power steering pump and full hydro

bluecrawler

bluecrawler

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2006
Location
wilkesboro
Will a stock steering pump off a xj run a full hydro set up effectivly? (2inch bore double ended ram)
 
The pump should be alright if you have a reservoir and a cooling system. What kills the pumps is heat, so you need more fluid to give off that heat (so more fluid, and a better way to cool it).
 
Also, it will be pretty slow. The pump on my TJ is slow running a 1.5" single ended ram. Most noticeably during evasive manuevers or parking lot manuevers.
 
bluecrawler said:
Will a stock steering pump off a xj run a full hydro set up effectivly? (2inch bore double ended ram)
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I ran that setup for a year. It moves the ram just fine but it's way too slow. Even with a 4.5 ci SCU I could turn the wheel faster than it could supply the fluid. If you want to do the full hydro piece by piece you'll get by with that pump but you'll eventually want to upgrade.

What happens is that as you turn the wheel your steering will go dead as you wait for the pump to catch up with the orbital. It's worst at idle, which is actually when I found myself steering the most. I'd either be at the top of an obstacle looking to steer back on the trail quickly or I'd be at the bottom of one doing k turns as I lined up for it.
 
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