I'm still confused. Is 4.7 the same as the stock gearing then? I apologize for all of the quotes but my phone app will not let me post unless I quote or use a picture. I am reading this two different ways, one that it is close to stock gearing and two that it is similar to gearing in a crawl box. Confused? Does it come with twin sticks also or is that an additional option? I need to stop asking stupid questions on here and just do the research because I am clearly not getting it. For me at 2k the money would be better spent on a regear and a winch. I spend 99% of my time commuting and I think something that benefitted me both on and off road is a better option. The winch should help me out with the rest. For what we did this past weekend i did not feel a lack in any areas off road. I realize that we only did threes with the occasional four but I felt like if anything I didn't utilize everything I already have. I feel like my limitations are more in the clearance/tire size and driver ability areas. Thanks for all the help but I am a little on the dense side and it will probably take me some more time and research to fully understand all that it has to offer. I can't wait to hear about the differences first hand come Jamboree.
Inchworm Lefty Case or Front Locker / Regear (1 Viewer)
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I'm still confused. Is 4.7 the same as the stock gearing then? I apologize for all of the quotes but my phone app will not let me post unless I quote or use a picture. I am reading this two different ways, one that it is close to stock gearing and two that it is similar to gearing in a crawl box. Confused? Does it come with twin sticks also or is that an additional option? I need to stop asking stupid questions on here and just do the research because I am clearly not getting it. For me at 2k the money would be better spent on a regear and a winch. I spend 99% of my time commuting and I think something that benefitted me both on and off road is a better option. The winch should help me out with the rest. For what we did this past weekend i did not feel a lack in any areas off road. I realize that we only did threes with the occasional four but I felt like if anything I didn't utilize everything I already have. I feel like my limitations are more in the clearance/tire size and driver ability areas. Thanks for all the help but I am a little on the dense side and it will probably take me some more time and research to fully understand all that it has to offer. I can't wait to hear about the differences first hand come Jamboree.
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- #22
No the single t-case is regeared to 4.7 low gears which would equal the same ratio as two stock low cases(AKA doubler) with 2.28 gears.
I just assume they make 4.7 gears for the lefty's like the right hand drop cases.
Marlin sells doublers that use your stock case for the rear case which means you still have the chain driven case.
http://www.marlincrawler.com/transf...ive-left-hand-front-output-dual-transfer-case
http://www.inchwormgear.com/collect...ilt-lefty-left-hand-drop-geared-transfer-case
Is the 1st one I was looking at but I trust Marlin more as i've seen all his videos over the years. His products are trustworthy.
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- #23
Your stock T case comes with 2.56:1 gears, where as the Marlin and Inchworm come with 4.70:1. This slows your speeds in Hi and Low 4wd down tremendously and you would have more torque. It does come with the extra shifter that you're seeing. As far as 2k best spent on a winch and regear, I don't see 2k covering that. Regear is expensive and you should find a shop that has the rep to do it. I have read some terrible incidents and experienced them in 4x4s in the past w/ bad shops and bad service. Also, I don't plan to regear as I am fine with the way my Fj drives and handles on road and would hate to change that. I do a lot of interstate driving and bumping my gears up would have me spinning higher rpms at lower speeds thus less MPGS and I can't afford that. Especially for long trips like to SCC, I would hate to have the regearing.
So the original statement that the gearing is the same was incorrect, correct? I will have to agree to disagree about the regear. I had my Cherokee regeared and locked for less than $2k and ran it with no problems for years. It was a full time posi and not an ARB but it worked. As far as how interstate driving goes it wouldn't brake 70 but it at least had power to get there which was not the case before it was done. I don't currently have that problem now but I would like to get back to the stock powerband. When you refer to regears affecting your hiway driving are you talking about specifically with the FJ Cruiser because I know Layton and Jacque both managed to make it to SCC with a regeared vehicle and Layton was still getting better gas mileage than me.
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- #25
Their is a reason why Layton would only travel at about 65 most of the time. In a Fj with vamped gears, I don't see going over 60 with our tires being healthy for MPG nor the motor. With no roof rack and same size tires and a lot less weight at 65 mpg im running 2k rpms, with a regear you'd be a lot higher.
I'm either gonna help here or confuse things more. But here is my take on things.
Re-Gear
Most people re-gear after going to bigger tires to help turn the heavier tires and to get back close to the stock power band which takes part of the load off the engine, meaning better fuel mileage. If you're still running stock size tires or close to it there's really not any need to re-gear. Say your stock tire size is 265/65/17 (mine is) and you jump up to a 285/70/17 this is a grey area for most and it can go either way, but if you go to a 315/70/17 your engine is going to have to work a hell of alot harder to turn those tires. Hence the re-gear. Hope that helps some. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
T-Case
A gear driven lefty t-case comes with the same gearing in Hi and Low range as stock.
