modified vs aftermarket steering pumps

1stgenxxx

1stgenxxx

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Location
Hudson
It's steering pump time and I'm not sure what choice to make. What are you guys using for steering pumps on your full hydro or hydro assist rig? If it's a stock type pump, what mods did you do? Have you had good luck with PSC or Howe pumps? I've talked to PSC a few times on the phone and been steered two very different directions.
I have used an xj pump and a WJ pump. They both work but don't have much power.
One tech at PSC said I must use a CBR pump with full hydro and a -8 output with -12 input.
I spoke with another tech this morning and he said that I be fine with a sp1200 and -6/-10 would be fine and I wouldn't really notice a deference between that pump and the CBR.
this is on a 4.0 with a 2.5x10 double ended ram
 
Full PSC hydro assist setup on my TJ Rubicon and it works awesome. No complaints except it will find a weak bracket so build mounts accordingly.
 
I did hydro assist with a stock life time replacement from autozone. opened up the pressure port in the pump, did not shim the relief spring. due to opening up the pressure port I had to thicken the oil a tad. Blend of aw46 and power steering fluid. Just because I had the aw46, I think I could get away with straight aw32 year round. No issues with a front locker on 35's.

if/when I go to tons on this rig. A larger cylinder will be needed. at that point I would use a oem pump from a Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ 2001-2004 with the 4.7. That vehicle used a pump that ran a Hydraulic cooling fan along with the power steering. Larger displacement pump.

one could also purchase a smaller OD pully for around 50$
 
Jeff B said:
I did hydro assist with a stock life time replacement from autozone. opened up the pressure port in the pump, did not shim the relief spring. due to opening up the pressure port I had to thicken the oil a tad. Blend of aw46 and power steering fluid. Just because I had the aw46, I think I could get away with straight aw32 year round. No issues with a front locker on 35's.

if/when I go to tons on this rig. A larger cylinder will be needed. at that point I would use a oem pump from a Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ 2001-2004 with the 4.7. That vehicle used a pump that ran a Hydraulic cooling fan along with the power steering. Larger displacement pump.

one could also purchase a smaller OD pully for around 50$
Click to expand...

I have the WJ 4.7 pump on my jeep now. I haven't tried the shim/spring mod yet.
 
I have tc pumps and drill the orfice and do the spring mod. Works ok, but they last about a year. I have two coolers, big resi, and big filter.

I haven’t had great luck with Psc,

From now on for anything I’ll be using Scott trimarco gear positive displacement pump and external relief.

I’m just tired of screwing with them, and the price of other options vs his.

Good results with his and pretty much limitless what you can do with his setup.
 
Mac5005 said:
I have tc pumps and drill the orfice and do the spring mod. Works ok, but they last about a year. I have two coolers, big resi, and big filter.

I haven’t had great luck with Psc,

From now on for anything I’ll be using Scott trimarco gear positive displacement pump and external relief.

I’m just tired of screwing with them, and the price of other options vs his.

Good results with his and pretty much limitless what you can do with his setup.
Click to expand...


tell me more about this magic
 
I've ran a stock pump with a -10 in and -6 out with no issues just lacked a bit in volume and pressure. Now I'm running a PSC TC pump and it seems to be doing fine, tad more pressure than stock. I think next go around I'll up size on the to -12/-8 as I may go hydroboost but that's a ways down the road. I'm running a 2.25x8 Trail Gear ram for reference.
 
I'm running the Trail-gear power flow pump (1650 psi) and i will never buy another PSC pump. I had some issues with my TG pump so i bought the rebuild kit off their site. Rebuilding them is a breeze and now i got smooooooth easy steering. I called PSC about buying the parts to rebuild one of their pumps and they told me they didn't have any. Asked about sending it back to have it rebuilt and the fella told me i was prolly better off just buying a new instead. Just my 0.02.

Edit* Don't get me wrong, i love their reservoirs and I'm also running the vent check valve they offer and they work flawlessly. Just don't have any love for their pumps.
 
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I run a stock pump with hydro assist. 42" SS and D60. The only thing I did was drill the HP adapter out a little. The only other mod I plan is a sealed reservoir. Mine is factory and I believe every time I get on a step climb it leaks out the top.
 
I'm looking at pulling the trigger on a PSC or trail gear pump today
 
1stgenxxx said:
tell me more about this magic
Click to expand...

It’s a gear pump, not a rotary vane pump. Not internal relief, so requires external relief.

