Power steering cooler questions.

skyhighZJ

skyhighZJ

Gov retirement < needs to live
Joined
May 31, 2012
Location
Aberdeen, NC.
97 auto XJ with tons and getting ready to do a hydro assist setup. The question is, as a PS cooler is recommended can I use the transmission cooler in the bottom of the radiator? I have a derale powered fan cooler for my trans already so the factory location (in the radiator) is open for cooling options. Would this be a feasible option or would it just be too warm to effectively "cool" the PS fluid?
 
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skyhighZJ said:
97 auto XJ with tons and getting ready to do a hydro assist setup. The question is, as a PS cooler is recommended can I use the transmission cooler in the bottom of the radiator? I have a derale powered fan cooler for my trans already so the factory location (in the radiator) is open for cooling options. Would this be a feasible option or would it just be too warm to effectively "cool" the PS fluid?
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It will work but not well. It is too small and too warm.

It's much better using a bigger independent cooler just for steering. I cooked a pump with a 5 x 8 cooler and went to a 8 by 10 or so. It works but will get warm when really working it.
 
Slut99 said:
My xj on tons has no cooler and iv had absolutely no issues wheeling hard for 5hr at a time.

Now I ran a cooler on my tj but really didn't see a difference.
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what type of steering are you using? and just because your not having issues, doesn't mean the fluid isn't getting hot.
 
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Well either way I'm done with the idea and bought another cooler that will remote mount out in front of the radiator. It is 10x14 with 6 passes through the fins. Along with aiding in cooling it will hold more fluid to assist in heat dissapation.
 
Slut99 said:
Of course the fluid gets warm. It gets warm without hydro.. and it has no issues,

I'm not sure what you mean on what type of steering I have? Cross over? High steer? Dom&heim? Hydro ram? Stock box and pump?
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are you standard pump & box, hydro assist, full hydro, TT rack & pinion, etc?
 
Slut99 said:
All stock with a hydro ram
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I'm surprised it will run the assist with a stock reservoir and not run out of fluid. Good for you that it works fine, but I wouldn't say that is the norm.

Slut99 said:
Of course the fluid gets warm. It gets warm without hydro.. and it has no issues,

I'm not sure what you mean on what type of steering I have? Cross over? High steer? Dom&heim? Hydro ram? Stock box and pump?
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When the fluid gets hot, it starts breaking down. The more it breaks down the worse it lubricates, and handles the heat/pressure cycles. Some hydraulic and synthetic fluids are much more resilient than conventional PS fluid too.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
I'm surprised it will run the assist with a stock reservoir and not run out of fluid. Good for you that it works fine, but I wouldn't say that is the norm.



When the fluid gets hot, it starts breaking down. The more it breaks down the worse it lubricates, and handles the heat/pressure cycles. Some hydraulic and synthetic fluids are much more resilient than conventional PS fluid too.
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Every assist I've ever driven or seen first hand, would build heat when working it offroad, yet would stay completely cool on the street.

If the cooler isn't big enough, it drives like the hydro assist isn't there, and the ram acts like a steering lock. When on tight technical trails, steering would be impossible. We would have to shut down and wait for it to cool, in order to drive out.

Larger coolers fixed all of that.

If you are running a hydro assist, with all stock stuff and no cooler, and it's not overheating while offroading, go buy some lottery tickets....
 
@paradisePWoffrd @Mac5005 question, I will be running a stock pump and box that I am going to mod the pump/ drill and tap the box for a surplus center hydro assist setup. With the big ass cooler I am adding probably (2/3 of an extra quart) will I need to run a reservoir as well?
 
skyhighZJ said:
@paradisePWoffrd @Mac5005 question, I will be running a stock pump and box that I am going to mod the pump/ drill and tap the box for a surplus center hydro assist setup. With the big ass cooler I am adding probably (2/3 of an extra quart) will I need to run a reservoir as well?
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Are you going to run single ended or double ended ram? If single, I would suggest adding atleast the capacity of the cylinder fully extended to your reservoir. I am a fan of running plenty of fluid and trying to keep it cool to the touch.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Are you going to run single ended or double ended ram? If single, I would suggest adding atleast the capacity of the cylinder fully extended to your reservoir. I am a fan of running plenty of fluid and trying to keep it cool to the touch.
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It is a single ended ram and is the smaller size bore with an 8 inch stroke to accomodate the Dana 60. It already steers easy with the Barnes DOM steering kit and high steer arms but I want to take the strain off the box so am going with the assist setup so I can also retain "road legality".
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
I'm surprised it will run the assist with a stock reservoir and not run out of fluid. Good for you that it works fine, but I wouldn't say that is the norm.

My tj and my xj had no issues




When the fluid gets hot, it starts breaking down. The more it breaks down the worse it lubricates, and handles the heat/pressure cycles. Some hydraulic and synthetic fluids are much more resilient than conventional PS fluid too.
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Facts are facts. It works well. So
 
skyhighZJ said:
@paradisePWoffrd @Mac5005 question, I will be running a stock pump and box that I am going to mod the pump/ drill and tap the box for a surplus center hydro assist setup. With the big ass cooler I am adding probably (2/3 of an extra quart) will I need to run a reservoir as well?
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I'm running a stock yj pump and reservoir with single ended surplus center ram. I fill my reservoir over the fill Mark with the ram completely retracted. With my setup, 2" diameter 8" stroke ram, the fluid level still remains high enough when the ram is fully extended.

My pump doesn't do as well as I'd like, as psi is a little low at idle, but above 1500rpm I don't notice. I'm on tons and 42s, spool rear and lock right front, and with 4 psi in the tires, I can push the front end of the jeep over, if the tires are bound into a rock. At idle, and bound up, there is a noticeable increase in effort required at the wheel. If I do anything to the pump, I'll be swapping to an iron krc pump.

The larger cooler adds volume to the whole system that helps to keep overall temps lower.

The worst is holding the wheel at full lock as the pump bypasses fluid from the hi pressure side back to the low pressure side, raising temps and more chance of cavitation.
 
Mac5005 said:
I'm running a stock yj pump and reservoir with single ended surplus center ram. I fill my reservoir over the fill Mark with the ram completely retracted. With my setup, 2" diameter 8" stroke ram, the fluid level still remains high enough when the ram is fully extended.

My pump doesn't do as well as I'd like, as psi is a little low at idle, but above 1500rpm I don't notice. I'm on tons and 42s, spool rear and lock right front, and with 4 psi in the tires, I can push the front end of the jeep over, if the tires are bound into a rock. At idle, and bound up, there is a noticeable increase in effort required at the wheel. If I do anything to the pump, I'll be swapping to an iron krc pump.

The larger cooler adds volume to the whole system that helps to keep overall temps lower.

The worst is holding the wheel at full lock as the pump bypasses fluid from the hi pressure side back to the low pressure side, raising temps and more chance of cavitation.
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It's not just at full lock, although that is gaurenteed. At any rpm over the pressure set by the relief valve, it bypasses internally.

The krc pumps are sweet for the $$.
 
So with the setup I'm going to be running, reservoir or no? I'm not looking at koh but I want it to function smoothly. If I'm going to do it I want it right. And on that note should I look at an underdogs puller for the PS pump?
 
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