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Hydro Assist Installation
Instructions
 Hydro
Assist Kit Includes:
-Ram with high temp inner and outer seals
-(2) 5/8" rod ends w/jam nuts
-Ram bracket for axle housing
-Ram bracket for tie rod
-(2) Hoses
-(2) JIC 90 degree elbows
-Ram Mounting Hardware Instructions
If you have any questions during the installation of your kit, please
contact us for assistance.
Before
installing this steering ram kit you will need to have your steering box
tapped with #6 JIC fittings or purchase a steering box that has already
been tapped. This kit is designed for use on 1979-1985 Toyota 8”
front solid axles with a high steer kit installed. For proper fit
and strength, the tie rod should be 1.25” X .250" wall DOM tubing.
These items are available separately from WabFab Off-Road.
 Step
1 – Housing Mount
Remove paint around the top of the differential housing as shown in photo
#1. Place bracket on top of the housing and slide it toward the passenger
side until it stops on the weld around the vent hole. Weld housing mount
to the top of the differential housing as shown.
 Step
2 – Install Ram
Install the male and female rod ends and two jam nuts onto the ram.
Center the steering wheel so that the front wheels are straight. Remove
red ram caps and pull out ram from housing 3". It is important to have the
wheels centered and the ram 1/2 way out when welding the mount onto the
tie rod. This ensures that the ram and steering are synchronized through
their range of motion.
 Bolt
steering ram onto housing mount using provided 5/8” bolt and sleeves. Ram
hydraulic inlet and outlet should face toward the rear of the truck,
parallel to the ground. Place tie rod bracket onto the tie rod, remove
paint and tack weld into position. Verify that wheels are straight, the
ram is out 3" and that the 5/8" ram bolts are installed. Remove tie rod
and finish welding bracket to rod (see photo #3). Reinstall tie rod on
truck.
 Step
3 - Ram/U-bolt Interference
A common problem with RAM assist steering is interference between the
steering ram and the u-bolt flip kit on the driver side of the truck. This
is resolved by rotating the driver side end of the ram upward by twisting
the tie rod (see photo #4). Start by cutting off excess threads exposed
above the nut on the front U-Bolts. The taller the threaded section of
these bolts is, the more likely they are to cause interference for the
ram. Cutting off the unused threads helps reduce the problem.
It is
further necessary to prevent the tie rod from rotating as the ram cycles
left and right. If the tie rod is allowed to freely rotate, damage to the
ram, ram mount, and U bolt flip kit are all likely.
 To
prevent the tie rod from turning, each of the two tie rod ends is turned
in the opposite direction (see photo #5). Start by loosening the jam nuts
on each end of the tie rod. Rotate the tie rod so that the ram mount is as
it appears in photo #4, just above the flip kit u-bolts. Now, while
maintaining the tie rod position shown, turn one of the threaded rod ends
as far forward as it will go and set the jam nut. Turn the other rod end
the opposite way to the limit of it's travel. Tighten the jam nut. Verify
that the ram will not interfere with the u-bolts or flip plate by turning
the steering wheel all the way to the left. Also verify that the tie rod
can not rotate forward or back to the point that it could allow the ram
end to hit the flip kit.
 Step
4 - Route Hoses
Each hose has one end with a 90 fitting and the other end is straight.
Remove the red safety caps from the ram. Take the end of each hose that
has the 90 degree fitting and connect them to the ram. Route the hoses
behind the driver side motor mount and up to the steering box. Use photo
#6 for fitting locations on the ram and steering box. Use the two loose 90
degree fittings (included) to connect the ram to the box. Tighten hose
connections. Check that ram bolts, rod ends and jam are tight. Verify all
steering parts have been reinstalled correctly and cotter pins have been
properly installed.
Step 5 -
Fluid & Testing
Drain old fluid
from steering fluid reservoir and lines. Connect factory lines to and from
steering box and reservoir. Fill reservoir with high temp synthetic
steering fluid.
Using a
floor jack, lift the front of the truck off the ground. With the engine
off, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock 20 times. Check and fill
steering fluid reservoir as needed. Use only high temp synthetic steering
fluid. Start truck and allow to idle. Turn steering wheel another 20 times
from lock to lock while keeping an eye on the fluid reservoir. Top off as
necessary but do not overfill. If ram hoses are connected backwards, the
steering box and ram will fight each other and you will not be able to
control the position of the wheels. If you feel major binding in the
steering check to see that the hoses are connected correctly.
Lower
vehicle to the ground. Check and maintain fluid level as needed. We
recommend flushing and replacing steering fluid once each year. If you are
combining this ram kit with a high volume/pressure pump, a fluid cooler
should be installed in the low pressure return line that goes between the
steering box and the reservoir.
This kit
will work properly with the stock Toyota pump and reservoir. Due to the
limited volume of the stock pump, the steering response time will be a
little slower than stock. This kit works and drives well in both low and
high speed driving applications.
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