divorced transfer case? (1 Viewer)

[polarweasel]

How hard would it be to turn a stock split t-case into a divorced unit? I want to plug in a Mercedes 5-cylinder diesel and its transmission, and a divorced t-case seems to be the most sensible option...

This is a 1984 (11/83) FJ60 with stock split case. I'm looking at using a Mercedes OM617.952 5-cylinder turbo diesel and automatic transmission out of a 1983-ish 300D. The engine/tranny combo is short enough that there should be enough room for a decent shaft between the tranny and t-case, which in turn means I don't have to mess with the driveshafts. This is a Good Thing.

So...anybody divorced a split case before? And do you have any pictures of it?

 

[gulp3000]

And they say there's never new stuff on "mud"

Sounds like an interesting project. Is your H41 in good shape? With the new 33's, I need to regear.

 

[Poser]

I have not ever seen it....


But try these guys....they may have something for ya.


http://www.ottindustries.com/index.htm



Good luck!



-Steve

 

[Mace]

OTT would be an excellent place to start. The divorced toyota tcase would not be hard.

Make a plate that covers the input bearing. (kinda like the CC sm420 plates) then make a shaft (you could probably respline a stock tranny output shaft) that will slide through the tcase and have a bolt on flange. (like the output flange)


Nothing hard to do at all really.

 

[polarweasel]

Ott's a cool place. Thanks for the pointer to them! They've got a plate, but $325 is a bit spendy... http://www.ottindustries.com/divorcetoyota.htm

I'm sure we can fab up something a fair bit cheaper than that!

 

[polarweasel]

Oh, and Don, my H41's in good shape. You wanna get in line for it? If I was mean, I'd eBay, but I'd rather sell stuff on mud than there...

 

[marc]

Divorced Transfer Case

hey polarweasel I am interested in doing the same conversion. I met a guy through the 4X4 labs conversion forum (they were are trying to do a mercedes conversion for landcruisers but it has been like two to three years in the works)
named chris. This guy put a mercedes engine & tranny matched with a toyota transfer case in a russian SUV called a Niva. He described the conversion to me about a year and a half ago and I kept his e mails but now I cant get in touch with him. His website is down but he still had an open directory of his photos so I bookmarked them. here is what he told me.......


Hi Marc,

I've already been waiting a long time for a look at the 4x4 labs
custom flywheel, to see if they'd make a viable unit....no luck so
far. ( dont take my heckling there as a 'negative' opinion - I'd love
to see them actually build the kits, just so long as they're done
RIGHT.)

as for doing a conversion yourself: yes, it can be done. easiest
method, in my opinion, would be to use a marlin crawler 'toybox'
setup, which grafts a mini truck reduction box onto the front of a
Land cruiser transfer case. From there, it can be connected to the
Mercedes automatic the same way as my 240TD/auto combo is set up.
takes about an hour, and aside form welding up the spud shat, it can
be done at home, with hand tools. any decent driveshaft shop should
be able to take the parts, and build the coupler. A new input seal is
required, and you'll need a 41mm frost plug to use as the lower
bearing lube cup. ***just an FYI, based on the results I've had with
mine, I've been contemplating building up the cover+spud shaft and
selling them as kits - let me know if you're interested, and I'll
shoot you some photos, and the details.
Land Cruisers arent my main stay, but IIRC, the normal axles are
4.10's, in which case I'd recommend using at least 31*10.5's, or
(preferably) 33*12.5's. The dual case would give all the low gears
you could want, while 33's and the auto will do 70 mph @ at roughly
2900 rpm, which is right on the torque band or the Mercedes diesels.

**** just an opinion, but in an FJ60, I'd recommend using the 300TD,
not a naturally aspirated engine. based on my most recent work,
turned up, but with no mods/added parts, the 300TD is capable of
170-200 HP, and 300+ ft.lbs, which would move the heavy 60 with very
little effort, and good mileage. A 300D NA would work, but you'd be
pushing the motor a lot harder on steep highway grades - might not be
an issue if you never load heavy, or tow.

hopefully this helps.....
http://home.off-road.com/~northern_gypsy/images/adapter2.jpg
http://home.off-road.com/~northern_gypsy/images/adapter6.jpg


marc
ps I left in the original typos.....

 

[polarweasel]

Marc, interesting stuff. Ladas were neat little cars -- there were quite a lot of them in Ottawa, Ontario, where I grew up. I've also been in contact with Chris just recently (his yahoo address still works...), but I hadn't seen those two pictures. Very nice.

So how far along are you? Or are you gonna wait until mine is done and see how it goes?

 

[polarweasel]

Whoops, that case has a centered rear output... Is it a minitruck case, or the Nissan case he used in the Lada?

 

[marc]

I think I will wait for you!!

his post on 4 x 4 labs said that he was swapping in a toyota mini truck t-case.

I haven't started yet but I am getting funds together.
I would like to get this going soon though.

Are you going to try to do this conversion? Are you going to have him make the adapters?

later
marc

 

[Cattledog]

Howdy,

A guy I work with bought a 300TD 5spd with 4X4 60 axles conversion. Strange MB... His swap used a nissan 720 TC. There are two styles of TC and one has a higher load rating, not sure how to tell them apart. I think the nissan case was used due to the many bolt on options the case provided, and the output shafts orintation. I will see if I can get pics. I am interested in this type of swap. I here the 5 spds are difficult to locate though.

 

[polarweasel]

I think I will wait for you!!

Good plan. When we're done with my truck, we plan to manufacture and sell (for a reasonable price!) the divorce plate and anything else we needed to fab for the conversion, along with comprehensive illustrated instructions.

One of the issues in my head right now is how to secure the divorced case. I'm sure we'll sort that out once we get started.

I'll start a new thread detailing the actual conversion once we get that underway. Stay tuned...


Alex

 

[polarweasel]

I here the 5 spds are difficult to locate though.

No, the 5-speeds are nearly impossible to locate!

Even in Germany, the OM617 motor was never attached to a 5-speed. 4-speed manuals were fairly common in Germany but were never imported here. Every now and then you might run across one that was grey-market or a diplomat's car, but that's it.

I'm just going to use the automatic. They have a front and a rear pump, so you can bump-start them, and they will lock in gear to allow serious engine braking. That takes care of my two main objections to automatic trannies right there...

 

[Cattledog]

No, the 5-speeds are nearly impossible to locate!

Even in Germany, the OM617 motor was never attached to a 5-speed. 4-speed manuals were fairly common in Germany but were never imported here. Every now and then you might run across one that was grey-market or a diplomat's car, but that's it.

I'm just going to use the automatic. They have a front and a rear pump, so you can bump-start them, and they will lock in gear to allow serious engine braking. That takes care of my two main objections to automatic trannies right there...

That is what I thought. His 300TD was a grey market import. Registaring the MB was a major pain in the . The automatic sounds good. I am looking forward to your project.

 

[marc]

iv'e got a line on a 300sd car w/ engine AND an additional engine and tranny for 1500.00.
or he will sell the 2nd engine for only 300.00$!

 

[polarweasel]

Where are you, Marc? I'm interested. What condition are the engines in?

 

[marc]

pmed you