power steering pump

getoverit · April 29, 2006, 01:06:22 PM

I know there has been some discussion in the past about using a power steering pump to drive a hydraulic winch, but I wonder if anybody else has used one of these to power any other kind of hydraulics?

I didn't know it, but one of my friend's sons works at a auto junk yard, and I now have access to some cheap parts. I just wondered if a power steering pump would have enough power to drive a couple of small cylinders and what the strength would be? I can see where I might be able to use one of these to make a log clamp and possibly a log turner for the home made bandmill--- if it would work and be strong enough. I would be driving it with a 12hp briggs lawn mower engine. Also, is there anything on a car or truck that one could modify to act as a drive motor- driven by the power steering pump? If so, I might could use this to drive the head rig...???

got any thoughts on this?

jpgreen · April 29, 2006, 01:29:34 PM

I saw some plans on a log splitter one time Ken that was powered by a power steering pump. It wasn't very fast but split logs pretty well.

Tried to find them, but as yet no luck.

dancan · April 29, 2006, 04:56:16 PM

keep on looking , i'd like to see those plans .

woodbowl · April 29, 2006, 07:17:18 PM

I've seen some post as well about power steering pumps used in homemade hydraulic systems. It seems a waste, all those junk power steering pumps ........ all those hydraulic pumps I mean. That's what they are, mini hyd pumps.

Quote from: getoverit on April 29, 2006, 01:06:22 PM

...... is there anything on a car or truck that one could modify to act as a drive motor- driven by the power steering pump?

I don't know either but I would like to extend the question to not only cars and trucks but other slave type hydraulic motors in other machines and applications. There's got to be a simple driven unit somewhere right under our noses, just like the power steering pumps are. Also, I've wondered if one power steering would drive another power steering pump, if not could it be modified to do so.

Buzz-sawyer · April 29, 2006, 07:34:55 PM

Thy work great to power cylinders....and they dont have to be little ones, I have even seen one powereing the mast ona forklift 8) 8) 8)

getoverit · April 29, 2006, 07:36:19 PM

another question:

Does any car or truck actually use a hydraulic power steering cylinder like a ford tractor does on it's power steering? I can get them if I know what to ask for, and I bet I can make them work in my application.

I have been looking for a use for some of these old lawn mower vertical shaft motors I have laying around, and I'm thinking I can make a pretty good hydraulic system out of them if I can piece together all of the other junk to make it work.

I have wondered if one power steering pump could drive another power steering pump too... would make a good feed motor if it would work ;D

woodbowl · April 29, 2006, 08:05:39 PM

Quote from: getoverit on April 29, 2006, 07:36:19 PM

Does any car or truck actually use a hydraulic power steering cylinder.........
*
*
*
*
*
I have wondered if one power steering pump could drive another power steering pump too...

If I was a mechanic I may could talk about rack & pinions, but I couldn't tell you if it was a cylinder, a slave motor or a rubber band pulling on the tie rod ends.

Ken, why don't you hook up two PS pumps to see if one will be driven and tell me what you found out. I've always wanted to do it but I haven't had the time. ;D ;D

Flurida_BlackCreek · April 29, 2006, 08:36:27 PM

Yes they will work as a pump. A nissan or toyota ps pump would be a good choice. They have remote tanks. Don't know if a ps pump will work as a motor, but I doubt it. I like woodbowl's suggestion.. ;D

If you can find something with a Eaton hydrostatic drive that would be perfect for head travel. Newer (variable speed, ie no shifting) lawn tractor, old concrete saw etc. and you don't need lines or valves.

The power assist and dampners of cars and light trucks aren't heavy enough to be very useful on a mill.

scsmith42 · April 29, 2006, 09:45:09 PM

Late 60's Ford Mustangs had power assist cylinders attached to the drag link. They don't work the same way as the Ford tractor steering though; you still had to have a steering box that was operating the drag link.

UNCLEBUCK · April 30, 2006, 12:14:12 AM

I come across alot of old junked out farm machinery like grain swathers and combines that barely run for 50$ and each and every one has a complete little hydraulic system to be used for anything you could think .
My friend put a power steering pump on a old f-350 flatbed truck to run his homemade dump and that little pump just plays with a full load of firewood for dumping .

