Using a power steering pump for hydraulics

[GT2]

I'm sure this has been discussed but a search dident bring anything up.
Is is possible to use the power steering pump to raise and lower lift cylinders?
Thanks, Tim

 

[zzvyb6]

A passenger car power steering pump puts out about 2 gal per minute at 1200 - 1500 psi. A heavy duty pickup truck pump may give you 3.4 gal per minute. Do the math. Either it will be slow or have limited force output. Don't forget loaders generally usea pair of cylinders if that's where you are headed with this. But if that's all you have to work with, go for it !

 

[Bedlam]

I couldnt find much on this but its an interesting point id suspect you also should consider the amount its going take to move the cylinder.The load. I look forward to the posts .

 

[GT2]

I was thinking of using it for a single cylinder for up down on a snow plow and a single cylinder for a 3 point. Speed and power might not be a concern?
Wasn't sure if it could be T'd off the power steering or not.

 

[J_J]

I was thinking of using it for a single cylinder for up down on a snow plow and a single cylinder for a 3 point. Speed and power might not be a concern?
Wasn't sure if it could be T'd off the power steering or not.

Not your typical power steering pump, but.

Burden Sales Surplus Center Item Detail


This is what I have on my Power-Trac for my steering, and lift and tilt. It puts out enough force to lift 1200 lbs and steer a 3900 lb machine. This pump is driven by the fan belt. Just add a simple valve, and you are good to go for any snow operation.

 

[Kernopelli]

Speed and power sometimes don't sound as important as they are...until you start using your new hydraulics and find out they are painfully slow or under powered. You may be able to use your existing PS pump but I would first find out the specs on it and make sure it is up to snuff. You may just want to hook up an automotive steering pump off the fan belt. Here are a couple of links I used when researching the retrofitting of my tractor with an automotive power steering pump. I think it would work fine for your application. The link to Pirate 4X4 covers power steering specifically but more importantly gives a lot of info on pumps and most of the readers this was written for are using typical agricultural style hydraulic cylinders. In place of an orbital valve you would use a typical lever type control valve and basic plumbing to the cylinder(s). You should be able to gleen enough petinant information from the site to be able to decide if this style pump is what you want to go with. Baums calculators can help you decide what your existing pump or and auto style pump will power and how fast.

Pirate4x4.Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive
Baum Hydraulics Corp :: Spec Calculator (to figure out some configurations)

 

[GT2]

Speed and power sometimes don't sound as important as they are...until you start using your new hydraulics and find out they are painfully slow or under powered. You may be able to use your existing PS pump but I would first find out the specs on it and make sure it is up to snuff. You may just want to hook up an automotive steering pump off the fan belt. Here are a couple of links I used when researching the retrofitting of my tractor with an automotive power steering pump. I think it would work fine for your application. The link to Pirate 4X4 covers power steering specifically but more importantly gives a lot of info on pumps and most of the readers this was written for are using typical agricultural style hydraulic cylinders. In place of an orbital valve you would use a typical lever type control valve and basic plumbing to the cylinder(s). You should be able to gleen enough petinant information from the site to be able to decide if this style pump is what you want to go with. Baums calculators can help you decide what your existing pump or and auto style pump will power and how fast.

Pirate4x4.Com - Extreme Four Wheel Drive
Baum Hydraulics Corp :: Spec Calculator (to figure out some configurations)

Thanks for the info.
Using info from those links it looks like the pump I want to use would work quite well on smaller single cylinders.
I plan to use it with a serpentine belt and over drive it a little.

 

[RickB]

I was thinking of using it for a single cylinder for up down on a snow plow and a single cylinder for a 3 point. Speed and power might not be a concern?
Wasn't sure if it could be T'd off the power steering or not.

You need to learn a whole lot more about hydraulics if you are considering "Tee" ing into an open center system, especially a steering system. That in and of itself doesn't work, period. And it is a gigantic safety issue as well, in the absence of a priority valve, to go mucking about within a steering system. After all that is addressed, then you can work on the pressure and flow requirements of what you intend to power.

 

[GT2]

You need to learn a whole lot more about hydraulics if you are considering "Tee" ing into an open center system, especially a steering system.

this is why I'm asking here.

That in and of itself doesn't work, period.

care to elaborate?

And it is a gigantic safety issue as well, in the absence of a priority valve, to go mucking about within a steering system. After all that is addressed, then you can work on the pressure and flow requirements of what you intend to power.

Its easy to say " it wont work" how about saying how it might possibly work?

 

[DANOCHEESE]

I have used a second PS pump for years on a old fisher snow plow. MAde a resivoir for additional fluid out of PVC pipe. It works not great but i does owrk better than everything else on the truck. A new fisher belt driven pump was over 500.