preparing for the Rubicon trail. steering boost?

[Sportacus]

not sure where to post this...

heading to the Rubicon at the end of July for the Jeep Jamboree. i have been modifying my jeep like crazy to prepare for it: 392 axles, MC 3.5" lift, RCV axles, new 37" tires, skid plates, driveshafts, etc...

im about to swap my aluminum steering box for the steel one and installing Steer Smarts brace while at it.

now its been mentioned to look at the APEX steering boost kit. (PSC etc are not in the picture financially any time soon). This Apex kit is affordable at this moment. not that i want to spend another $400 right now....

what im also running low on (besides cash) is time. im down to a little over 3 weeks. this install looks pretty involved. i still have more stuff to take care of, little things here and there. by the time i get the kit, take the jeep apart, install it, and get it back together, could be pushing it. i dont want to be rushing it back together before its time to start packing to go on the trip.

my question is, would this make a considerable difference for my jeep on the Rubicon trail? i know its going to be hours of crawling, and im on 37s.

and maybe im overthinking the install. i have to look more into doing it without removing the grill/bumper. that's the worst part of it all.

obviously many people have made it through without any kind of steering boost of any sorts, including on 37s. does it suck? would it make it much better? meh?

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[BAKNBLK]

My Bud has a 392 on 37" Trail Grapplers and doesn't have the boost kit, goes 2x's per year to the Con plus many other trails. Also have another friend with a diesel same setup same trails no issues.

That said I'd get one with the cooler, will be better.

 

[Roky]

not sure where to post this...

heading to the Rubicon at the end of July for the Jeep Jamboree. i have been modifying my jeep like crazy to prepare for it: 392 axles, MC 3.5" lift, RCV axles, new 37" tires, skid plates, driveshafts, etc...

im about to swap my aluminum steering box for the steel one and installing Steer Smarts brace while at it.

now its been mentioned to look at the APEX steering boost kit. (PSC etc are not in the picture financially any time soon). This Apex kit is affordable at this moment. not that i want to spend another $400 right now....

what im also running low on (besides cash) is time. im down to a little over 3 weeks. this install looks pretty involved. i still have more stuff to take care of, little things here and there. by the time i get the kit, take the jeep apart, install it, and get it back together, could be pushing it. i dont want to be rushing it back together before its time to start packing to go on the trip.

my question is, would this make a considerable difference for my jeep on the Rubicon trail? i know its going to be hours of crawling, and im on 37s.

and maybe im overthinking the install. i have to look more into doing it without removing the grill/bumper. that's the worst part of it all.

obviously many people have made it through without any kind of steering boost of any sorts, including on 37s. does it suck? would it make it much better? meh?

Maybe ping Zach @Zandcwhite , he’s on 39s, I don’t think he has any steering assist, unless I’m not recalling it correctly, which is a better than good possibility,

 

[Zandcwhite]

Maybe ping Zach @Zandcwhite , he’s on 39s, I don’t think he has any steering assist, unless I’m not recalling it correctly, which is a better than good possibility,

Still running the stock steering aside from the flipped drag link and raised track bar mount from steersmarts. It won't turn the wheels at a dead stop bound up in the rocks, but it works just fine crawling. Might have to get rolling a bit to turn in some situations, but certainly useable.

 

[Deen]

I ran some trails at Moab and lost my power steering one day due to overheating. It didn't stop me but it was tough with no power. I had the APEX kit installed at Jeep West. Took about 4 hrs. No overheating since. And the add'l steering power is a bonus. '21 JLURD on 37's

 

[yokramer]

People have been running the Rubicon without boost kits for decades and been just fine.

Do you want to spend more money and have the kit on your Jeep? If so do it, if you just want to be done wrenching for a bit skip it and go have fun.

 

[Terrymo]

I’ve not done the Rubicon yet. Old timers I wheel with (yes older than me) love to tell me they ran the Rubicon a half dozen times in CJs with 33s. I’m sure it’s changed over the years. They were doing trails like Surprise Canyon which has since been shut down. They tell me they didn’t have money for mods which mostly didn’t exist like they do today and definitely didn’t have a lot of common sense.

 

[Zandcwhite]

People have been running the Rubicon without boost kits for decades and been just fine.

Do you want to spend more money and have the kit on your Jeep? If so do it, if you just want to be done wrenching for a bit skip it and go have fun.

It's a bit misleading to state decades without the steering boost, when it's a mod born from the electric power steering pump which is new with the JL. I definitely won't argue you need it to crawl or even run the Rubicon with big, aired down tires, as we do on a regular basis. We have overheated the pump once leading to a loss of power steering. A 1 hour lunch break with the Jeep in the shade and the hood up was all it took. I think the cooler and extra fluid capacity are the biggest advantages of installing the kit. A bit more hydraulic force wouldn't hurt though.

