2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission PSC Hydro Assist Steering Kit Installed!

[DPrew]

Two thumbs up for PSC! My truck now steers solidly with ease. No play in the wheel and you can turn the wheels lock to lock with ease on dry pavement. It's not a cheap mod but it's worth the money.

My AGR PS pump was leaking and my reman Cardone steering box was a piece of junk. Do not ever buy a AGR pump with out a drive gear installed. AGR is setting you up for failure by selling PS pumps without a gear installed before assembly. For $80 they will install a drive gear but you have to ask for it. PSC told me they only pay about $4 for drive gears so why in the world is AGR not including the gear like PSC?

The only down side to PSC is they really don't give you much in the way of precise install specs for the welding. Kelvin and Lance did answer all of my mechanics questions and tell what he needed to know to get the job done. I should have done this install years ago. If your in central Texas Chris at Andre's Automotive did my install.

I bought a second Cardone box to send to PSC and then got a refund from the auto parts store when the stock unit in the truck was removed. I basically warrantied out the unit I had. This allowed me avoid having my truck sitting in the shop for a week waiting for UPS and PSC to get my kit ready and to send it back and forth.

 

[Curious Dave]

DPrew... .
I like where you put your resevoir. But... What are you doing for the fuel filter and the h2o sensor? I have the entire kit and have had it for awhile. I had one of their boxes on and blew the sector seal. The guys were great and sent me another one... But I have been nervous about putting it on. Do have or are you going to install a DSS?

Dave

 

[Curious Dave]

OOooopppsss..... I see the DSS now.

 

[DPrew]

I've got the FASS 95 so I was able to ditch the factory stuff. I've got the DSS, Solid Steel Products track bar, DT ProFab + 1/2" Link Arms, steering column Bushing kit, Borgeson steering shaft, power steering cooler, Dynatrac free spin hubs (installed last month), Moog ball joints & tie rod ends, as well as Carbon-Kevlar brake pads and slotted discs from EGR.

I could buy a new truck for what I've spent on all of my engine and chassis mods. I've got a bad case of gear head that's probably cost me close to $35K. Does anyone know if there is a cure for this?

 

[Curious Dave]

Yeah... I have a similar setup as well. I too have a new trucks value of accessories. I guess it is a matter of building it the way I want it. That along with fixing it to... "the way it should have been". If they just didn't last so darn long.....

 

[Dave M]

This is the way I'm going when my steering gear craps out. Right now my PSC 3 turn box is working well but they don't make them anymore.

 

[DPrew]

All of PSC Boxes are remans but they can't get cores for cheap anymore. They'll still rebuild your core but that service may not go on for long. PSC told me they will probably due only hydro assist kit core rebuilds sometime in the future. They can also rebuild a 20:1 box into a tighter turning 16:1.

 

[DPrew]

I'm going to have to switch to one of Don Thuren's 3rd gen track bars because the bushings in the Solid Steel Products track bar can't handle the extra force the hydro assist puts on them. I had issues with the Solid Steel Products bushings even before I put the Hydro assist on. I had to replace the bushings in the track bar twice because of excessive play. It was no surprise the hydro setup killed the bushings in less than a week.

I'm sure for most people the Solid Steel track bar works just fine. As soon as my Thuren track bar gets here my other mint condition bar and several sets of new bushings will be up for grabs.

 

[hammersley]

The only thing that scares me is where the

hydraulic ram sits... . I mean it is really low an the "tip of the spear". For example running into heavy brush and or snow and ice... . wonder how this would hold up - maybe one could prefab some "Up armor!"

 

[DPrew]

There 12" of ground clearance under the cylinder. I'm sure PSC could fab up any type of bracket you could imagine. If you go to Don Thurens website Thuren Fabrication- Crossover steering kits he has a picture of a truck with a hydro kit mounted on top of one of his cross over steering kits. For off road driving that would really put the cylinder and line up in a safer location. I was going to install one of Don's steering kits as well but he talked my out of it. I don't go off road much so I wasn't worried about the mounting location.

 

[MOlander]

Hey thanks for posting on this I've been looking for more info on this setup for a while now! Where did you source the kit I've seen it on some offroad websites for like $1350 but you mentioned in your other post you got this setup for $950???



Another quick question, have you seen any mileage increase with the daynatrac hubs like they claim? --- had my wheel bearings replaced last nov and cost almost as much as the conversion wish I would have had the time to order dayna's think I'll go that route next time arround.



thanks in advance.

