Cylinder assist steering systems are designed for use on off-road vehicles to increase steering force to the steering axle. They are not designed to resolve poor on-road handling characteristics of an off-road vehicle. We do not recommend a cylinder assist modified system for vehicles that are driven as everyday transportation on public streets and highways. Cylinder assist systems have an adverse affect on how the steering responds and will not produce the same steering characteristics as a production steering system. If your vehicle currently has a problem with drive ability on the highway, then adding a cylinder assist will probably create a bigger problem. A cylinder assist system can be tuned to drive well on the highway, but everything has to be perfect. This can include suspension modifications, axle modifications and more. If your vehicle has had the suspension modified and larger than stock tires have been added, you probably have already adversely affected the handling and steering of your vehicle. So, if this is what you are currently experiencing you might give the tech line at PSC Mfg. a call and let one of our professionals with many years of experience discuss your vehicle and your concerns before you modify your steering system.

Common JK and TJ steering problems and probable causes.
Loose steering or vehicle seems to track bad going down the highway.
• Caster – Caster is the most critical alignment issue to deal with in a straight axle vehicle that has been lifted and has oversized tires installed. To better explain caster, it is the using the weight of the vehicle to make the vehicle track straight. The definition of caster is the degree of angle that the axle spindles are rolled back, or the intersecting line through the center of the upper ball joint and lower ball joint. With the axle rolled back and then as you steer from center either direction, the center line of the axle raises. You are actually lifting the weight of the vehicle. This effect is why a vehicle tracks straight and returns to center after turning a corner, has nothing to do with the steering gear. If there is enough caster in a front axle and the toe is correct a vehicle will travel straight down a flat plain without a steering gear being on a vehicle. The steering gear only corrects the steering angle, it does not control the return to center, keep the front end from shaking, vehicle from darting across the road. Your axle alignment is what dictates these attributes of a steering axle. And 90% of the time these issues mentioned usually relate to the caster in the vehicle.
Note also that the larger the tire, the more caster required to offset the inertia effect of those tires at highway speeds. We have found that on vehicles such as Jeep TJ’s and JK’s with 37” or taller tires that it is common have to go to at least 8° of caster to make the vehicle track straight.

• Roll Center / Panhard Bars – Another big issue with Jeep vehicles is their use of panhard bars to locate axles and the effect lifting the vehicle has on body roll. As the suspension cycles it changes to location of the axle from right to left. As the suspension moves through its cycle it is also steering the vehicle. This situation is intensified in vehicles that have panhard bars in the rear such as all 97’ and newer jeeps. The more wheel travel and height in the suspension, the greater this problem will be. If your vehicle has severe body roll, soft suspension, poor panhard bar angle, etc., you might have to address these issues before you do any steering modifications.

Shipping

Box Dimensions:

1 × 1 × 1 in

Box Weight:

1 lb