HYDRAULIC STEERING FAQ'S
Hydraulic Steering FAQ
Here is a list of important items when building and/or trouble shooting a full hydraulic kit for large tire trucks
Hoses, Fittings and Location
Feed Line
- -12 minimum line from reservoir to pump
- Reservoir needs to be mounted higher than the pump
- Make sure there are no kinks or funny loops in feed line
Pump to Orbital
- -8 high pressure line and fittings from pump to orbital
- Minimum working pressure of 3000PSI
Orbital to Steering Cylinder
- -8 high pressure line from orbital to steering cylinder
- Minimum working pressure of 3000PSI
Return
- -8 low pressure line return to reservoir
High Volume Pump
Too low of flow or pressure will cause the steering to be stiff or slow
Cooler + Filter
Only mounted on the return side of the system
Orbital
Make sure is not a closed center unit from forklift or tractor, check for proper volume by calculating your rams surface area. Information and Calculations Here
Reservoir
Bigger is better, the more fluid in the system the better it will cool, also make sure the oil isn't foaming
Troubleshooting
When trouble shooting, the first thing to check is for pressure, ideally the pump should be making 1500-1700 psi no less than 1200psi.
Gauge adapters are available Here