bolt on power steering kit

[m-35tom]

unidentifiable (means i can't say) sources said that very soon there would be a bolt on kit for hyd power steering comming out of korea for around $1200. anyone know anything??

 

[benni72]

i saw one on a 2 1/2 ton at tnj murray recently on a truck that came out of aberdeen. from what i understand tnj is just copying it and going to offer it as a kit. it is very simple system and all the parts the military used were standard over the counter parts. pump is from a old mack- belt driven pump with built in reservior tank on top. they used a steering arm off a all terrain fork lift and exchanged it with the one on a duece. no welding, very clean looking. looked almost like the air assit but hydraulic.

 

[rdixiemiller]

Sounds like what we ran on a lot of front end loaders. The drag link had a control valve on one end, and the cylinder was attached to the frame and the drag link. The only issue I had was that the hyd. hoses from the control valve to the cylinder were easy to damage if you backed into a stump. Bear in mind that this was an old Case machine that had a fixed front axle and steered at the rear.

 

[benni72]

you just wrote exactly what i saw mr. miller. like i said very simple design and worked perfectly. now hopefully the koreans won't put out a hit on me for giving out what we already knew or at least what i knew.

 

[gringeltaube]

..... pump is from a old mack- belt driven pump with built in reservior tank on top....

Wondering how that pump would be (easily) installed in a Multifuel Deuce?????

G.

 

[benni72]

if i remember correctly the pump was mounted under the air compressor in front of the IP. they bolted a additional pulley onto the crank to run it. i really cant or do i want to get into the full details because its sort of messing with peoples man hours of labor and design as well as their livelyhood. but as i said you now know what the major parts are and if your the least bit creative its very easy to put something together with stuff that already exists. sorry for little help.

 

[bottleworks]

So, this would also keep the original gear box installed? With an LDS pump on the engine, that doesn't sound too bad.

Oh, and....

 

[m-35tom]

no, this is to use a new steering box mounted on outside of frame i was told.

 

[DanMartin]

opcorn:

 

[m-35tom]

what?? more popcorn?? you're gonna get fat!

 

[OPCOM]

Hmm.. since I'm going to put the air steering back on, this hydro setup could gimme a bracket/place to mount an air conditioning compresor..

 

[comdiver]

Any pictures?

 

[DanMartin]

I'm already fat...that's why I need the smaller steering wheel!

 

[joec]

what?? more popcorn?? you're gonna get fat!

lol i already am..lol

 

[benni72]

OK, Heres my take on the whole thing and maybe this will help. i have air assist on my 2 1/2 ton and it will continue to have air assist on it when these kits are introduced. i spare no expense when it comes to restoring my MV's, check my post M52A2 for some pics, and i really love new toys for them. but to be honest i don't think i would jump on these untill the air assist are gone.
the hydraulic kit is designed to pick up where the air assist is going to leave off, if it leaves off or ever drys up. for collectors it might be reasonable for some it also might be unreasonable for others. as far as a industrial use i think its going to be big $ for the creators. all the industrail uses would be the same that us air. examples are fire departments, loggers, mining,and utility companys.
lastly and keep this in mind, not knocking the hydraulic system at all, but if aberdeen was testing these how come none of the A2 dueces have them now? and let me tell you i have looked at the unit first hand, maybe some unforseen issues? to be honest as a fellow collector, and a mostly private one at that, i would always lend a helping hand to a fellow collector weather its pics or info but continue eating your popcorn and bellys holding the wheel, as mine does too. sorry no pics.

 

[DanMartin]

Good input Adam.

I am actually looking to do the Hydro steering route really for two reasons:

1) I have larger 14.50 tires all around, and that makes a huge difference in steering effort
2) I think the Air-o-Matic system does not go far enough. It's a great system...don't get me wrong. I want to palm-steer my 14.50s when I'm stationary.

(the smaller steering wheel for my bought-and-paid-for beer belly is a bonus).

I totally understand the collector viewpoint...and respect it. Mine is not a collector truck. I intend on keeping it "semi-military", but modernizing things as best I can to make it easier for me to drive (and enjoy). I would never think of cutting up any truly rare vintage truck. Mine is an '88...near the last of the line. Nothing really special there, and it's already been twiddled with by adding the LDS motor.

So, I'm going to copy the great work that Tom Bauer did (as best I can) and get that palm steering action.

Anyways...back to the main subject of this thread: Who is putting together this kit? While I will probably go forth with my current project, I would love to see what someone has come up with on the "bolt-on" steering kit.

 

[comdiver]

If one of these assist kits fails, either air or hydraulic, can you still steer. I am assuming that it is not a mechanical falure, but an air or hydraulic failure. A pluged or frozen line. Drive belt? What else?

 

[rdixiemiller]

The hydraulic systems I am talking about used the stock steering gear. Basically, it is like the Air-O-Matic but uses hydraulic pressure rather than air pressure. I would imagine they would give a little more positive steering response, since air will compress and oild does not.

 

[bachman502]

How soon is this alledged kit coming out? Two months or two years? I am sure many would like to know this because of future plans.

 

[m-35tom]

i was told 1 month. my overdrive gears should have been 3 mths ago if things had gone more smoothly. i will post details on the steering as soon as i know more.......................