DanG · April 30, 2006, 12:17:07 AM

PS pumps are great. They work good for powering hydraulic motors, but the iddy-biddy reservior isn't great for cylinders. You can add a larger one, though.

scsmith42 · April 30, 2006, 12:32:20 AM

Anybody have any idea what kind of GPM / PSI that the ps pumps put out?

Scott

getoverit · April 30, 2006, 01:02:26 AM

Quote from: UNCLEBUCK on April 30, 2006, 12:14:12 AM
I come across alot of old junked out farm machinery like grain swathers and combines that barely run for 50$ and each and every one has a complete little hydraulic system to be used for anything you could think .

Wish I could find one of those kind of deals... looks like I might have to run over to DanG's place and visit Mr Hootie to get some REAL bargains on hydraulics.

I'm just thinking out loud right now anyway. I keep going out to the shed to look at this bandmill and getting ideas on how I can improve it and make it easier to operate. I've now sawn a couple of logs with it and turning the logs is really easy to do. This mill actually pulls the log into the backstop's when cutting, so dogging isnt so much of an issue and wouldnt take much to dog a log down. Pushing the head isnt so hard to do either, but I can see where I can make it even easier to saw.

Since power steering pumps are so cheap and easy to come by, might as well use one of them if they will do the job for me.

beenthere · April 30, 2006, 01:55:04 AM

scott
There are some listed in Surplus Center and one mentioned is 50 psi with 2.3 gpm.

Another is listed higher, Bosch pwr str pump with 3625 psi and 6.6 gpm. So a pretty good range, depending on what one gets ahold of.

highpockets · April 30, 2006, 07:28:44 AM

getoverit, I am not sure the specs of a power steering pump but it'll work. I put one on a large horizontal bandsaw to lift the arm. Works great.

Captain · April 30, 2006, 07:36:30 AM

GM specs on PS pumps are 3-4 GPM and 1200-1500psi

Captain

woodbowl · April 30, 2006, 08:43:01 AM

Quote from: highpockets on April 30, 2006, 07:28:44 AM
............. a power steering pump but ....... I put one on a large horizontal bandsaw to lift the arm. Works great.

HP, what slave motor did you use with it?

getoverit · April 30, 2006, 10:04:02 PM

what brand of car or truck uses a bosch power steering pump? Looks like that one will do a LOT !

getoverit · April 30, 2006, 10:10:52 PM

Quote from: Captain on April 30, 2006, 07:36:30 AM
GM specs on PS pumps are 3-4 GPM and 1200-1500psi

Captain

Captain,

do all GM pumps meet this flow and pressure rating or is it one particular one? If all of them do, I think I could come up with an external tank to supply all of the hydraulics for the mill with one pump. got any idea?

Captain · May 01, 2006, 05:28:38 AM

The specs I gave are capable of most pumps, the pumps with the most flow and pressure are on light trucks with hydroboost brakes.

Captain

stumpy · May 01, 2006, 07:43:20 AM

Mile Marker brand winches work off of the vehicle's power steering pump.

sawguy21 · May 01, 2006, 09:40:59 AM

The MM winches work great until the engine stalls. :D

highpockets · May 03, 2006, 05:14:41 AM

Woodbowl, sorry I missed your question several days ago. I had a 1 h.p. 3 phase motor running the pump. You can't tell much about the saw as there is junk everywhere. The motor sitting on top in the right side of the photo is the one that lifted the sawhead,

woodbowl · May 03, 2006, 10:00:36 AM

Sombody straighten me out here. ............ I'm using terms that I've heard many years ago to express the location of the components. (Master and Slave) When I said slave motor, I meant that it was the motor being powered from the hydraulic pump. Are these terms obsolete or do they just apply to other areas such as master cylinder and slave cylinder ???

highpockets · May 04, 2006, 07:23:13 AM

In my limited knowledge of equipment we always referred to a slave as the second item after a primary or master. If one had two motors powering something but only one was on line at a time, there would be a master and the slave would come in if the master failed.

I think the master-slave thing you refer to came into being when the automotive industry went to using hydraulic clutches.

To answer you question, I'd think that a pump and motor (motors) is a system. Remember is am a Louisiana Redneck so take it with a grain of salt.