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Hydraulic Steering Illegal?

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  JEEPN 
#1 ·
Okay, I have always heard that hydraulic steering is illegal for on-road use. I have accepted this until yesterday. I saw a cement mixer that had hydraulic steering (No, I repeat no steering gear visible) and it was licensed and had plates. How did they get it legal? Some kind of special requirments?

Just curious if anybody has experience with this or can shed light on this.

Maybe H8 can as he has to deal with these things. It was a front discharge mixer.

Jeep...need I say more?
 
#2 ·
We just poured 165 yards today and another 150 tomorrow. I've never looked at the steering on a mixer but I will tomorrow. I've aways heard that there needs to be a machanical link to be streetable but maybe not(?).
Could be registered as a tractor(?)

Wayne @ Big Island RockCrawlers
"PYRO" The Rock Crawler
Web Site: http://www.members.tripod.com/surfmac/Index.html
 
G
#3 ·
I am pretty sure that unless it is an off-highway vehicle, it has to have some sort of mechanical linkage to the steering. I know there are tractors with no mechanical linkage, but they cannot be registered or liscensed. I will have to pay more attention to the cement trucks across the street from work, I am curious.

Cage Up, Wheels Down
Jeepfiend
All my Jeeps are in pieces! Except for one!!
 
G
#4 ·
While doing some research on trying to source my own parts for a hydraulic ram steering system I checked into what construction equipment uses. Hydrostatic (no mechanical linkages, all fluid power)is the most common in tractors, cats, rollers, smaller equipment with heavy turning loads and low speeds. This uses a a pump to pressurise the fluid, and a steering wheel which acts as a proportioning valve, as turning it diverts hydraulic oil one direction or the other. The movement of the wheel is transmitted by the fluid force and the ram, not mechanics.
On larger vehicles like dumptrucks that still have huge turning loads from 5' tall tires, but must also drive on roadways at higher than idle speeds they add a mechanical link. There is usually a toothed "tie-rod" that runs between the steering knuckles. A shaft is extended from the steering column that has a gear on the end and mates up with the tie-rod, this way if the hydraulic system fails there is still a measure of operator control. All I know is I wouldn't want to be the one behind the wheel driving a dumptruck with a few tons of rock in the back and have the hydraulics fail..... I just think back to how hard it was to turn the 35's w/o power assist!

BTW good point in that Jeeps don't technically have power steering.... they have power "assisted" steering because if the hydraulics fail we are not left totally stranded. This is why I don't 100% trust a Rock-ram system. Sure it's built tough, but everything can be broken.... What happens when I drag my rig 1/2 way up Die Tryin and blow a ram. No amount of "bubble gum and ducktape, McGuyver-type" trailside sh*t will bring one of those back to life. On the other hand if I keep my saginaw then all the insurance I need is a spare high-pressure hose, a belt, and a pump rebuild kit if I want to be extra careful...



Josh
1968 Halfcab - SOA, Twisters, 35's, D44's(4.27), T-18, D20, P/S, Pro-Jection!
 
#5 ·
The rockram comes with two caps that can be screwed onto the fittings on the box. If you break a hose or the ram fails, you disconect the hoses at the box and cap the fittings, you can still steer with power steering minus the ram asisst.

Wayne @ Big Island RockCrawlers
"PYRO" The Rock Crawler
Web Site: http://www.members.tripod.com/surfmac/Index.html
 
#6 ·
I ordered all of my parts last Friday from Northerntool.com, to build my Hydraulic ram Asssit. I will do i complete right up on it when I finish it this weekend.
As far as the Cement truck goes, that is news to me, but like Wayne, I have a concrete pour coming up. We will be placing 400 + yards using a lazer screed crew at the end of week. There is a good chance they will be bring in some the front dumpers, since it takes about 15 trucks to keep up with a lazer screed. Ill take a gander underneath if I remember(the pour is at 3:00 AM, I might be half a sleep).

Jeff
89 YJ
Adversity is imminent, versatility is mandatory, misery is optional.
 
#7 ·
Not in TN I guess. I was at Carnage Canyon Co. last weekend and there was a guy there with a huge YJ (39.5's, worked windsor 351 w/400hp, streched to 100", D60's I think?). He was running a full hydro setup and had TN plates. I suppose he could just have it registured and not inspected. He did say that if it dies he can still steer, I dont know how.

"Laissez Les Bons Temps Roulez! "
 
#8 ·
I know a guy up here running front rack and pinion from a Pinto on his CJ-2A, no mechanical steering linkage, just hoses. He shrouded it with a steel pipe so it won't get damaged, and it sits on top of, but to the front, ot his axle. If I see it again I'll snap some pics. Then again, it's not legal, he's just running it. It's only legal/illegal if you get caught.

JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 7" Lift, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
 
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