nathaniel

Well y'all, I want to know what you think about this idea. It won't work for me, but might be ideal for those people doing a SAS with the front driveshaft and front diff on different sides of the truck. You will need a donor transmission, transfer case and crossmember. Here's the plan: Take the piece that goes between the tcase and tranny and use it as a front cover for the t-case. It holds the seal that seals around the input shaft, so it should hold the fluid in the case. It will need to be cut down to just what is necessary for this task. There is a sleeve that connects the transmission output shaft to the t-case input shaft. Take this sleeve to a reputable welder or machine shop and have a flange welded to it so it can be bolted to the rear flange on the transfer case in the truck. This should attach the output shaft of the front case to the input shaft of the rear case. Use sturdy steel plates to connect the cases top and bottom of the t-cases to help prevent flex at this joint. Attach the second case to the truck using the crossmember. Then all you need to do is get the length of the driveshafts changed, which you would need to do for a second t-case anyway. This idea will work best if you get a case with a top-shift. But changing from front shift to top shift is possible.

My biggest concern here is the weld. But it is in a spot that is easy to keep an eye on, so frequent checks for cracks should prevent trail trouble. It is also relatively easy to R&R. This idea won't work for me because I already have a stock solid axle. The front case gets in the way of the front driveshaft coming off the rear case. If anyone knows a cheap way to turn a t-case into a crawler box, I'd like to hear it.

seaflea

What transmission and t-case are you talking about? The w-56 doesnt have a piece between the tranny and t-case. only a gasket.
a G-52 transmission (while not the most desireable) has the lowest gearing and could be used for crawling on the cheap. another way to do it is buy marlins 4.7 kit and install it in the t-case. it costs less than the dual cases and there is no shortnening or lengthening of drive shafts.

please explain more of what you are talking about. I'm interestedd in hearing it. post some pics with illustrations if possible.

nathaniel

Unfortunately Seaflea, I have no pics. This idea won't work for me. I'm just throwing it out there for consideration. It seems like it would work really well for folks doing a SAS where the diff of the solid axle is going to be on the wrong side of the truck. They could install this second t-case and it's output would be on the passenger side.

I don't know enough about the different Toyota transmissions to say which I'm talking about. I've seen 3, all from early models (pre 85) and they each came in 4 parts: the bellhousing, the transmission gearcase, the transfercase, and an aluminum piece that went between the transmission gearcase and the transfercase. It enclosed the output shaft of the tranny and the input shaft of the t-case. I don't know what it's properly called but that's the needed piece.

joez

Thats the range box, you know the part that has your high and low range gearsets, not an "adapter".

And just FYI, stacked divorced t-cases have been used for a LONG time, longer than there have been doublers for Toy cases.

nathaniel

No, it can't be a "range box" because it has no gears in it. All it has is the output shaft of the tranny, the input shaft of the t-case, and a splined sleeve to hold them together. It might be referred to as a "tailhousing" for the tranny, although that usually refers to 2wd trannys. But it bolts to the rear of the tranny gearbox in the same place as a tailhousing would.

Of course, stacked, divorced t-cases are not an original idea. But the mechanics of how to do it cheap might interest someone. If you are familiar with this, do you know how to turn a t-case into a crawler box to clear the driveshaft for the second t-case?

seaflea

here is a photo of 2 t-cases mated together.
t-cases
It is from Marlins site. I have just been through 2 of these and a transmission, and I must say that there are gears in every one of the pieces that I opened.

crawler#976

Seaflea is correct.

A toy t'case is split into a range box (high/low) and a 2x4/4x4 box. The front section contains the stock reduction gear set, 2.28:1. That is the section required to mate to Marlin's adapter to create a dual reduction setup. Marlin also sells deeper gear sets to replace the stock reduction unit.

FingerMan20

nathan, are you talking about...



I'm sure that's not your transmission, but is that GENERALLY what you are talking about?

seaflea

that is called an intermediate plate. and it holds all of the bearings and gears in place inside the transmission. You can take both ends off and the gears will be help by that plate.

nathaniel

nope. but thanks for the pic fingerman20. I took some, but can't seem to get them to upload. something about file too large. the piece I'm talking about is just to the right of the one you've got circled. In both trannys in my garage it's got nothing like gears in it.