steering issue 4wd aired down tires

That's pretty normal when you're aired down that low after the power steering system has had a chance to get hot from lots of turning with tires aired down that low. That low of a tire pressure significantly increases the workload for the power steering system which makes it get hot enough so it can't power those big aired down tires around as easily as normal. My steering does the same thing on some really tight/twisty trails since I also often air down that low. Installing a PS steering fluid cooler can sometimes help but the rear cure is to install a hydro steering assist ram. That's on my short list as soon as the $$$ becomes available.

I have seen ps units get hot, smoke and sometimes fail on really hot days on twisty trails. Even the high dollar, purportedly heavy duty units. The common factor is indeed what you have noticed. Wide tires, big lugs, aired down significantly.

thanks you guys
i have already started looking into the hydro assist
there are alot of great writeups on this upgrade and not bad on price

97TJAC said:

after about 3-4 hours of wheeling it became very stiff to turn and when i would turn all the way over i would hear a loud whining noise again
i can disengage the front and it turns fine

is this just gonna be normal with 35s and very low tire pressure?

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I am locked with 35's and have not aired down that far and have the same problem. I only get about an hour in before my steering gets really bad. I am looking at hydro assist. I have been looking into the redneck ram from West Texas Off Road it is not a full boogie PSC system, but then again its a lot cheaper too. I have read a lot of good reviews and talked to the guy at West Texas Off Road he seems to know his stuff. Just need to get the time and $$$ together.

for those about to do this themselves or thinking of forking out some money
i found this

Cheap Hydro Assist

its about 1/5 the price of redneck ram but u have to do the work

91badass said:

I just bought the PSC hydro assist kit, installing in a couple weeks, i'll let you know how it comes out, but I know 3 guys that have it, and they love it.

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Which system from PSC is that? Did you get it all dialed in yet? I am going to do hydro assist before the end of the summer and really need to make a decision on which way to go.