It's not difficult to figure out if your steering system is adequate for your Jeep and the type of use it gets. Either you can turn or you can't. Our stock steering system spun our 49-inch meats just fine when driving down the street. But in parking lots or on anything that even looked like off-road, it was a wrestling match to get the 49s in the direction we wanted. If you can't turn your rig when you want to there are a few simple solutions to the problem. You could take off those huge tires, or you could upgrade your steering.
There are plenty of full-mambo kits that come with rebuilt steering boxes, fancy rams and super whiz-bang power steering pumps. But what if the box and pump in your Jeep don't leak and work just fine? Why replace 'em? Also, we were really happy with the road feel and turning ratio of our stock box (about three turns lock to lock). We just needed a little more oomph. So we gave a call to West Texas Off Road to get our hands on a Redneck Ram and the bare minimum of parts (the ram, rod ends, hoses, weld tabs, hardware and fittings) to put the ram assist on our existing steering system at home. The instructions that came with the ram are easy to understand--here's how you can do it, too.
Almost all Jeeps that came...
Almost all Jeeps that came with power steering use a GM 800-style box. Ours was no different. We removed the steering box from the Jeep and cleaned it up. You don't want dirt or anything getting into the box itself.
The holes need to be drilled...
The holes need to be drilled in these locations (note scribe and punch marks along the casting lines and in line with the ports).
We predrilled the holes with...
We predrilled the holes with a 1/4-inch drill bit then opened them both up with a 7/16-inch bit. The upper hole should be drilled just under one-inch deep (0.94), and the lower hole should be drilled 1/2-inch deep. There may be some thickness variances between steering boxes, so take it slow. Use a small magnet to fish out any metal shavings left from drilling.
Pack the holes with a sticky...
Pack the holes with a sticky grease to keep metal chips from getting inside the steering box while tapping the holes to 1/4 NPT. Also smear it on the flutes of the pipe tap.
Again, use a magnet to fish...
Again, use a magnet to fish out the leftover metal chips in the grease. When you get 'em all, wipe out the remaining grease with a rag. If it looks like it's too involved you can send your steering box to West Texas Off Road, and they'll drill and tap it for you. The company can also rebuild the box if it needs it.
We used NAPA fittings (AN-9...
We used NAPA fittings (AN-9 to 1/4 NPT) but West Texas Off Road has 'em in stock. Don't forget the Teflon tape on the pipe ports. We also purchased some caps for the ports. If we ever find a way to damage the 1/4-inch-thick ram body or cut a hose, we can seal off the box and run standard power steering in a pinch.
The Redneck Ram can be ordered...
The Redneck Ram can be ordered in several different lengths. Typically a Dana 30 and some 44s use a six-inch ram, where other Dana 44s and Dana 60s need an eight-inch unit. Our Rockwell axle needed a nine-incher. The length needed can vary so make sure you measure your tie-rod swing before ordering. The rams are available in 1 1/2-inch and 1 3/4-inch bores. The 1 3/4-inch units will provide more power assist but will move slightly slower than the 1 1/2-inch units. We weren't too worried about speed and we had plenty of room, so we went for the 1 3/4-incher. We centered it and tack welded it in place then checked for clearance when turned. Mount the ram as parallel as possible to the tie rod it is being attached to.
Once you're sure the ram is...
Once you're sure the ram is in the clear you can remove it and fully weld the tabs to the housing and tie rod. Leave a loosely tightened bolt in the mounting holes when welding to keep heat distortion from spreading the brackets.
West Texas Off Road offers...
West Texas Off Road offers precut hoses with fittings in 3-, 3 1/2-, 4- and 4 1/2-foot lengths. Route the hoses away from the engine pulleys, drag link and any moving suspension components that can damage them.
We left our pump stock and added a NAPA remote mount (PN 4764) and filter (PN 1622) on the pump return line. This increased the fluid capacity by one quart, and will help cool the system and filter out any nasties. We filled the system with the recommended synthetic power-steering fluid and bled it per the instructions. Once we got all the air out we could turn the steering wheel with one hand at a dead stop in the dirt. Well worth the afternoon of work.
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