Installing BudBuilt Transfer Case Armor

[1carnut]

Just got my stainless BudBuilt transfer case armor delivered yesterday and am super excited to get them installed. These guys make some serious LC gear! Doesn't look too complicated but didn't seem to come with any directions and i can't find any discussion of that piece of BudBuilt armor on here. Anyone install the transfer case armor themselves have advice if I should take it on on wait to have my local shop do it? I don't have a lift but I have some ramps and the vehicle is pretty high sitting on the new 285/65/18s so as long as bolting them up isn't too complicated or requires holding that very solid stainless plate up for too long I should be able to handle it myself. I just had the BudBuilt Sliders installed earlier this week and my shop really struggled to get it done in 4.5 hours even with all their tools and a lift so want to do a logic check before getting into the install myself. Thanks

 

[Madtiger]

Off-topic...any rubbing with your 285/65/18 on the KDSS bar? Are they P-metric or LT?

Sorry.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Just got my stainless BudBuilt transfer case armor delivered yesterday and am super excited to get them installed. These guys make some serious LC gear! Doesn't look too complicated but didn't seem to come with any directions and i can't find any discussion of that piece of BudBuilt armor on here. Anyone install the transfer case armor themselves have advice if I should take it on on wait to have my local shop do it? I don't have a lift but I have some ramps and the vehicle is pretty high sitting on the new 285/65/18s so as long as bolting them up isn't too complicated or requires holding that very solid stainless plate up for too long I should be able to handle it myself. I just had the BudBuilt Sliders installed earlier this week and my shop really struggled to get it done in 4.5 hours even with all their tools and a lift so want to do a logic check before getting into the install myself. ThanksView attachment 2343822

Made this as quick as I could. Long version is coming soon.

 

[1carnut]

Off-topic...any rubbing with your 285/65/18 on the KDSS bar? Are they P-metric or LT?

Sorry.

Believe they're LT. Only have about 600 miles on them so far with no real test of tight turning or articulation yet but haven't seen any signs of rubbing yet. Think they're only about an inch taller (32.6") than stock 285/60s plus some increase in height of the edges of tire given the blockier and more squared off profile of the Toyo OC AT3 vs the stock Dunlops. https://www.toyotires.com/product/open-country-at3

 

[1carnut]

Posting video...

Thanks Rob! You guys built some beautiful and seriously stout components. It's obvious why you're so highly regarded around the interwebs!

 

[afgman786]

You can get it done yourself. If the shop struggled with self explanatory sliders, I would have some concerns.. just get a floor jack, bottle jack, or a friend to help with holding it to make it that much easier.
We're close enough to each other, and always willing to lend a helping hand to a fellow cruiser head.

 

[CharlieS]

I didn't do that skid, but the rest of the BudBuilt ones, and I found Rob's guidance of using four ramps worked well for me. I used my floor jack to hold skids that were too heavy to manage.

 

[RET2]

Posting video...

Rob to the rescue once again!!

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Thanks Rob! You guys built some beautiful and seriously stout components. It's obvious why you're so highly regarded around the interwebs!

Edited my first post with the video. I made it as quick as I could, long version coming soon.

Thanks for the kind words, it helps being a bunch of enthusiasts, that happen to also have some hefty formalized education that applies to what we do. Make for a good time.

 

[1carnut]

You can get it done yourself. If the shop struggled with self explanatory sliders, I would have some concerns.. just get a floor jack, bottle jack, or a friend to help with holding it to make it that much easier.
We're close enough to each other, and always willing to lend a helping hand to a fellow cruiser head.

agree i should take a run at it. sadly the local ship it a bit more focused on selling 26" wheels and lifting Jeeps than doing much hard core offroad gear.

 

[afgman786]

agree i should take a run at it. sadly the local ship it a bit more focused on selling 26" wheels and lifting Jeeps than doing much hard core offroad gear.

Well at least you know where to go to make it look like a mall crawlin Heep

 

[1carnut]

Made this as quick as I could. Long version is coming soon.

Hey Rob dumb question. Once I take the OEM cover off the transfer case to install the new crossmember i’m assuming the OEM cover doesn’t go back on before installing the bb transfer armor?

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

Hey Rob dumb question. Once I take the OEM cover off the transfer case to install the new crossmember i’m assuming the OEM cover doesn’t go back on before installing the bb transfer armor?

Correct. That factory cage goes away.

We just couldn’t see a reason to keep a very thin and weak piece of sheet steel that would require us to space the BB skid even lower, loosing valuable ground clearance under the center of the truck.

 

[1carnut]

Hey Rob dumb question. Once I take the OEM cover off the transfer case to install the new crossmember i’m assuming the OEM cover doesn’t go back on before installing the bb transfer armor?

These pieces

 

[1carnut]

All installed and 95% sure I did it correctly even if I did have an extra bolt and a couple unused holes in the armor. Definitely nice to have a floor jack and some ramps at least to do this yourself. Was also handy to have a cutting wheel for my Dremel to cut out the section of the heat shield to clear the drivers side of the BudBuilt crossmember. Let me know if any sees any glaring faults in my work!

 

[bloc]

Off-topic...any rubbing with your 285/65/18 on the KDSS bar? Are they P-metric or LT?

Sorry.

FYI as far as I know 285/65R18 is only available in Lt-metric load range E.

 

[afgman786]

All installed and 95% sure I did it correctly even if I did have an extra bolt and a couple unused holes in the armor. Definitely nice to have a floor jack and some ramps at least to do this yourself. Was also handy to have a cutting wheel for my Dremel to cut out the section of the heat shield to clear the drivers side of the BudBuilt crossmember. Let me know if any sees any glaring faults in my work! View attachment 2346164View attachment 2346166
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So when are you getting the rest of the BudBuilt kit? Haha

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

All installed and 95% sure I did it correctly even if I did have an extra bolt and a couple unused holes in the armor. Definitely nice to have a floor jack and some ramps at least to do this yourself. Was also handy to have a cutting wheel for my Dremel to cut out the section of the heat shield to clear the drivers side of the BudBuilt crossmember. Let me know if any sees any glaring faults in my work! View attachment 2346164View attachment 2346166
View attachment 2346167
View attachment 2346168

You did. You will have one extra carriage bolt and a small button head bolt as well as one small threaded hole in the center lead edge.

The threaded hole is to connect the transfer case skid to the transmission skid. And the extra carriage bolt is because I have found that some where between 2017-2018 the US driver's side catalytic converted became a little lower. So we include three different carriage bolt lengths, and while longer is easier to instal, if you find that a carriage bolt got too close to the exhaust, then you already have a short carriage bolt to use and ensure that nothing ever rattle.

You would be amazed at how much the drivetrain can rock back and forth when off road and shifting between drive and reverse in low range.

 

[1carnut]

So when are you getting the rest of the BudBuilt kit? Haha

Might need a supercharger first with the heft of all these components!

 

[JetSurfer]

I just did the full set myself with the vehicle just up on ramps. It’s a job, but the tcase alone shouldn’t be that hard. Great stuff from BudBuilt