80 Series Low Range Gear Sets

[Chris_Geiger]

I have been looking into low range transfer case gear options for 80 series trucks. One option is a factory Toyota replacement gear set. Toyota makes a special transfer case for a mining company in Australia. This transfer case has a 2.649 gear set in it. This gear set can be installed into any 91-97 80 series transfer case. The gear set would cost $800.

The factory low range is 2.488 so a drop to 2.649 is only 6.5% lower.

It's not much of a drop for the price I know. I was just wondering if anyone would be interested in such a thing? Or should I go back to the drawing board and find some way to make a 4 to 1 gear set?

If you had your choice of any low range gear set for your 80 series case, what ratio would your choose?

 

[cruiserdan]

I would think that something in a drop-in set that could get down to around 3:1 would work well with an automatic. It seems like a lot of work to go through for less than that.

I could be smokin' left-handed Winstons too I suppose

 

[cruiserman]

3.5:1 one would be decent. Or a doubler .

 

[Tooth Fairy]

I was thinkin' doubler too. Nothin' like kickin' it out when you don't want it.

 

[Chris_Geiger]

We have the 2.28 & 4.70 Toybox crawler that could be adapted to fit the 80's but the fuel tank would have to be replaced or modified. I think the second shifter could be made to come up through the center cup holder.

I just don't know what to do about the tank problem. Is there any shops that will cut and weld a tank that has had gas in it? It sure scares me to even think about welding on a tank like that.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

I knew a shop in Denver that said they would weld on gas tanks.







They never did it again. :whoops:

 

[cary]

[quote author=Chris Geiger link=board=2;threadid=11427;start=msg104061#msg104061 date=1076629306]

I just don't know what to do about the tank problem. Is there any shops that will cut and weld a tank that has had gas in it? It sure scares me to even think about welding on a tank like that.
[/quote]

Not hard to find, it isn't rocket science. The mistake that people that blow themselves up make is they drain the tank and then the fumes blow up (think gas + oxygen). The proper way to do it is to drain the tank and fill it ALL THE WAY with water, then weld. Also there are companies that make rubber liners for tanks all the time. Tank sectioning and modifying is very common with the Hot Rod guys. Find someone in your area that does Rods (i.e. 1920's-40's cars) and they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Cary

 

[bjowett]

2.6xx is not enough IMO. The lowest gear set that could be fit into the stock transfer box would be the best all around option for most, though I would happily take those 4 - 1 gears with a new case. Heck - if you need a complete case for work up I'll consider donating my spare 94 unit to the cause... for a nice discount on the final product

Another consideration would be to lower the high range gearing. Give a gearing that would be the equivilent to the 4.88s we all get to run. The cost of savings of not having to regear could be placed into purchasing the gear set. The 4.10 factory gears are probably the strongest built... a real asset in the front 8" diff.!

 

[Photoman]

Welding on gas tanks should be left to someone that knows what they are doing. I have acetylene welded/patched many gas and fuel tanks and filling them with water is not the way to do it. If there is a hole in a tank and water is leaking out it is almost impossible to weld it - like trying to soder a copper pipe with water in it. The way I have always done it is to run a hose from the exhaust pipe from a running engine into the tank. The hose should go in at the highest point so no fumes are trapped and can escape. Also, the hose should not be sealed as this pressurizes the tank making it difficult to weld. One other caution is most tanks are made of galvanized metal so welding should be done in a well ventilated area to avoid poisoning.

Didn't want to see anyone get hurt.

Bill

 

[clownmidget]

Chris, you might want to contact Aero Fuel Tanks in Corona, CA as they are close to you (I think) and I've been told they are pretty imaginative. They get lots of business from pre-runner types, baja style etc. so they know how to make a tank that can take abuse. It might be worthwhile if you only loose a few gallons on the main tank in order to get the crawler box. Of course it helps if you've already done that aux fuel tank install
Mike R.
Riverside, CA

 

[g8mfzj80]

My 1st choice would be the Toybox crawler for an 80. Followed by 4:1 then 3.5:1. Not really worth the hassle for a measly 2.6:1 IMO

BTW where do most put those auxiliary tanks they have been installing anyway?

 

[Chris_Geiger]

[quote author=clownmidget link=board=2;threadid=11427;start=msg104106#msg104106 date=1076635737]
Chris, you might want to contact Aero Fuel Tanks in Corona, CA as they are close to you (I think) and I've been told they are pretty imaginative. They get lots of business from pre-runner types, baja style etc. so they know how to make a tank that can take abuse. It might be worthwhile if you only loose a few gallons on the main tank in order to get the crawler box. Of course it helps if you've already done that aux fuel tank install
Mike R.
Riverside, CA
[/quote]

I have seen the Aero building off the 91 freeway. I did a serch and found they have a web site with phone number, I will give them a call and see what they say.