The Low range (2.56?)gear can be swapped out for a lower one(4.70?). The Hi range gearing stays the same.
Twin sticks are a modification that allow you to operate Hi/Low and 2wd/4wd separately. With twin sticks you can run in 2wd Low range, which you can't do with the stock shifter.
Hope that helps with some of the confusion. At least that's my understanding of how these things work.
Re-Gear
Most people re-gear after going to bigger tires to help turn the heavier tires and to get back close to the stock power band which takes part of the load off the engine, meaning better fuel mileage. If you're still running stock size tires or close to it there's really not any need to re-gear. Say your stock tire size is 265/65/17 (mine is) and you jump up to a 285/70/17 this is a grey area for most and it can go either way, but if you go to a 315/70/17 your engine is going to have to work a hell of alot harder to turn those tires. Hence the re-gear. Hope that helps some. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
T-Case
A gear driven lefty t-case comes with the same gearing in Hi and Low range as stock.
The Low range (2.56?)gear can be swapped out for a lower one(4.70?). The Hi range gearing stays the same.
Twin sticks are a modification that allow you to operate Hi/Low and 2wd/4wd separately. With twin sticks you can run in 2wd Low range, which you can't do with the stock shifter.
Hope that helps with some of the confusion. At least that's my understanding of how these things work.
A crawl box is something that goes between the transmission and the transfer case. As far as i know, the only way this is possible is by heating and reshaping the front of the gas tank because the crawl box pushes the transfer case back further. Very few folks have done this. You will also have to have your front shaft lengthened and rear shortened. This allows you to change the gearing from 1:1 or 4.7:1 (or whatever ratio is available) before going into the transfer case. So you can have a combination of LO in the crawlbox AND LO in the transfer case.
The Inchworm Lefty simply replaces the stock transfer case with a gear driven, lower LO ration one that is also clockable (you can rotate it so that it sits horizontal and gives more clearance.
Jacque is not running a lefty, he is running a tacobox (crawlbox) as they do not have the same issues we have with the gas tank. This is why he has the extra shift lever, for the tacobox. He still has the OEM transfer case.
So he has the following options.
2HI
2LO(via crawlbox)
4HI
4LO(transfer case LO)
4LO-LO (crawlbox LO gear, transfer case in high gear)
4LO-LO-LO (crawlbox in LO, and transfer case in LO, this isn't very useful)
For my truck, gears, air lockers, compressor, and install, was nearly 4K. If you just regear, you are looking about 2-2.5K with labor. (edit: it looks like you also need a $400 transmission adapter plate as well to attach the lefty to the transmission)
The Inchworm lefty is near 2K. You CAN do the install yourself and Lee (1911) did a great write up on how to install it.
Yes, gear driven is typically stronger than chain for the same size parts.
The Inchworm lefty does come with a 4.70 gear reduction.
An ARB replaces the entire front differential. The weak link up front is the CVs, then the ring gear and pinion, then the ARB.
Yes, it should definitely be used sparingly. You should also try to keep the wheels as straight as possible while using it to reduce strain on the CVs. Most folks go ahead an add it while doing a regear because the labor price doesn't change.
The Lefty doesn't change your high ratio. In high you still have a 1:1 ratio.
I haven't seen anyone break the OEM transfer cases gears or chain. I think i have seen one or two output shafts break, but not the internals. I HAVE read of a few people breaking transfer cases in the FJC, but they were either Lefty's or Atlas cases.
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...sfer-case-driveshaft-lenghts.html#post1777781
Budbuilt makes skids for you to raise your crossmember and do the "belly tuck".
Scroll down to find info on the budbuilt tummy tuck:
http://www.budbuilt.com/new/07+FJCruiser.html
Once again, 4HI is not affected, only 4LO. If you just get the lefty, you do not have the extra shifter. Though, you can get them with a dual stick.
I drove 68-70 before the re-gear as well. I see far better MPG numbers at this speed than going faster. Plus, driving the speed limit is FAR less stressful than worrying about cops radaring over every hill. I got about 3 speeding tickets before i turned 20 and almost lost my license. I don't speed any more.
The Inchworm Lefty simply replaces the stock transfer case with a gear driven, lower LO ration one that is also clockable (you can rotate it so that it sits horizontal and gives more clearance.
Jacque is not running a lefty, he is running a tacobox (crawlbox) as they do not have the same issues we have with the gas tank. This is why he has the extra shift lever, for the tacobox. He still has the OEM transfer case.
So he has the following options.