 

[DPrew]

You need to contact PSC to get the details on their kit. PSC sell directly to the public without going through a middle man. PSC used my box as a core to build my kit.

I haven't even checked my mileage since doing the Dynatrac kit. I had one hub go bad 40K ago and decided the other hub was probably going to go out soon. I didn't want to spend another $1500 on OEM parts.

 

[Curious Dave]

DPrew...

I got my Dynatrac installed and am seeing 1. 5 mpg increase. Did you get your Thuren bar in? How is it - if so?

I am going to put the rest of my PSC kit on when I get a chance. I am thinking about doing the column bushing and the Thuren at the same time as the box and the ram. Something is loose in the front again. I am thinking it is the box... It is leaking. But I might as well do it all while I have the time... Whenever that will be.

 

[DPrew]

I got my Don Thuren Track Bar installed last weekend and the steering is back to normal. The Thuren bar has a ball and socket on one end and a really firm bushing on the other. I think Don's off road tough bar will handle the hydro assist stress much better. Now I've got a $300 adjustable Solid Steel track bar taking up space in my garage along with three sets of extra bushings.

 

[Curious Dave]

DPrew... I am not far behind you... You could strap the bar between the rafters and have a fancy chin-up bar... .

I have no idea what I will do with mine either. I guess it will be ebay bound once I do the switch.

 

[DPrew]

Here is another upgrade that appears to be a requirement of going hydro. The factory steering linkage and tie rod ends don't seem to be dealing well with the extra hydro pressure. I'm starting to get an occasional shimmy at highway speed and clunking noise while turning the wheel close to full lock. I'm going to switch to a Don Thuren Extreme Duty Steering system and fix the problem.

So if you go hydro but an extra $350 for Don's track bar and another $480 for his Extreme Duty Steering setup. I'll let you know how his Extreme Steering system works in mid to late July. I also had to go to a hydraulic shop and get a 90 degree fitting for my PS pump to keep the hose to the reservoir from kinking.

 

[DPrew]

Below is some additional PSC information I have posted in response to an inquiry. I wanted to make the information available to all who were pondering this mod.

I remember you installed a PSC ram assist a while back just curious if you are still liking it and if it is holding up well. Thanks Emil

I see you have the Thuren HD steering which is really a must. The factory steering tended to articulate under the pressure applied by the hydro unit. This made the steering cross member jerk around occasionally which was irritating. The Thuren unit has much less of a problem with this. I had to replace my Solid Steel track bar with a Thuren unit as well because the bushings in Solid Steel's unit couldn't handle the extra pushing and pulling forces created by the hydro. Finding a spot to mount the reservoir close to but above the power steering pump can be a challenge as well. I have a FASS so I was able to remove the OEM fuel filter assembly and with a slight drilling modification make the PSC reservoir fit perfectly in the same spot. I mounted a heat sink type steering cooler from PSC on the cross member under the radiator.



Steering on dry pavement from a dead stop lock to lock is no problem. I have my hydro unit mounted in the OEM dampener location on the differential and on the cross member using a Thuren adjustable bracket. I've been pondering possibly moving the hydro unit to a different location to get it more parallel with the differential that would make it more efficient. If I were a machinest I think I would fabricate a way to mount the hydro on the differential and attach it directly to the wheel hub. Between parts and labor I have about $2000 - $2500 invested in my PSC steering, cooler, Thuren track bar, and Thuren HD steering. I also had to go to a hydraulic shop and replace the 90 degree elbow on my PSC steering pump with a 45 degree elbow to prevent the pump to reservoir hose from kinking. The hydraulic shop pressed a hose onto the elbow and then I hose clamped it onto the reservoir using the PSC hose clamp. People really need to know that the PSC kit must have the Thuren track bar & HD steering kit or they will have issues. I also had to grind my Solid Steel mounting bracket a little so the Thuren track bar wouldn't rub.



If you have any other questions or want more pics just let me know.

 

[DPrew]

Here will be the last PSC hydraulic steering update because I sold the truck. I had my steering dialed in nicely at the end but the Thuren Track bar may have actually been too rigid. I think the track bar was allowing minor road bumps to be transmitted into the chassis of the truck bypassing the suspension. If I kept the truck I think I would ask Don Thuren to build me a track bar with bushings on both ends instead of the uniball on one end. Don's bushings are really stout but I think they would absorb more road feedback then the solid uniball. But either way you must use Don's track bar with the hydro assist or the other track bar bushings will give too much.