 

[woody]

IMO, doubler....BUT, since I'm an idiot on 80-cases, where does the shift lever come up at? Or would the doubler lever come thru the cup holder? AND, is there room to install a link-type mechanism that allows for stock-ish located shifters???

The cleaner the better...and as many people as shop for cup holders on this forum, ya can't afford to lose any

 

[Chris_Geiger]

It looks like the crawler shifter could come up in the stock location. Then the stock tcase shifter could come up in the cup holder.

I think the gas tank would loose 1 - 2 gallons.

Some major work would also be needed to the floor behind the stock case. It looks like the floor would need to be cut out and a center hump created to make room for the stock case. Or the case and driveline could be dropped about 2".

I estimate the case would need to move back 7 to 8 inches.

Both front and rear drive shafts would need to be retubed.

These issues with the dual case are why I have been looking at a replacment gear set that would just go inside the stock case.

 

[cruiserdan]

Hey Woodchips,

I got yer cup holder right here


The transfer lever comes up into the center console. It would be a challenge to integrate an additional shifter unless, as Chris observed, it could be made to come up thru the "cup holder" opening in the rear console.

If I were picking, I would prefer the "invisibility" of a reduction gearset in the transfer case. I VERY MUCH like the idea of a slight reduction being a possibility for high range. I agree that the 4.10 gearsets are very strong and it would be cool to "re-gear" by dropping the hi range from 1:1 to something a bit less. This option would be especially attractive to owners of OEM difflock equipped vehicles as they would be less likely to want to open up their axles to re-gear than would someone who was going to ARB airlocks.

D-

 

[bjowett]

Although there are a few folks here, myself included, that would not mind R&Ring the fuel tank, and chopping a hole in the floor to obtain 2 cases - most folks won't want things to get that involved. The fuel tank alone would ad a good 30% to the cost, never mind the labor many folks will have to pay for hole choppin. You've answered your own question. Now go make some damn low gears for us , before I do something stupid(?) like install a Hino 6 speed transmission with 6.3 - 1 first gear. :

 

[Chris_Geiger]

I agree that something needs to be done. Personally I like the dual crawler idea, but it's going to involve a lot of hacking and R&D. Seems like gears would be a lot easier and cheaper and much less R&D.

I'll never take my 80 into places that I took my buggy. In my view I'll just never need the same, silly low gears I used in my buggy, but I would like a little lower option. I don't want it so low that I can't run the sand dunes of Pismo in low range.

I have no real idea on prices but looking at what we do at the shop with other cases it seems like we could put gears into a case for under $2,000 including all labor.

A dual setup fully installed could easily go twice that with tank, floor and shaft changes.

It's also a very intresting idea about changing the high range ratio. Unlike other Toyota cases this may actualy be possable. Sure would be nice to have a ratio that makes 35" tires run like stock without a R&P change.

 

[bjowett]

Marks in Oz has some 3 - 1 gears that will fit our case AND also lower the high range, but I don't know sh#t about them. Need to look further into that, too.

 

[ppc]

Don't waste effort contacting Aero Tanks. I had them install a 25 aux tank on my 91 4Runner and they were a bunch of arrogant a$$holes. The day I took it in to have it installed it was an all day affair where you had to get it in by 7:30 and it would be ready at 4:45 and I think they closed at 5:00. Even though my truck was done earlier and sat there they wouldn’t return the vehicle. They gave me a 15 second instruction and slapped the keys in my hand and won’t answer any questions. The transfer pump would barely transfer fuel fast enough to fill the tank if you were driving. When I took it back to them to have them look at it they blew me off saying that there was nothing wrong with it without even looking at it. After I got the 80 about 3 years later, just for grins I called them to find out what they had available for the Land Cruiser as I couldn’t find another source. They had nothing, refused to discuss building anything custom and were still as rude as before.

 

[pismojim]

Good to know you're working on this Chris.

An extra shifter and ToyBox adds everything you could ask for without taking away the stock ratios. But I do like the possibility to change the high ratio with T-Case gears.

The fuel tank is pitifully small already, any tank mods should make it bigger.

There is a huge space behind the axle once the spare is relocated (most are on "wheeled" rigs). How about a second gear box and a NEW long range tank in the back. The new tank could use the parts and pump from the original.