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The High-Pressure Pump

The genesis of the hydraulic system is the reservoir. It must be large enough not only to contain the combined reservoirs of a conventional vehicle, but also all the fluid required to bring the suspension up to full height. It is located at front of the vehicle to the right and behind the spare tire.

At the heart of the pump is a simple piston. When the piston ascends, a valve opens to allow fluid to be drawn from the reservoir. When the piston descends, that valve closes and another opens allowing fluid to be forced out under pressure. Through the magic of hydraulic physics, this simple mechanism, smaller than a roll of dimes, is able to generate enough hydraulic pressure to hold the body aloft even under stress and heavy loads.

In order to generate an uninterrupted flow of pressurized fluid, the pump unit is actually comprised of seven pistons arranged in a circle. By rotating an armature, each piston is depressed in succession and a constant supply of fluid is produced. The armature is turned by a pulley that is run by a belt, and can be engaged or disengaged by means of an electro-magnet clutch.

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