Forklift Steering Pros & Cons
I will soon be installing power steering in my '71 Bronco. I have heard in the past that hydraulic steering from a forklift is the cheapest and more powerful than regular power steering. Is this true? If so, what kind of forklift do I need to look for? How hard is it to install? Is it too much power for my Dana 44 on 35-inch tires? I don't want to destroy something that I will need if it doesn't work.
Willie Suter
via fourwheeler.com
Forklift-type steering, and variations of it, have been used on some specialized "rock buggies." Instead of a steering box mounted to the frame in a conventional way, a special hydraulic valve is attached to the steering wheel's shaft. When the wheel is turned, hydraulic fluid from a pump is directed from this valve to a ram mounted to a bellcrank that in turn moves the wheels in the proper direction. Sometimes, two rams are used and are connected directly to the steering knuckle arms. It takes a lot of specialized fabrication and some knowledge of hydraulic system functions to make it work properly. Yes, it works quite well at slow speeds, but on the highway at speed, the handling is-well, kind of scary. While I am sure that some people have made it work properly, it is not something that I would recommend swapping over to.
There are a lot of better ways to improve your steering system. For instance, several companies such as PSC (www.pscmotorsports.com) offer modifications to your steering box or can sell you a complete rebuilt steering box with special ports tapped off of it that will allow an auxiliary hydraulic ram to be mounted to the steering tie-rods that will provide additional power assist. This type of a system works quite well both off and on the highway.
Wiring Diagram for Wrangler YJ?
I have an '89 Jeep Wrangler that I need a wiring diagram for. The motor caught on fire and burnt all the wires under the hood. I am trying to find a diagram that shows where all the wires go from the fuse panel that runs through the firewall under the hood. I know the fuse panel has a grid system, and I need something to show me how to read the grid. I have tried the dealers around me, but no one can seem to help. Any diagrams or info on where to go to get a diagram would be greatly appreciated.
Josh Gammill
Chattanooga, OK
I spent quite a bit of time trying to find a solution to your problem without much luck. You have some pretty poor Jeep dealers if they can't help you out by pulling out one of their factory service books and letting you copy down the information. I found quite a few companies that made replacement wiring harness for Jeeps, but not a one had a harness for an '89; most stopped much earlier. Painless Performance Products (817/244-6212, www.painlessperformance.com) has a harness that may work for you (PN 10106).
You might also want to search places like eBay or Craigslist for a factory service manual. Then I went to my problem solver, a company called All Data (www.alldatadiy.com). For 25 bucks, you can have access to one vehicle for (I believe) one full year. When I mean access, I mean access to a factory service manual as well as factory recall information and factory technical bulletins. I guess if you want to spend the time, ink, and paper, you could print out the complete manual or just portions that you may need for future reference.