Friday at Cralisle

What a good time, MOSTLY. Today started off great, was a hot one, but still fun. Ran the rocks, Met some cool people, saw some nice rigs. Saw one roll over. Got so pinned in between rocks they brought a forklift in to move the rock! During that episode I boiled the hydraulic fluid for my hydro. steer. Randy hooked me up with a large cooler for a great price! Thanks Randy! Installed it on the spot, filled it up, bled the air out, test run, all good. Or so I thought. Decided I had enough of the heat and chose to come home and hit it again tomarrow. Took down the tent loaded up and decided to park my beloved Willys in that spot to hold if for the next day. Pulled up, went for reverse, BOOOOM! Not a good noise. Transmisson locked up! Frorced it into neutral and coasted out of the way. I took up the floorboard hoping for a busted shifter fork because I have a few at home. No such luck. Detonation! We pulled the tow vehicle in front proceding to winch it up. I then found the new trailer deck was so slippery with newness and dust that the Willys slid off sideways! Now half on and half off I asked for a tug from another nearby jeep. That went ok. He towed me to a flat area then I loaded it properly. Then I went to pick up my RTI ramp with the Willys unstrapped for now. No, I didnt dump it off again, I sat in it with the brake on while being towed to the ramp area. By this time the sun had kicked my a** so bad when we backed up(whith me in the trailered willys) I actually tried to steer! I laughed at myself and along we went.Then when we made the next turn I did the same thing! Still laughing at myself, when we needed to stop I found myself pressing the brake harder wondering why it wasn't working as well as it should! I think thats a sign of heat exhaustion. Done for the weekend. After breaking 3 of the supposedly "strong" model 18 transfer cases and two T-90 tramsmissons in the past 5 months, I think it's time for a new plan. Just as I was nearing the trails, I'll be down for a few more months. Time for an automatic so I can roll along with a little finesse, instead of the jerking around I seem to get with the manuals. It might be a bit much stress with the 4000lb vehicle I run.

Thanks for the story! Sorry to hear about your brakage, but thats you, hard core.

So what auto are you planning on? I would thing that with the stock drive train you could maybe rig a tf727 or a 999 I think that they work the the old carb 4.2's and the 4.0's. I know that they make a bunch of adapters for the Model 18 but it might be time for a built Dana 300 but I could be wrong I think I read some where the the Dana 18 and 20 where stronger or just as strong. I know that the Dana 300 is easy to install low gears and twin stick which could take some of the stress of the rear of the jeep when its flexed and max. Its still a bad ass rig.

Well My engine it s Chevy 283. I have a th-350 layin' around that neede rebuilt with a huge gear drive transfer attached to it. I cant think what model right now but it's the style that looks just like an Atlas. I have the big divorced transfer that Chevy used to use in it's one tons and small dump trucks. I also have a brand new 700r4 trans with a 249?, not sure if thats the write model either, in my suburban that was going to be my tow rig. I have found another option for a tow rig if I need it. I'm going to check the model #'s of transfers today and weigh my options then. I also have the rebuilt 350ci engine that was to go into the Suburban and if I sell that I may have the $ for a powerglide. Just gonna think about it today and make a decision this weekend. I just know im tired of blowin' the t-90's and model 18's. If anyone would like a 350 engine with new rings(hoaned cyl.'s), bearings, frostplugs,timing set, mild pullin' cam., motormounts, sparkplugs, 1 new head, 1head with a comp. valve job, and all the TBI fixins to go along with it, I'm thinkin' maybe $600.00 would be fair. It hasn't been ran since assembly 2 months ago. Thats a pretty good deal.

Ok, here's what I have. I actually have a NP205, np241,np207,Th350 that needs rebuilt, and a good 700r4. I also have available a np203. the trouble is in the gear ratios:
350,205, 5.13:1 diff.s = final raio of 21.847:1
700r4,205,5.13's =39.558 but requires teardown of transmisson to replace the $150 shaft.
Now I run only a 41.636:1 ratio wich is to high already.
The set up seems to be the 700r4,203 as a doubler, then the 205.
With the trans rebuild the doubler kit and some metal for crossmembers thats about $1500.00 at best. It's gonna sit for a while!
The good thing is I will end up twin sticked and a ratio around 90:1 I think.
Any one know who I could just get lower gears from for the 205?
Got any other ideas for what I have?
Good deal on the doubler kit?
I love this hobbie!?

i love the doubler idea as long as you have the room to fit it. do a search for t-case on the pirate i remember seeing a great post on t-cases. that and last months jp mag has all kinds of spec details and mod info on the tcase in months issue. i think the 203 and 205 will go to gether with just a clocking ring and that will allow you to have a 3 speed twin stick. Small block sounds sweet but it might be a little much for the rig and take up to much room. i have never seen you rig in person to have a feel for what you have room for but you have great ideas. To bad money doesn't grow on trees

The small block fits fine, thats what I have been runnin' since the begining. There is actually plenty of room for a big block. A friend of mine has a Cadilac 500 in his. The 203 doubler/205 set up is only 2 inches longer than a typical transfer with a slip-yoke on it. The tailshaft on my 241 is about 9" long. The transfer shifters may be pretty far back in the cab unless I do some fab. for the linkage but thats ok. I'm all for fab. work. If i'm looking at the proper kits for the doubler it's about $700 for the spacer/clocking ring, a shaft, bolts and gaskets. I'll check out JP and Pirate tomarrow, maybe that will help. I also want to check with Randy at Adventurous for pricing. I'm still looking for lower gears for the 205 but I dont think there are any. Not enough rain to keep the money tree growin'!
Eventually I will hit the trails again!!!

Well with the Th-350 and the Lomax 3:1 I figure the final ratio will be 38.782. Currently my ratio is 41.636. Thats the wrong direction but I'm not sure if it will be that noticable with the benifit I will gain not having to leap like I do not due to the clutch. For now it's the lack of a smooth start that hurts me more than the ratio i think. That may be why I keep breaking. Any opinions on the matter?
With the doubler and stock gears in the 205 the ratio would be 43.695 Maybe thats still the way to go.

What gears are you running in the axles? What axles are you running??

I run a front dana44 and a rear gm12bolt the gears are 5.13:1. Thats the biggest set that will fit both axles.
I found today that I have a 700r4 with a 231c bolted to it in my shed that will bolt in. I would need a SYE and some driveshaft mod.s wich is no big deal. The final ratio works out just slightly to the good side of what I run now but the down side is it's chain drive. A beefy chain, but still a chain. I think I might try that for a while before I go spending $2500 for an atlas and the misc. items needed to use it. I'm just a little nervous about a chain when I've busted 2 gear drive transfers already. This option lets me hit the trails in a month or two instead of a year while saving money. The Atlas will bolt to the 700r4 later if needed.

have you check out Stak transfercases

http://www.stak4x4.com/2speed.htm

No, I had not. Thanks for the link. Thats a little cheaper on the box I will contact them about the adapters and shifters with cables I would need. Still alot of $ though. My 700r4/241 seems like the way to go for a while until I break the chain drive or someone tells me something bad about it. I have never delt with stak before. Is it pretty high quality stuff? I guess it is or you wouldn't have mentioned it. I will definately keep it in mind as an option!

you could always do 700r4- 231- d300. there not a chain. and doesn't cost to much. box for rocks is the best kit I have seen, thats mates the two.

Yeah and they say that the 231/300 doubler is only 1 or 2 inches longer than a stock NP231 with the slip.