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

Trail-Gear Hydro Assist Steering Kit

For 1979–1995 Toyota Pickup and 1985–1995 Toyota 4Runner 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 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

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

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