Steering 201 Frame Repair/Hydro Assist

[SS2]

Ok so most of you have seen the damage to uber Scout done on the last trip through the crushers. What you couldn’t see was where the steering box ripped itself from the frame and the frame itself split at the welds.

Plating the frame is an upgrade I wanted to do but hadn’t gotten around to it. Well now that my steering box was just swinging around under there it was time. I think if you are going to wheel these things at all and have tires over 33” this should be done.

I started out by removing the box. I found that one of the bolts had broken. Once the box is off I cleaned up the frame and clamped it back together. I then welded the seam the best I could. This weld really only needs to keep the crack together. The real strength will come from the ¼” plate that is welded to the inside and outside of the frame.

Next step was to make a paper pattern of the side of the frame and the hole placement. I then placed the pattern on some ¼” steel plate. After tracing the pattern I cut it out with the plasma torch. I center punched the holes and took it down the street to a metal shop with an iron worker where they punched in 9/16” holes. I will be upgrading to ½” grade 8 bolts to hold the box on so the 9/16” holes were for that reason.

Once the holes were punched I place the plate on the frame and clamped it down. I then started to weld it on. It’s not the easiest place to get to and there is no way to get around some upside down welding. However if you take your time it can come out looking like crap just like mine…

Up next is mount the box as soon as I get it back from tractractor offroad where it is being ported for my new psc hydro assist. More to come…..

 

[Chris Pucci]

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Shocks, pegs, lucky!

I have also ripped my frame open a little -- not as bad as seen here - but still pretty good.

I went with 1/4 plate on the outside of the frame - much as seen here. It is holding up very well. The first thing you notice will be the frame does not collapse as much when wheeling and your steering box bolts do not come loose every couple runs :d

I need to save some $$$ and go hydro assist as well....

 

[Chris Pucci]

Any updates??

I just ordered this for my Scout.

(sc-2222k) 1.75 x 6.75 cylinder assist steering cylinder kit [sc-2222k] - $180.00 : psc motorsports, off-road steering experts

I'm also working with dan to have a box ported.

Who will be done first???

 

[SS2]

I got this far.....

Well I did put the box up on the frame and push the bolts through.....shiny..

I'm going to try to get some work done tonight after the meeting.. Stay tuned for more pics...

 

[Binderbound]

I got this far.....

Well I did put the box up on the frame and push the bolts through.....shiny..

I'm going to try to get some work done tonight after the meeting.. Stay tuned for more pics...

Uh oh Mike, does that bottom port come out behind that front brake line? Can you put a 90* fitting on it and run it out of there without having to mess with the brake line?

 

[SS2]

uh oh Mike, does that bottom port come out behind that front brake line? Can you put a 90* fitting on it and run it out of there without having to mess with the brake line?

Ya it is behind there. I'm not sure if I can just bend the line out of the way or will need to run a 90. One way or the other I'll get it figured out. If not who needs front brakes?....

 

[Michael Mayben]

ya it is behind there. I'm not sure if I can just bend the line out of the way or will need to run a 90. One way or the other I'll get it figured out. If not who needs front brakes?....

A dam bitch deer could dam shore use some front brakes.

 

[SS2]

Ok so here is an update with the finished install. I still nedd to put the wheels on and drive it. But it works well on jackstands.....

I was able to get a 45* fitting in the lower port of the box. Which brought the hose up and over the box nicely.

Here is a side shot of the ram mounted. Because of the way I had done my SOA. I needed to move the ram as far over to the passanger side so that it would not hit the driverside spring.

This is a front shot. You can see how high I was able to mount the ram by moving it where I did to avoid the spring. I'm real happy with the location. It just proves that it's better to be lucky then good...

Finaly a shot from the passanger side. You can see the ram mounted to the passangerside spring plate. My springs are held on by 5/8" u-bolts which probably would have been enough. But just to be safe I welded some ears on the bottom of the plate to take some of the side force off of the bolts.

While I did all of this I also added a p.s. Cooler. So I need to finish mounting it. Then take it out for a drive. Then a little climb on the home rock pile.....

 

[Binderbound]

ok so here is an update with the finished install. I still nedd to put the wheels on and drive it. But it works well on jackstands.....

I was able to get a 45* fitting in the lower port of the box. Which brought the hose up and over the box nicely.

Here is a side shot of the ram mounted. Because of the way I had done my SOA. I needed to move the ram as far over to the passanger side so that it would not hit the driverside spring.

This is a front shot. You can see how high I was able to mount the ram by moving it where I did to avoid the spring. I'm real happy with the location. It just proves that it's better to be lucky then good...

Finaly a shot from the passanger side. You can see the ram mounted to the passangerside spring plate. My springs are held on by 5/8" u-bolts which probably would have been enough. But just to be safe I welded some ears on the bottom of the plate to take some of the side force off of the bolts.

While I did all of this I also added a p.s. Cooler. So I need to finish mounting it. Then take it out for a drive. Then a little climb on the home rock pile.....

If thats how it was gona go on, I would have welded it. Never let a machinist do your welding. It could have come out like this...

Dont forget to make sure the hoses wont hit anything during the suspension cycling. Tighten your jamb nuts on the ram too.

 

[SS2]

if thats how it was gona go on, I would have welded it. Never let a machinist do your welding. It could have come out like this...

Um...your weld might be pretty and all but I'm confident that mine is plenty strong.... If it brakes it won't be the weld..... On a side note though maybe you should enter your "pretty weld" in an art show.

 

[Chris Pucci]

For those keeping score at home:

I justed ordered my hoses for my system -- I went with a 6-an to 1/4 npt 90 degree fitting on the ram end and a straight 1/4 npt fitting on the box end. Both hoses will end up the same with 1/4 npt on each end - so they will be easy to have made almost anywhere. 42" long.

I hope it works out....

I will get pictures eventually.

 

[SS2]

for those keeping score at home:

I justed ordered my hoses for my system -- I went with a 6-an to 1/4 npt 90 degree fitting on the ram end and a straight 1/4 npt fitting on the box end. Both hoses will end up the same with 1/4 npt on each end - so they will be easy to have made almost anywhere. 42" long.

I hope it works out....

I will get pictures eventually.

That sounds perfect. I made my hoses a bit to short. Had to make one longer and took some creative routing for the other one to work. I have driven the Scout and it works great. I cant wait to get it out and wheel it....

 

[Chris Pucci]

I finally got some time off from the house projects (I was actually letting sheetrock dry so it was legit) - and got some time in on my steering.

Got the rebuilt box bolted in -- measured 2x - cut once - welded on my tabs and had a steering ram mounted!

I need to get a couple different fittings for the hoses and a couple quarts of ps fluid - but it should be steering with ease in no time.

Since I still have my tie rod under my leaf springs I went with a totally different approach than Mike --- see the pic:

I am probably gonna rig up some time of skid plate/armour for the ram as I have bashed my tie rod into some things that would have put a hole in the ram... Yikes!

The psc kit is pretty good -- come with all the hardware shown - no mounting directions but I guess if you've come this far you probably wouldn't follow any directions they provided anyway :d

 

[SS2]

Looks great chris. Your going to love it. Now......................let's wheel!!!