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Saginaw swap and budget ram assist info please

Biohazard

Full Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
286
Loc.
Central Arkansas
I've been searching and studying and can't find much definitive info on either of these mods. I know there are kits available but I'd like to learn every detail possible before dropping a chunk on a kit if I can source the parts and do it myself much cheaper. So could someone point me in the direction of a thread or two that has some good info?
 

okie4570

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,247
Loc.
NW OK
Check in with NYLES, he had Redneck ram assist this year for the first time.
 

gddyap

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
1,334
Loc.
Mtn View, CA
If your box doesn't need a rebuild, you could try tapping the top cap and replacing the front cap with one of these:

http://www.emsoffroad.com/EMS_New/services/custom_steering.htm

Then you just need the ram, ram brackets, and hoses. Some people have had success with rams from Surplus Center. You can get hoses from them or source them locally at a hydraulic shop.
I sent my stock box to West Texas for rebuild and porting. I can take a picture of the box if you want to see where they tapped it. I got their steering kit but bent the shaft of the ram on a trip. They don't sell just the shaft so I ended up getting a new ram from PSC. They do sell shafts for their rams in case you bend one. I use a 1.5" ram with the travel shortened to about 6" for my '77 D44.
A 90* fitting busted opened when I went to get gas before the first run at the 50th Bronco Daze in Big Bear. Sprayed PS fluid all over the front end and tire. I had about 45mins to get the ram off and plug the hoses. Be sure to carry caps and plugs for just such an emergency. If you see a huge oil stain right next to the sign at the 7-11 on Big Bear Blvd and Summit Blvd, that was me.
 

Yeller

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Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
5,976
Loc.
Rogers County Oklahoma
As gddyap said its pretty simple. I've been drilling and tapping them since long before there were companies supplying boxes. The one in my bronco I did for a buddy's Jeep in 97 or 98. you just have to drill and tap into both sides of the circuit, decent rams are under $250, its worth buying a ram from PSC, they hold up very well. do not use aluminum fittings, get steel ones from a hydraulic hose shop, they just don't hold up to the cyclic use that we put them through.

If i'm drilling the casting I always do it full of fluid and the system full its messy as hell but all of shavings get pushed back out the hole rather than in the box, done more of them than I can count. all of them worked, some are working 15-20 years later. It only requires an 1/8" pipe tap and a 21/64th drill bit. The easy out is to tap the top cap that bolts on and the end cap but that is not always a safe or practical place. I usually do the body of the housing below the bolted on cap and the channel on the bottom of the box that carries the fluid to the front, it can be tracked down buy the plugged holes from the factory drilling the channel.
 

5001craig

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
1,180
I had PSC rebuild my steering box and purchased a ram assist kit from them at the same time. They were great to deal with and had a sector shaft that I needed so that made it easier. With the new sector shaft I had to purchase I was right around $700 for the rebuild and ram assist kit. Not sure what kind of budget you are on but that was what mine ended up being.

Personally, if I knew then what I know now, I would have purchased my 4x4x2 box from them (rebuilt) and would have had them install the fittings prior to sending it to me. I have not installed the cylinder but will do that over the winter. It's tight in there for a cylinder. In the mean time I will just be keeping the fitting caps on that the box was sent with.
 

welndmn

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 12, 2001
Messages
2,112
One of the best and most budget friendly, is to just send it off to West Texas Off road for a redneck ram.
 

broncoman1972

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Messages
1,297
I can't enlighten too much on the Saginaw swap since I have the WH Saginaw/Explorer kit. I can only refer you to the tech article.

I can say that I have the Redneck Ram setup mentioned above that was installed by the PO. I did have to replace the ram due to a bent shaft but it works oh so well at turning my 39's in pretty much any situation I've thrown at it.
 
OP
OP
Biohazard

Biohazard

Full Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
286
Loc.
Central Arkansas
That's good stuff. I'm looking at the wild horses bracket. It's $50 I think and then I'll source out a pump. I think I can piece it together on a budget, and possibly throw a ram on eventually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

okie4570

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,247
Loc.
NW OK
I can't enlighten too much on the Saginaw swap since I have the WH Saginaw/Explorer kit. I can only refer you to the tech article.

I can say that I have the Redneck Ram setup mentioned above that was installed by the PO. I did have to replace the ram due to a bent shaft but it works oh so well at turning my 39's in pretty much any situation I've thrown at it.

Pretty sure this is the direction I'm headed.
 
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