 

[EbyCreek]

I've been running the boost kit for a couple of years now. It didn't help with keeping the pump cool. I'm on my 3rd PS pump at 12,000 miles. I finally added a small electric fan to the front of the pump and haven't had any power steering overheating problems since. It does help with the steering but does nothing for keeping it cool. I have a 2021 392 which I think has to much engine heat for the pump. I also added the RPM Extreme engine fan controller and that has lowered the temps on everything about 25 degrees.

 

[yokramer]

It's a bit misleading to state decades without the steering boost, when it's a mod born from the electric power steering pump which is new with the JL. I definitely won't argue you need it to crawl or even run the Rubicon with big, aired down tires, as we do on a regular basis. We have overheated the pump once leading to a loss of power steering. A 1 hour lunch break with the Jeep in the shade and the hood up was all it took. I think the cooler and extra fluid capacity are the biggest advantages of installing the kit. A bit more hydraulic force wouldn't hurt though.

Higher pressure mods to power steering pumps have been around a long time. Pretty common mod to replace the regulators in the old GM pumps and adding hydro boost is also common. Just because now its an electric pump doesnt change that.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Higher pressure mods to power steering pumps have been around a long time. Pretty common mod to replace the regulators in the old GM pumps and adding hydro boost is also common. Just because now its an electric pump doesnt change that.

True, but the overheating is incredibly rare outside of the electric pumps and the engine driven pumps felt like they were higher pressure stock as well. When they added the heat of an electric pump vs a belt driven pump that created very little heat these mods became more common and more "necessary". Like I said, still not required, but more beneficial for the weekend warrior than full hydro-assist.

 

[3TV]

I've run the Rubicon with stock steering on 37s and with an Apex boost kit on 37s. The Apex boost kit gets you about halfway there as far as being able to steer goes. It is better than stock, but you can still get bound up and be unable to steer. Despite the additional cooler that comes with the Apex boost kit it made no difference in overheating the steering system. My steering overheated halfway up Cadillac Hill on the Rubicon, almost in the exact same place, both when steering was stock and with the Apex boost kit. It is the electronics in the pump that overheats, not the power steering fluid.

When I changed to 40s the Apex boost kit was NOT enough. On Cliffhanger trail in Moab, it seemed like I was constantly getting bound up and unable to steer. Being unable to take the line I wanted made the trail more difficult. I overworked the Apex kit enough that by the end of the trail I had blown a seal at the pump and power steering fluid was leaking out, while air got in, and steering really went down the tube then. I have since changed to the PSC Ram steering system with a belt driven pump. It works flawlessly, and the one time I have done the Rubicon with PSC and 40s I did not have overheating on Cadillac Hill.

 

[TKY]

Okay, so its been a while since I have done any Jeep Jamborees, last time was in my JKU. I have since upgraded to a JLUR and I'm thinking about the Rubicon Trail. Is this thread suggesting trying the Rubicon Trail in a stock JLUR a bad idea?

 

[jahysea]

I've had a JKU on 37's for years, stock pump and box until recently. I have a 4xe on 37's w stock steering (steel box) and a 392 on 40's w PSC. You will be fine on the Rubicon unless you are locked in the front, just realize you can't really turn when locked. You are only going to need your front lockers for a few obstacles, like 20 yards of the whole tail. Plan your lines accordingly.

I'd save the $400 and skip the boost as it doesn't contribute enough steering or cooling power to materially help. Swapping in the steel box is great but not the real fix. Ultimately you need a PSC box IMO for 37's or larger. And I'm over it w cooling that electric pump. Replace the box first if you need to approach the spend in stages. I've run PSC boxes w stock pumps in 2 prior jeeps for years w no issues. Before you spend a dime boosting or cooling that electric pump just ditch it and get the belt driven PSC pump.

 

[Terrymo]

Okay, so its been a while since I have done any Jeep Jamborees, last time was in my JKU. I have since upgraded to a JLUR and I'm thinking about the Rubicon Trail. Is this thread suggesting trying the Rubicon Trail in a stock JLUR a bad idea?

Most of these events list requirements

All Jeep vehicles shall adhere to the following requirements for the Rubicon Trail Jeep Jamboree.

• A minimum of 37″ tires (not to exceed 40″)
• Front and rear lockers
• Properly secured tow points
• GMRS radios are required
• Skid plates covering the gas tank and transfer case, and rocker panel protection

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