Trail-Gear Hydro Assist Steering Kit | Solid Axle / High Steer (1985-95 4Runner / 1979-95 Pickup)

Trail-Gear Hydro Assist Steering Kit For 1985–1995 Toyota 4Runner / 1979–1995 Toyota Pickup 4WD builds with an OEM Toyota solid front axle or Trail-Gear Rock Assault front axle housing, high-steer crossover steering, and a 1.25-inch tie rod. Overview The Trail-Gear Hydro Assist Steering Kit adds a single-ended hydraulic ram to the high-steer system to reduce steering effort when large off-road tires are loaded against rocks, ruts, and other trail obstacles. Housing-specific mounting brackets are available for both OEM Toyota solid front axles and Trail-Gear Rock Assault front axle housings, avoiding the generic mounting-tab approach used by universal ram kits. Each configuration includes the hydraulic ram, axle-housing and tie-rod mounting brackets, two 50-inch hydraulic hoses, JIC fittings, rod ends, mounting hardware, and illustrated installation instructions. Ram choices include 1.5-inch and 2-inch bores with 6-inch or 8-inch stroke. Key Features Housing-specific hydro-assist mounting system for OEM Toyota and Rock Assault front axle housings Single-ended hydraulic ram with high-temperature inner and outer seals 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch ram rod, depending on cylinder configuration Heavy-duty 1/4-inch plate-steel mounting brackets Designed around a 1.25-inch high-steer tie rod Two 50-inch hydraulic hoses with JIC fittings Available in 1.5 × 6, 1.5 × 8, 2 × 6, and 2 × 8 ram configurations 12-month limited warranty, subject to manufacturer terms Installation Requirements This kit is intended for a properly configured Toyota solid-front-axle steering system and is not a bolt-on upgrade for a factory IFS steering arrangement. Requires high-steer crossover steering with a 1.25-inch tie rod. Requires a steering box drilled and tapped for #6 JIC hydro-assist fittings or an equivalent pre-tapped steering box. Welding is required to install the axle-housing and tie-rod ram brackets. The steering and ram must be centered and synchronized before the tie-rod bracket is permanently welded. Verify full steering travel and ram clearance so the ram, brackets, tie rod, and surrounding hardware do not bind or interfere. Vehicle Fitment Toyota 4Runner 1985 Toyota 4Runner – 1st Gen – 4WD – Factory Solid Front Axle – High Steer Required 1986–1989 Toyota 4Runner – 1st Gen – 4WD – Solid-Axle Conversion Required – High Steer Required 1990–1995 Toyota 4Runner – 2nd Gen – 4WD – Solid-Axle Conversion Required – High Steer Required Toyota Pickup 1979–1983 Toyota Pickup – 1st Gen – 4WD – Factory Solid Front Axle – High Steer Required 1984–1985 Toyota Pickup – 2nd Gen – 4WD – Factory Solid Front Axle – High Steer Required 1986–1988 Toyota Pickup – 2nd Gen – 4WD – Solid-Axle Conversion Required – High Steer Required 1989–1995 Toyota Pickup – 3rd Gen – 4WD – Solid-Axle Conversion Required – High Steer Required Fitment Notes 4WD solid-front-axle applications only. Does not fit a factory IFS front suspension without a solid-axle conversion. Select the axle-housing option that matches the vehicle. OEM Toyota and Rock Assault housings use different ram mounting brackets. V6 applications may require oil-pan modification or replacement to provide ram clearance. Confirm ram stroke, steering travel, and component clearance before final welding. Product Specifications Brand: Trail-Gear Product Type: Hydro Assist Steering Kit Steering System: Hydraulic Ram Assist Axle Housing Options: OEM Toyota / Trail-Gear Rock Assault Steering Requirement: High-Steer Crossover with 1.25-inch Tie Rod Steering Box Requirement: Drilled / Tapped for Hydro Assist Ram Bore Options: 1.5 inches / 2 inches Ram Stroke Options: 6 inches / 8 inches Ram Rod Diameter: 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch, depending on configuration Bracket Material: 1/4-inch Plate Steel Hose Length: 50 inches each Drivetrain: 4WD Warranty: 12-Month Limited Warranty, subject to manufacturer terms Required High-Steer Setup This hydro-assist kit requires a high-steer crossover steering system with a 1.25-inch tie rod. If the Pickup or 4Runner is not already equipped with high steer, a compatible high-steer kit must be installed before adding hydro assist. Preserve Rad offers the Trail-Gear 4-Stud High Steer Kit and Trail-Gear 6-Stud High Steer Kit; choose the version that matches the steering-knuckle configuration. Available Configurations Each configuration includes a ram, housing-specific axle bracket, tie-rod bracket, rod ends and jam nuts, two 50-inch hydraulic hoses, JIC elbows, steering-box fittings, mounting hardware, and illustrated instructions. OEM Toyota Front Axle 1.5-inch bore × 6-inch stroke 1.5-inch bore × 8-inch stroke 2-inch bore × 6-inch stroke 2-inch bore × 8-inch stroke Rock Assault Front Axle Housing 1.5-inch bore × 6-inch stroke 1.5-inch bore × 8-inch stroke 2-inch bore × 6-inch stroke 2-inch bore × 8-inch stroke