Rear steer... steering?

[wrath]

I've been gathering parts for hydraulic rear steering. The part I'm stuck at is the valve. I need something with an open center (being powered by a Saginaw pump... the pump only runs a winch and the rear steer).

Ideally, I'm looking for an electric valve. I haven't found enough information on the electric valves to figure out how they work. Some of the ones I've found don't release the pressure back through the Tank/Return port when you put pressure to the opposite work port. I haven't even found if they're load holding or not. It seems like some of them are float valves when you aren't putting power to one of the solenoids.


Anyway, my goal is this:
Use an electric valve to control the rear steer. It would be nice if it was proportional but not necessary. It needs to keep the tires where I leave it (within reason, I just don't want them immediately wandering off when I let go of the switch). It needs to have an open center so my Saginaw pump doesn't cry.


I've found a bunch of information on spool valves and orbital valves... but an electric setup would make plumbing a whole lot easier than a spool valve.

Can somebody school me?

[Haggar]

I'd highly suggest looking over at Pirate 4x4.. there should be a lot more info than on this site.

Are the electric valves proportional?

[wrath]

The only way to make an electric one proportional is to put a stepper motor in it... or at least make it reliable and proportional.

I searched on Pirate for "rear steer electric valve" and read back about 20 pages... through 2002. All I found is that people were doing it but no other real information about it. I did get about 7 hours of good reading about hydraulic systems though.

[Yetti]

I wonder if you could use the propotioning valve block from a meijers snow plow? its got everything in it but the self centering control. its got its own pump and control soliniods and a resevoir for fluid. seems to me someone should figure out if it can be done.

[wrath]

Yeah, I was kind of wondering the same thing. Steal the power angle part off a plow. The problem is that snowplows and parts are expensive in the western upper peninsula. I don't know if they have an open center though.

I was originally trying to find an old Western Chevy hydraulic setup. They had engine-driven pumps and everything.

[Yetti]

http://www.angelos-supplies.com/

check out the link for snow plow parts. they are pretty cheap from here