Essentially it’s a HD hydraulic pump, almost identical to what monster trucks have been running forever. Tons of flow at great pressure.

Lasts exponentially longer than rotary vane pumps.

They just don’t like over RPM, but can handle what we do no problem with correct pulley sizing.

Easy to rebuild also. Just requires some type of drive and mount to take the side load of belt tension. That’s why Scott includes a mount/shaft/bearing with his pumps. This allows pump mounting and takes the side load off the pump itself.

The couple guys that I wheel with that have them say they out perform everything else they have ever ran.

I would buy a KRC circle track pump before I bought anything PSC. At least with KRC you can change the output fitting to adjust the GPM output.

I would buy a stock WJ pump before buying a TG pump.

Scott’s pump over all other options.
 
Thanks for the input @Jody Treadway I wanted to get input from multiple sources. There is a lot of PSC pump shittalking on the internet and that was a pretty big purchase for me. Hopefully I'll have good results.
 
1stgenxxx said:
Thanks for the input @Jody Treadway I wanted to get input from multiple sources. There is a lot of PSC pump shittalking on the internet and that was a pretty big purchase for me. Hopefully I'll have good results.
Click to expand...
I hope to @braxton357 you know I'm just giving you appropriate levels of buddy to buddy smack talking.
I mean, I don't think I know it all.
Other people may think so, but I don't.
 
Mac5005 said:
Easy to rebuild also. Just requires some type of drive and mount to take the side load of belt tension. That’s why Scott includes a mount/shaft/bearing with his pumps. This allows pump mounting and takes the side load off the pump itself.
Click to expand...

I've toyed with this idea for a long time. I was just going to use a standard hydraulic pump and mount it like normal. It would be side loaded, but may last a while that way. The best thing is the pumps are cheap. Like 60 bucks cheap. If I had to replace the pump every 2 years I wouldn't be upset.
 
Mac5005 said:
It’s a gear pump, not a rotary vane pump. Not internal relief, so requires external relief.

Essentially it’s a HD hydraulic pump, almost identical to what monster trucks have been running forever. Tons of flow at great pressure.

Lasts exponentially longer than rotary vane pumps.

They just don’t like over RPM, but can handle what we do no problem with correct pulley sizing.

Easy to rebuild also. Just requires some type of drive and mount to take the side load of belt tension. That’s why Scott includes a mount/shaft/bearing with his pumps. This allows pump mounting and takes the side load off the pump itself.

The couple guys that I wheel with that have them say they out perform everything else they have ever ran.

I would buy a KRC circle track pump before I bought anything PSC. At least with KRC you can change the output fitting to adjust the GPM output.

I would buy a stock WJ pump before buying a TG pump.

Scott’s pump over all other options.
Click to expand...

I think it would be nice if Scott made his bearing/shaft mount to use the same 3 bolt pattern as a TC/CBR style pump. But that is really minimal. For the cost, I agree that his pump design with a pressurized resi is the way to go.
 
When I bought my engine, it had a PSC pump on it, so I went with it. Best guess, it lasted around 10 years maybe more, between the former owner and myself. When it went out, it was out. Had a ride coming up in a few days, so I opted to just replace the pump(which was a saganal pump(sp) ) I bought one from Advance auto, and put it into the PSC can. I could not tell the difference between the Advance and the PSC pump. Is it perfect, no, but IMO, it has probably saved some axles and joints from grenading when bound up. This is on a weak V8, one ton's, and 43 stickies. Oh and I run straight AW46 Hydraulic oil, same as I run in my trans, and, same as I run in my 10K car lift. I run a cheapo trans cooler in front of my radiator, PSC 2" double ram cylinder, Charlyn orbital.
 
upnover said:
When I bought my engine, it had a PSC pump on it, so I went with it. Best guess, it lasted around 10 years maybe more, between the former owner and myself. When it went out, it was out. Had a ride coming up in a few days, so I opted to just replace the pump(which was a saganal pump(sp) ) I bought one from Advance auto, and put it into the PSC can. I could not tell the difference between the Advance and the PSC pump. Is it perfect, no, but IMO, it has probably saved some axles and joints from grenading when bound up. This is on a weak V8, one ton's, and 43 stickies. Oh and I run straight AW46 Hydraulic oil, same as I run in my trans, and, same as I run in my 10K car lift. I run a cheapo trans cooler in front of my radiator, PSC 2" double ram cylinder, Charlyn orbital.
Click to expand...

Did you put the PSC outlet/valve into the reman pump?
 
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