How robust is our power steering pump?

Peakbagger

Peakbagger

Improved heep
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I have had a project gathering parts on the shelf for a couple of years and it now seems like the donor vehicle I was going to build is slipping through my fingers. This leaves me with a variety of parts that could be applied to my TJ. Among these parts is a hydro assist system. I had planned on using TJ axles and steering but had not decided on a motor so I have not purchased the PSC Steering pump or reservoir. I have everything else needed.

I have started researching installing this on my jeep and have watched a number of youtube videos on the subject. Many of these people are using the stock power steering pump and reservoir and stating it works fine. Thus my question, how robust is the stock pump and does the stock reservoir hold enough fluid to handle the ram? What is the advantage of using the PSC pump and remote reservoir? Not saying I am going this route but I am curious as to the longevity and results of doing so. Could make the difference between using what is already on my shelf or spending another grand on the PSC parts.

Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?
 
I don't have much to offer, but my sons stock power steering pump is going out (bearings are internal). They are rated for 100,000 miles, so that might help you make a decision. There are no Mopar OEM replacement pumps for the 05-06 years. I don't know about other years. On my rig I was thinking of just doing the PSC pump and remote reservoir for 35's and avoiding going full hydro. I've seen people have good results.
 
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I suspect that if the stock pump could handle a ram effectively people wouldn't bother with the cost of the PSC. I run the PSC system and it works exceptionally well in environments where a ram is needed.
 
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JMT said:
I don't have much to offer, but my sons stock power steering pump is going out (bearings are internal). They are rated for 100,000 miles, so that might help you make a decision. There are no Mopar OEM replacement pumps for the 05-06 years. I don't know about other years. On my rig I was thinking of just doing the PSC pump and remote reservoir for 35's and avoiding going full hydro. I've seen people have good results.
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I am not worried about replacements for the stock pump as I have a MOPAR NOS pump with reservoir sitting on the shelf. I got lucky last summer and was able to buy a trailer load of NOS parts from a former Jeep dealership. Mostly looking for anyone with actual experience using the stock pump with a hydro assist setup. Curiosity more than anything. I bought the hydro assist originally for a project with 40" tires thus the need for more steering assistance. Now, that project is basically dead in the water and I am trying to determine what to do with the parts that I have. Hydro assist on my TJ would probably be overkill anyway.

Fact checking the "You-tubers", if you will. ;)
 
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LONGJP2 said:
IIRC, they are not adequate.
I believe @mrblaine talked about this not too long ago.
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That is what I already suspected, but figured I would throw it out there anyway. The PSC parts are well known to work and I could pick up the remaining items that I would need for around $750. Just not sure I really need Hydro assist and thought it would be a fun experiment to use what I have on hand.
 
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Mine has the full PSC steering assembly with hydro assist. The steering gear, pump, and cylinder are sized to each other for the application. Retaining the factory pump or gear will leave that portion undersized.
 
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Peakbagger said:
I am not worried about replacements for the stock pump as I have a MOPAR NOS pump with reservoir sitting on the shelf. I got lucky last summer and was able to buy a trailer load of NOS parts from a former Jeep dealership. Mostly looking for anyone with actual experience using the stock pump with a hydro assist setup. Curiosity more than anything. I bought the hydro assist originally for a project with 40" tires thus the need for more steering assistance. Now, that project is basically dead in the water and I am trying to determine what to do with the parts that I have. Hydro assist on my TJ would probably be overkill anyway.

Fact checking the "You-tubers", if you will. ;)
Click to expand...

👍🏻

Well, do you want to sell my son a MOPAR NOS?
 
Peakbagger said:
That is what I already suspected, but figured I would throw it out there anyway. The PSC parts are well known to work and I could pick up the remaining items that I would need for around $750. Just not sure I really need Hydro assist and thought it would be a fun experiment to use what I have on hand.
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The problem as you alluded to, is the fact checking part.
HA requires more volume and higher pressure to work transparently.
The limitation on the stock pump is not how much you can get out of it but instead, how much you can get into it via the hole in the reservoir to the pump.
We have had issues previous with -10 feed lines of a reasonably short length. Now we only use -12 and we have exactly zero issues with the high volume.

We have had small issues with the volume out of the PSC pumps, now we ONLY use their high volume offerings.

Lots of folks out there run a modified TC pump (stock TJ pump) by monkeying with the bypass spring to raise the pressure. If I could make that work, there is no way I'd be spending what I do on PSC. I just can't make it work and I am not going to lie about something to get folks to buy it. Some folks can put up with other than fully transparent steering that has no issues, I'm not one of them and if I'm going to spend that much time and effort on something, it will work.

That said, there is lots of stuff out there about how to make the TC pump "work". Nothing wrong with experimenting to learn what does what and why it did or didn't do what you expected it to. Just be honest in your expectations and the reality of them happening and you'll be fine. If you dive off into it, don't be afraid to call. I can walk you through lots of stuff to help you learn what works and what doesn't and how to tell.
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Interesting. :unsure:
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Wasn't as interesting as I had hoped. My cousin put me in touch with a guy in Kansas that supposedly had a huge stockpile of Jeep parts. Turns out his grandfather or uncle (?) had owned a dealership/repair shop that closed down around 2004. I had grandiose ideas of finding a ton of unobtainium parts for my Jeep. When I got out there I found out the truth. Most of the parts he had were for YJ's, CJ's, Cherokees and Libertys. I was able to buy a good selection of spares for my 2000 but not as many as I had hoped. The price he offered me was too good to pass up and I ended up coming home with a U-haul trailer full of Jeep boxes. Most were sold through Craigslist and Facebook and one guy who bought every CJ part I had. All told, I made a very small profit and had a lot of fun cataloguing and selling the collection. Best finds were a couple of OEM radiators, a pile of water pumps and enough belts and hoses to outfit a small fleet. I also had a lifetime supply of spark plugs.
 
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JMT said:
👍🏻

Well, do you want to sell my son a MOPAR NOS?
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I am still on the fence about what to do with the hydro assist parts that I have. Based on what I have read above I may go ahead and try using my stock pieces to make the system work. If I choose the PSC route, I will give you first refusal for the oem pump. Cannot say how quickly I will make a decision, I tend to procrastinate.
 
Peakbagger said:
I am still on the fence about what to do with the hydro assist parts that I have. Based on what I have read above I may go ahead and try using my stock pieces to make the system work. If I choose the PSC route, I will give you first refusal for the oem pump. Cannot say how quickly I will make a decision, I tend to procrastinate.
Click to expand...

If it helps any, I’m planning to do the PSC pump, reservoir, and one other part I can’t call to mind right now, and I might be willing to buy that off you if you stay with the stock pump. I’m in no hurry.
 
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