welded tabs to the tie rod, welded upper tab to the axle housing and welded lower tab to the diff....

works.

 

[D'Animal]

Thanks Woody!

I never though about welding the bottom tab to the 3rd member. Great idea and you can still remove the 3rd. Solves my problem.

 

[slickrock]

Right on woody. What about the TR. If you need to adjsut it, with the ram rod welded to it, would you have to cut it off and reweld?

 

[woody]

yep - set it up right the first time

that tie rod is the original one from 2004...so is the diff and the tab that's welded on there...the housing has been replaced and I removed/reused the upper triangular mount.

 

[Mace]

Thanks Woody!

I never though about welding the bottom tab to the 3rd member. Great idea and you can still remove the 3rd. Solves my problem.

lol

I told you he did that on the phone

 

[D'Animal]

I just had to see it.

lol

I told you he did that on the phone

I doubt if I could weld a steel tab to cast iron and make it work.

I will make sure the mock up is done so you can show me how.

 

[woody]

cast steel, aren't they? - easy enuf with the stick welder

 

[Mace]

The center sections are cast steel, mig it