PSC ram assist installation troubles with Currie Currectlync steering

Stubby75

Stubby75

New Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
15
Location
Iowa
I went to 37” tires on my2006 TJ Unlimited (LJ) and immediately noticed steering issues off-road. Upgraded to PSC big bore steering gearbox and intermediate steering shaft. Installed a PS derale power steering fluid cooler too. Seemed to help some but could be better when in 4L and front is locked.

Decided to bite the bullet and get the PSC 6”ram cylinder since my PSC big bore box had the ports. Everyone seems to be attaching the ram cylinder heim joint to the draglink on a TJ with a clamp or double sheer clamp like mr blaine sells from black magic for the Currie correctlync steering like I have.

Well after marking the ram cylinder at the 3” mark halfway point there is no way it can be attached to my draglink. Essentially would need to be mounted right where the draglink turnbuckle adjuster clamp is at. I tried to attach to the tierod but the trackbar is way too close. Fine sitting level but turned hard driver the ram cylinder hits the trackbar.

I’m at a loss of what to do. Anyone run into this before and have any ideas? Appreciate any help or suggestions. Maybe Jerry Bransford or Mr Blaine have ran into this before?

IMG_3275.jpeg


IMG_3274.jpeg


IMG_3273.jpeg


IMG_3272.jpeg
 
Stubby75 said:
That’s the exact same thread I used to guide myself through the process. Problem is, as you can tell in the first picture i posted, I can’t attach the cylinder clamp to my draglink. It would need to be clamped right where the draglink turnbuckle adjustment clamp is at.
Click to expand...

Thats why I want to see where the axle side of the ram is mounted to.

Without seeing it my assumption is your hole is further towards the right and needs to be moved back a bit so it all plays nice.
1605626164085.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjvw and Apparition
Buy or make yourself a clamp that fits properly. The BMB drag link clamp fits right before the drag link adjuster with plenty of room for adjustment. It also isn't needlessly fat unlike the PSC clamp is. The cylinder also needs to start at the reenforced factory steering damper mount.
image.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apparition and Lax22
Alex01 said:
Thats why I want to see where the axle side of the ram is mounted to.

Without seeing it my assumption is your hole is further towards the right and needs to be moved back a bit so it all plays nice.
View attachment 428067
Click to expand...
It’s mounted in the stock axle mount location that the steering stabilizer would go into. Just like your picture. Mr blaines brackets are just reinforcing the stock bracket. It doesn’t move it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alex01
Stubby75 said:
It’s mounted in the stock axle mount location that the steering stabilizer would go into. Just like your picture. Mr blaines brackets are just reinforcing the stock bracket. It doesn’t move it.
Click to expand...

Correct. This leaves the PSC clamp as the next likely problem. Notice that Blaine's clamp shifts the sleeve away from the drag link adjuster.

If you are dead set on using the PSC clamp, the next thing I would check is it's positioning on the drag link. After measuring out to half shaft, clamp tight enough to hold on the drag link. Then turn the steering lock to lock and fine tune where the clamp actually needs to be on your specific steering. I can't imagine this being more than a small fraction. But this is an important step to take, regardless.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alex01
Lou said:
You need to shorten the overall length of the ram by ditching the jam nuts and cutting the heims/ram rod.
Click to expand...

Excellent point! That should recover at least 1/2" of length by eliminating the jam nuts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alex01
Lou said:
You need to shorten the overall length of the ram by ditching the jam nuts and cutting the heims/ram rod.
Click to expand...
Won’t that cause issues for travel length? I need 3” of travel from the rod either way. Otherwise it will put stress on the knuckles and steering stops, etc. I like your idea but wondering if this will cause issues in the long run
 
Like Lou said, you need to shorten the heims/end of ram rod and install without jam nuts using green loctite. It won't affect the travel, just where it gets mounted. OR you need to come up with a completely different way to mount the ram which is also possible just takes some creativity and experience.
 
Stubby75 said:
Won’t that cause issues for travel length? I need 3” of travel from the rod either way. Otherwise it will put stress on the knuckles and steering stops, etc. I like your idea but wondering if this will cause issues in the long run
Click to expand...

How much thread do you see on the shaft that could be removed? None of that affects the shaft travel. Could you go even shorter if the rod end was shortened? Same on the cylinder body. How much of the rod end thread could be removed?

Your goal is to reduce the overall length of the assist cylinder. Start by eliminating the jam nuts. Use Loctite 609 to hold the rod ends in place when you figure out what you need to trim. Or just make the cylinder as short as you can from the start.
 
Last edited:
jjvw said:
Correct. This leaves the PSC clamp as the next likely problem. Notice that Blaine's clamp shifts the sleeve away from the drag link adjuster.

If you are dead set on using the PSC clamp, the next thing I would check is it's positioning on the drag link. After measuring out to half shaft, clamp tight enough to hold on the drag link. Then turn the steering lock to lock and fine tune where the clamp actually needs to be on your specific steering. I can't imagine this being more than a small fraction. But this is an important step to take, regardless.
Click to expand...
I don’t care what ram cylinder clamp I use. That’s not the problem. Posting this picture again. When the ram cylinder rod is at 3” you can see it will attach to the draglink about an inch into the draglink adjustment clamp. I’m going to try and remove jam nuts to see how much room this gains me but neither clamp (iron rock stud or Blaine’s double sheer) will fully seat onto the draglink bar before the thread taper. Maybe that’s ok or bigfoots clamp might help with that from what he posted earlier.

IMG_3275.jpeg
 
jjvw said:
How much thread do you see on the shaft that could be removed? None of that affects the shaft travel. Could you go even shorter if the rod end was shortened? Same on the cylinder body. How much of the rod end thread could be removed?

Your goal is to reduce the overall length of the assist cylinder. Start by eliminating the jam nuts. Use Loctite 609 to hold the rod ends in place when you figure out what you need to trim. Or just make the cylinder as short as you can from the start.
Click to expand...
All good comments and suggestions so far!! I think I need to cut at least 3/4” off the male heim threads and the same for female heim end and ditch the jam nuts. I already have Blaine’s double sheer cylinder rod clamp and will use that vs the one in my pictures from iron rock off-road. Was it loctite 609 I should use on the heim threads?
 
Rickyd said:
Is @jjvw hiem body shorter? Pics are from different angles but it might be?
Click to expand...
From the link Gasiorv posted above...
1685303685452.png


And what it looks like in the wild...
20230528_135822.jpg


20230528_135844.jpg


From bolt center to end, the rod end is less than 2" long. And one can see where the BMB clamp makes better use of the available space than the gigantic one.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Lax22, Alex01 and Rickyd
Stubby75 said:
I don’t care what ram cylinder clamp I use. That’s not the problem. Posting this picture again. When the ram cylinder rod is at 3” you can see it will attach to the draglink about an inch into the draglink adjustment clamp. I’m going to try and remove jam nuts to see how much room this gains me but neither clamp (iron rock stud or Blaine’s double sheer) will fully seat onto the draglink bar before the thread taper. Maybe that’s ok or bigfoots clamp might help with that from what he posted earlier.

View attachment 428150
Click to expand...

All I know is that my stuff from Blaine fits the Currie steering. And we have pointed out what the differences in yours should be that are making the cylinder longer and the clamp occupy more space.

When you say these clamps don't fully seat, do you mean they don't fit? Or that you can't get them all the way past the threads? You may need to grind down the drag link a bit to make it closer to round.

Is Blaine bigfoot?
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom
Back