hydro on the streets

[94Dodge Truggy]

Full hydro steering versus ram assist steering for the street/trail ? What is your opinion.

[blazerbrad]

There are lots of variables in how the systems are set up that affect how they feel on the street. In general though hydro-assist should make very little difference on street handling unless you have a big cylinder which tends to slow it down some. I personally have hydro-assist and while it doesn't get much street time the only time I've ever noticed it was when trying to quickly turn the wheel to make a sharp turn in town with the engine at idle.

[jfiscus]

IIRC full hydro is illegal for street driving? I could be wrong on this, & the issue is probably as vague as beadlock laws.

[94Dodge Truggy]

Originally Posted by jfiscus

IIRC full hydro is illegal for street driving? I could be wrong on this, & the issue is probably as vague as beadlock laws.

Yes I have heard that it is illegal.

[94Dodge Truggy]

Originally Posted by blazerbrad

There are lots of variables in how the systems are set up that affect how they feel on the street. In general though hydro-assist should make very little difference on street handling unless you have a big cylinder which tends to slow it down some. I personally have hydro-assist and while it doesn't get much street time the only time I've ever noticed it was when trying to quickly turn the wheel to make a sharp turn in town with the engine at idle.

I have a hydro assist jeep now and a full hydro as well. The full hydro is a TSC setup and is cheap and has horrible road manners. Assist setup is nice. I ran a complete howe setup on a buggy but never really got to use it on 80 mph highways but it saw 110 mph in a mudhole quite often! Thinking of taping the stock steering box and making a ram assist setup and getting rid of the full hydro single ended ram.

[fabricator]

Originally Posted by 94Dodge Truggy

I have a hydro assist jeep now and a full hydro as well. The full hydro is a TSC setup and is cheap and has horrible road manners. Assist setup is nice. I ran a complete howe setup on a buggy but never really got to use it on 80 mph highways but it saw 110 mph in a mudhole quite often! Thinking of taping the stock steering box and making a ram assist setup and getting rid of the full hydro single ended ram.

i have tapped box on my junk with assisted hydro
is great for going to the mall
no bump steer or nuthin
what you want for the full hydro junk

[94Dodge Truggy]

Originally Posted by fabricator

i have tapped box on my junk with assisted hydro
is great for going to the mall
no bump steer or nuthin
what you want for the full hydro junk

Couple bucks.



Danfoss steering valve, plate to bolt up valve and weld to frame, single ended ram, hoses to ram and valve, hoses from and to valve. Yours today for $200.00 2 bills only come and get it

[blazerbrad]

Just some random oribital valve and a single sided tractor ram is most likely the absolute worse case you can have in regards to road manners.

Regarding legality, pretty sure there is nothing actually in writing stating specifically that hydraulic steering is illegal. Just like beadlocks... on Pirate4x4 there was a person/vendor offering a cash prize for the first person to reference any state law that specifically stated beadlocks were illegal, and that prize has yet to be claimed after several years.

[jamie L]

You know my opinion for the trail, nothing beats full hydro. On the other hand for the road I would make sure your orbital valve has more the three turns on your steering wheel from lock to lock, little scary on the road. I'm not sure what it's called but get one that takes 5-7 turns lock to lock if using on the street.

[94Dodge Truggy]

Originally Posted by jamie L

You know my opinion for the trail, nothing beats full hydro. On the other hand for the road I would make sure your orbital valve has more the three turns on your steering wheel from lock to lock, little scary on the road. I'm not sure what it's called but get one that takes 5-7 turns lock to lock if using on the street.

3.5 lock to lock is common. 5-7 is school bus setup!

[JeffK5]

I know for a fact it is illegal to alter/modify anything with a D.O.T stamp from it's originally approved design.

Beadlocks aren't illegal , hacking the bead off a non-lock wheel and welding a lock ring on is.... if it sees public roads.

Running HMMWV beadlocks or any other Hutchinson brand two piece wheel is the only truly legal way to do it .... Don't know if this has changed but as of a couple years ago Hutchinson was the only true locking wheel with D.O.T approval.

Full hydraulic steering laws change state to state... I've never been able to find it in writing if it's legal or not in Ohio. Some states require a 100% mechanical link between the steering gear and the operator.

I ran full hydro on a woods rail that saw 80+ MPH many times , did it for years ... had a buddy with the same set-up on a rail that past a O.D.O.T inspection ... so ether it's legal or the inspectors don't ****..


Jeff

[carwash]

"so ether it's legal or the inspectors don't ****.."

wow, that must get uncomfortable, after two days without a ****, i start to feel awful. But thank god the ether is legal.

[JeffK5]

Originally Posted by carwash

"so ether it's legal or the inspectors don't ****.."

wow, that must get uncomfortable, after two days without a ****, i start to feel awful. But thank god the ether is legal.

Hey Mr. spelling and grammar police...shouldn't you be timing your rig for the 1,002,039,071 time today.

[carwash]

come down and help... i'm almost in tears.

[blazerbrad]

Originally Posted by JeffK5

I know for a fact it is illegal to alter/modify anything with a D.O.T stamp from it's originally approved design.

Beadlocks aren't illegal , hacking the bead off a non-lock wheel and welding a lock ring on is.... if it sees public roads.

Completely true regarding altering DOT approved equipment, but probably a moot point when it comes to beadlocks because the law enforcement would 1) have to even know what a beadlock is and that the wheel had been modified from the original design 2) it's not one of those DOT approved fake beadlocks 3) it's not a true DOT approved beadlock (there are a few others out there now). Item 1 is considering that the vast majority of beadlocks are based on a wheel that is stamped DOT so they have would have to prove that the wheel had been altered from the original design which received the DOT stamp.

When it comes to steering it's definitely a moot point because none of the steering components are DOT stamped. I'm sure an officer could give you an equipment violation equipment but I would have to think it would be pretty easy to contest in court (assuming you were not in a wreck or something but rather a random stop).

Let me just clarify, I'm definitely not arguing with you but rather just making additional comments.

Keep in mind that for the majority of government required certifications on automobiles there is not some DOT police officer personally looking at and testing every component out there. Rather the manufacturers are supposed to "self-certify", basically meaning that GM, Ford, Honda, etc... designs and builds a car with their "word" that everything meets the government requirements. The government simply spot checks car and trucks by randomly selecting vehicles to test.

[94Dodge Truggy]

WOW!!! Looking for road manners and tested brands of systems that people like or dislike really. Not worried about passing the inspection really. Thanks for the input, Scott

[humpy]

[QUOTE=blazerbrad;25866]Just some random oribital valve and a single sided tractor ram is most likely the absolute worse case you can have in regards to road manners.

i second that...mine is NOT very streetable past 30mph but on the trail i LOVE IT!!! for under $300 bucks and turnin the wheel with one finger while layin on your side rocks!!

[Redriverranger]

I can run 70, but it's best in a straight line. I love the full hydro for my rig, although it is a little quirky on the highway through the curves. I ran hydro assist once before, and it drove great. It removed all the slop from the steering and made it very predictable and was quite strong as well. I damaged the ram and removed it, and ended up full hydro a couple years later.