info on steering rams.

I took my jeep out for the first time this weekend and it doesnt steer very well. I am running a double ended ram that was built by Mike Adams in birmingham, I think it is the same one Keith Bailey sells at Offroad Connection. It seems like it needs more stroke. I am getting about 4 inches out of each end but there is probably 2.5 more inches of shaft showing when it is at full lock. My knuckles are no where near touching the stops. Is there a internal stop in the ram that can be removed or do I need to just get a new ram?

I bit the hook. I'm interested in what you got goin on. Pics?

You got some kind of 53deg knuckles on that baby? Pics?

The hole in the steering arm is in the wrong place.

they are just solid brand knuckles

Have you removed the tie rods and checked the stroke of the cylinder? I would do that for sure.

So an 8" ram has roughly 8" of shaft showing at full stroke?
So 4"+2.5" is 6.5". That would make your ram a 6.5" ram.

C'mon pics. I'm eating a snack and have limited time to troll. Lol

RustyC said:

Have you removed the tie rods and checked the stroke of the cylinder? I would do that for sure.

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Not needed on a double ended ram, you can measure both sides and add them as the OP did.

Could it be sliding in the clamps?

I was just concerned about any binding in the tie rods limiting the stroke. Mike ran mostly Toyotas so there is a chance the cylinder was build with a shorter stroke to fit them. Hopefully not.

RustyC said:

I was just concerned about any binding in the tie rods limiting the stroke. Mike ran mostly Toyotas so there is a chance the cylinder was build with a shorter stroke to fit them. Hopefully not.

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That makes since. The 38 Special runs about a 6" ram on the front Dana 60. It is actually an 8" that is externally limited.

I have removed the tie rods and it still stops. You can see in the pics where it stops.

Two things looks to be the tie rod holes are way out on the arm and the ram looks to be limited. Just curious have you asked the guy you got the ram from what he thinks?

You can see witness marks on the rod from the wiper seals it two different places. That would mean the rod travelled that far at one point. I would removed the end caps on the cylinder. The piece with two small holes in it. It will unscrew or is held in by a snap ring. Slide it towards the tie rod and look inside for a spacer between the piston and the end cap.

I am going to call Offroad Connection today and ask him about it today

RustyC said:

You can see witness marks on the rod from the wiper seals it two different places. That would mean the rod travelled that far at one point. I would removed the end caps on the cylinder. The piece with two small holes in it. It will unscrew or is held in by a snap ring. Slide it towards the tie rod and look inside for a spacer between the piston and the end cap.

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thats what I was wondering if there was some kind of stop in the ram

RustyC said:

You can see witness marks on the rod from the wiper seals it two different places. That would mean the rod travelled that far at one point. I would removed the end caps on the cylinder. The piece with two small holes in it. It will unscrew or is held in by a snap ring. Slide it towards the tie rod and look inside for a spacer between the piston and the end cap.

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what he said....there is definitely shims in it..you can put them in any ram to make whatever stroke you desire...had them in my pos ram

Yep it had two brass stops in there. I took them out and now it will hit the stops on the knuckles.

That worked out good. Rarely do you get to fix something without spending $$.

nealcj8 said:

Yep it had two brass stops in there. I took them out and now it will hit the stops on the knuckles.

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so why were they in there to start with? Was it on something else before you got it or was it limited on purpose?

I am not sure, the way I understood it it had never been run when I got it.