CO Ketchup Build

[mushroomax]

PSC provides a bracket to install 2 new idler pulleys in a shared location with the stock alternator:

PS pump mounting bracket mounts to passenger side engine mount seen above. I believe this bracket has had several revisions.

New power steering pump installed:

Main power steering Reservoir installed under air filter assembly. Remote Filler Reservoir attached to battery box in stock location:

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[mushroomax]

For sale:

Size comparison:

 

[mushroomax]

The cooler mounts under the radiator along the front cross-member and behind the swaybar disconnect motor....I don't see this thing getting that much air flow but it's packaged the high pressure line nicely:

Reused the existing steering stabilizer clamp tie rod clamp because I'm a cheapo:

And because I forget where things go sometimes:

 

[mushroomax]

Running the Artec Aluminum Belly Pan skids and ran into an issue with the new power steering pump bracket that PSC provides. I believe PSC has revised a lot of things in this kit and the PS pump bracket is no exception, it now interferes with the Artec passenger side oil pan support bracket so I modified it to work:

Moved the engine mount hole inboard more to gain the clearance needed:

Clearanced the bracket so it could still clear the frame side engine mount bracket and the new PSC power steering pump bracket:

 

[mushroomax]

I have Reid knuckles and haven't ground down the cast-in steering stops. PSC sends a ram with 6.75" of travel. My steering travel measured at 6.50". Clearance is already maxed with the new tires so I elected to limit the ram by 1/4in. I'm sure the way my tie rod throw is I would have been fine and probably never seen the full throw of the ram but I wasn't taking any chances:

 

[mushroomax]

Dicken round with ram mock-up. I gave Next Venture Motorsports a try with their bracket, you're looking at the second one after I returned the first:

I spent a full day on ram mock-up. High, low, single sheer, double sheer. Cylinder to the passenger side, cylinder to the drivers side....up down left right

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Running the Artec Aluminum Belly Pan skids and ran into an issue with the new power steering pump bracket that PSC provides. I believe PSC has revised a lot of things in this kit and the PS pump bracket is no exception, it now interferes with the Artec passenger side oil pan support bracket so I modified it to work:

Moved the engine mount hole inboard more to gain the clearance needed:

Clearanced the bracket so it could still clear the frame side engine mount bracket and the new PSC power steering pump bracket:

LOVE IT! You're ingenuity is on point!! ?

 

[mushroomax]

I have the Doetsch Off-road 2.0 aluminum tie-rod and draglink installed. Clearances were too tight with the draglink to run the cylinder body in the traditional way on the passenger side. I ended up flipping it driver to passenger and ran it that way for a couple of weeks.

Things will always shake out differently on the trail than in the garage and even though under "garage simulation" I was free and clear I could feel the draglink roll over the ram occasionally while hard driver and stuffed on the trail. There is just too much flop in the draglink, almost 2in, maybe more:

Things were looking good I thought:

Down:

Up:

I ended up going with a SteerSmarts draglink. No flop, fixed the problem, much better for morale:

Steersmarts draglink ftw ^

 

[mushroomax]

No bubbles no troubles.....

The bleeding process was straight forward, no I didn't fill up the ram first or add fluid anywhere else, I believe you have a higher chance of trapping air in the system if you do that. The steering is quiet, very quiet. There have been reported issues of circulation sounds and whiny pumps, I haven't heard a peep out of the new steering components. Maybe PSC revised the pump, I do have one of the newest kits.


Kenough with the updates, let's hit the trail

 

[blnewt]

With all you've been doing Max, I assume Max is short for MAXIMUS!!
Well done sir, and looks like some fantastic places you've been lately, thanks for the updates.

 

[mushroomax]

With all you've been doing Max, I assume Max is short for MAXIMUS!!
Well done sir, and looks like some fantastic places you've been lately, thanks for the updates.

It's actually Maxiwus since my noodle arms can't turn without hydro-assist

 

[blnewt]

It's actually Maxiwus since my noodle arms can't turn without hydro-assist

Thanks for the morning chuckle, made me lol
But yeah, you keep turning into massive boulders, makes it tough

 

[mushroomax]

So an update on the relatively newly installed hydro-assist steering. It's been over a month or so since I installed the kit but had yet to really burst the bubble of the support network I have here across the state of Colorado. The last 2 weeks we've been on a solo road trip checking out Oregon Trail history in Wyoming and Idaho. I've had the Jeep deep in the back country covering hundreds of miles, also while being miles and miles and hours and hours away from any help. For those of you that run or have run this setup you know all of the risks and all of the additional parts that you would need to get yourself off the trail in case of a catastrophic failure. Of course I carry these now.

With all that being said this trip just made me more confident in the decision to run hydro-assist on a daily driver regardless of the inherent risks that come with it. I NEED it on the trail now with the additional weight of the 38's and beadlocks to hold my line and not have to muscle the steering wheel....not to mention steering overheating issues. I think I'm roughly 20+ lbs. a corner now. Among other 'hard' trails, and before the install, I ran Holy Cross with the new wheel and tire combo and got several 'Power Steering System Hot Performance May Be Limited' which again, made me feel better about the purchase and subsequent install.

Some outstanding issues I need to address after the install:

1. We know the track bar brackets are suspect. I tied my axle side in when I did the Artec Truss. I now need to address the frame side. Thinking about ordering a frame side Track Bar Brace and reinforcing it with stitch welds, of course your recommendations are always welcome....that's why we do build threads right?

2. My lines from the ram to the steering box are already showing signs of wear. It's busy on that side of the axle with the diff breather fitting, frame side track bar mount, trackbar itself, and UCA fasteners so there's a lot to rub on....even the diff cover when going full lock passenger. Now that I swapped draglinks I need to flip the ram so the lines can be rerouted over the trackbar and enjoy all that space on the passenger side.

Some pics from the trip:

 

[mushroomax]

The steering is quiet, very quiet. There have been reported issues of circulation sounds and whiny pumps, I haven't heard a peep out of the new steering components.

In an effort to not spread misinformation: I do hear a circulation sound coming thru the vents. It's more of just fluid moving thru the system, very faint but it's there, not enough to annoy me though. I believe this is because the main power steering fluid reservoir is mounted right next to the air intake duct so the sound from that travels up thru the vents in the dash. Your results may vary ?

 

[blnewt]

Sounds like a wonderful road (or should I say off-road) trip! All you've done, and continue to do with your build is truly inspiring. Always look forward to new posts here for sure ?

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