2HI
2LO(via crawlbox)
4HI
4LO(transfer case LO)
4LO-LO (crawlbox LO gear, transfer case in high gear)
4LO-LO-LO (crawlbox in LO, and transfer case in LO, this isn't very useful)
For my truck, gears, air lockers, compressor, and install, was nearly 4K. If you just regear, you are looking about 2-2.5K with labor. (edit: it looks like you also need a $400 transmission adapter plate as well to attach the lefty to the transmission)
The Inchworm lefty is near 2K. You CAN do the install yourself and Lee (1911) did a great write up on how to install it.
Yes, gear driven is typically stronger than chain for the same size parts.
The Inchworm lefty does come with a 4.70 gear reduction.
An ARB replaces the entire front differential. The weak link up front is the CVs, then the ring gear and pinion, then the ARB.
Yes, it should definitely be used sparingly. You should also try to keep the wheels as straight as possible while using it to reduce strain on the CVs. Most folks go ahead an add it while doing a regear because the labor price doesn't change.
The Lefty doesn't change your high ratio. In high you still have a 1:1 ratio.
I haven't seen anyone break the OEM transfer cases gears or chain. I think i have seen one or two output shafts break, but not the internals. I HAVE read of a few people breaking transfer cases in the FJC, but they were either Lefty's or Atlas cases.
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/foru...sfer-case-driveshaft-lenghts.html#post1777781
Budbuilt makes skids for you to raise your crossmember and do the "belly tuck".
Scroll down to find info on the budbuilt tummy tuck:
http://www.budbuilt.com/new/07+FJCruiser.html
Once again, 4HI is not affected, only 4LO. If you just get the lefty, you do not have the extra shifter. Though, you can get them with a dual stick.
I drove 68-70 before the re-gear as well. I see far better MPG numbers at this speed than going faster. Plus, driving the speed limit is FAR less stressful than worrying about cops radaring over every hill. I got about 3 speeding tickets before i turned 20 and almost lost my license. I don't speed any more
.
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Haha, yep. I think he knocked it all out in one post. Nice job.
HungryMedic
That doesn't look too hard... What could go wrong?
What do those run? And is it bolt up or lots of mods
- Thread starter
- #31
2k about
HungryMedic
That doesn't look too hard... What could go wrong?
- Thread starter
- #34
Pre Jamboree, I don't have that huge of a mod list.
Just the lefty, and full exhaust replacement. That's about 3k in roughly 7 months. Ezcake.
- Thread starter
- #35
What setup would you recommend? The marlin setup or inchworm?
Lee,
I've met Marlin and Jim from Inchworm a few times both are stand up guys. Is Marlin selling a lefty set up for the FJC?
I have a friend, local who had a lefty installed a few months ago a Baertrax.
Let me know if you want to pick his brain. I can find out from Josh/ Baertrax his thought on both.
Josh installed my Taco box and George's lefty.
Leaving at 5:30am for Wheeltoberfest.
Email me Monday to remind me to call George and Josh.
I would like to talk to you about it also because I need a dummy's guide to all of this s***. Not that I have 2k burning a hole in my pocket but it's still nice to know what benefits can be had if you can afford them. Have fun at WTF.
I realize that I am really the only one that was struggling with what benefits this actually provided and the details involved but I did find a pretty dummy friendly article that answered just about all of the questions I was spouting off on this thread. I think all of this was covered in this thread by one person or another but here it is condensed in an all in one write up. I think it might be a bit dated but the follow ups are included.
http://www.expeditionr.com/2010/11/10/inchworm-lefty-install-fj-cruiser-gets-a-tummy-tuck/
OC priced this out on the FJC forum, to actually get the extra 3.75" of clearance w/twin sticks you are looking at spending a bit more than $2K
New Tummy Tuck cross member- $400
Exhaust rework to allow for high tuck- $150-$200
Labor to remove portion of the cross member and install the new one- (est)$500- $800
Replace existing skids with new Hi-Tuck skids- $1000 (+ PC add $250) and delivery
+$1995 for the lefty before shipping.
Even if you lowball it your looking at $4K. Can you do this for $2K if you go single stick, no tummy tuck, skip the skids, and do the install yourself?
http://www.expeditionr.com/2010/11/10/inchworm-lefty-install-fj-cruiser-gets-a-tummy-tuck/
OC priced this out on the FJC forum, to actually get the extra 3.75" of clearance w/twin sticks you are looking at spending a bit more than $2K
New Tummy Tuck cross member- $400
Exhaust rework to allow for high tuck- $150-$200
Labor to remove portion of the cross member and install the new one- (est)$500- $800
Replace existing skids with new Hi-Tuck skids- $1000 (+ PC add $250) and delivery
+$1995 for the lefty before shipping.
Even if you lowball it your looking at $4K. Can you do this for $2K if you go single stick, no tummy tuck, skip the skids, and do the install yourself?
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. Can you do this for $2K if you go single stick, no tummy tuck, skip the skids, and do the install yourself?
This is what I was thinking. I don't need a tummy tuck or two shifters.