Marlin ToyBox: 85 FJ60 w/H55 & Split TC

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FINE! I'll beef up that rod if it'll make you guys happy... :censor:
 
FWIW, and please take this as the constructive criticism that it's intended to be, pivoting on bolts like that leads to premature wear and slop. Times eleventeen on buckling that flat strap link.

Size two of these: http://www.mcmaster.com/#unthreaded-spacers/=jsdoq2 , one to have one of these press-fit into it after welding it into your lever: http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-sleeve-bearings/=jsdpyv and another to be tight but running slip fit inside the bronze bushing. Do something similar at the t/c end and employ your "long H" link concept. The bolts thru the inner sleeves should be tight, let the sleeve rotate in the bushing and do not go without those inner sleaves as then there is no way to tighten the thru-bolts. Leaving them slightly loose with a nylock nut is poor plan. Do the same thing again at the base of your lever.
 
ntsqd - what you are saying is great for a machine lever that gets used all day every day. This is a t-case lever that gets used during 3 weekend wheeling trips a year. It can pivot on bolts for years and not be an issue especially if it's in a long "H" dealio.

:cheers:

Nick
 
woytovich said:
FINE! I'll beef up that rod if it'll make you guys happy... :censor:
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You know that we are all jealous :D

I'm looking forward to the H55 / Toybox install next year!
:p
 
Thanks Nick. I agree about the very limited use of this thing. If this were the tranny shifter I would certainly want a "better" solution but this will in fact get shifted 20 or 30 times a year, if that.

That said I may look to building a v2.
 
zebrabeefj40 said:
ntsqd - what you are saying is great for a machine lever that gets used all day every day. This is a t-case lever that gets used during 3 weekend wheeling trips a year. It can pivot on bolts for years and not be an issue especially if it's in a long "H" dealio.

:cheers:

Nick
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Any slop in the pivots will allow grime in. Hell, just being under a truck in use will get grime in it. Driving it around will vibrate the handle and wear out the joint. Pivoting directly on the shoulder of a tension bolt is exceptionally bad practice. They are not designed to do that and the dimension of the shoulder is not consistent or a common size. If you want/need to pivot directly on the shoulder of a bolt you need a "shoulder bolt" as that IS what they're designed to do.

I also don't like to have to re-do something that I've already built. Maybe others feel differently, but when I build something my intention is for it to work and function as designed and built for at least 10 years. Look at how Mr. T designed the pivot points of the OE linkage. These trucks are highly vaunted for their good design and long service lives. You're going to deliberately build a part for it that reduces this reputation?
 
FWIW the bolts are welded to the shifter arms and they pass through the (thin) connecting flat stock. The act as studs off the side of the arms.

There is a tiny bit of play... you can JUST wiggle the connecting piece on the bolts. There is no clamping tension on those bolts. Sam for the bolt through the bottom of the "new" shift lever.
 
Also FWIW I am typically a belt and suspenders kinda guy. I WAS looking at doing this "right" with actual joints as used in the twin stick kits but this was a proof of concept and it will probably get put into use. I MAY build v2 with proper parts...

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ntsqd said:
Any slop in the pivots will allow grime in. Hell, just being under a truck in use will get grime in it. Driving it around will vibrate the handle and wear out the joint. Pivoting directly on the shoulder of a tension bolt is exceptionally bad practice. They are not designed to do that and the dimension of the shoulder is not consistent or a common size. If you want/need to pivot directly on the shoulder of a bolt you need a "shoulder bolt" as that IS what they're designed to do.

I also don't like to have to re-do something that I've already built. Maybe others feel differently, but when I build something my intention is for it to work and function as designed and built for at least 10 years. Look at how Mr. T designed the pivot points of the OE linkage. These trucks are highly vaunted for their good design and long service lives. You're going to deliberately build a part for it that reduces this reputation?
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I won't argue any of your points because I agree with you his shifter could better engineered. But I'll point out that Mark has been working on the current upgrades for almost TWO years already (original post date 11/10). This shifter needs to be "good enough" to get the stuff in the truck and back on the road. There will be time to redo it better later - and if it buzzes and rattles it'll get done sooner rather than later. But if he's gotta build it all perfectly the first time it'll NEVER get done. I'd rather he worry about getting the shackle reversal spring hangers right (see his other build thread) the first time than a crawl box shifter. :)

:cheers:
Nick
 
Thanks for keeping an eye on the BIG PICTURE Nick. It is true that this is taking a loooooog time... I wish I could be like those guys on TV that do a complete frame-off in a week or so...
 
You really believe that they do all of that in a week? ;)

I don't disagree that the big picture always needs an eye kept on it and that building it "perfect" is a good way to never finish anything. I've a friend who is very skilled at that sort of thing. I just like to see people turn out nice stuff and they can't do better work if they aren't aware of the parts and techniques that make it possible.
 
I DO appreciate the constructive criticism, that is one of the reasons I posted this out here.
I am close to getting this truck back on the road and this is one thing that is "done". I have all of the measurements from this build and I will likely set about a v2 build over the winter.

One of the plans I had involved using another mini truck transfer case top plate and shifter in the forward position (if you look closely you can see the round hold I cut in the plate for the bottom of the shifter "ball"). Thus retaining a stock shift lever and solving the bottom lever pivot need.

The problem I ran into was keeping the lever from being able to flop left/right. In a stock configuration it is the piece that goes down into the transfercase "receiver" that holds the lever. In my configuration I would be cutting that off to clear the 5th gear shift rail on the top of the 5th gear extension housing. Not an insurmountable problem but one that I chose to put off for now by going all custom.

I would like to pursue that path again as I like the "stockness" of it.
 
woytovich said:
Well, over a year later and I am finally getting ready to install the H55/ToyBox/Split Tc combo into my 60 (pathetic, I know)
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'Sokay, you're still ahead of me with my A440 to H55 conversion that I haven't shut up about since I got the tranny& tcase from Georg two years ago :rolleyes:

BTW how far back does your case end up being moved with the Toybox in place?
 
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The Toybox with adapters is 7"
 
woytovich said:
The problem I ran into was keeping the lever from being able to flop left/right. In a stock configuration it is the piece that goes down into the transfercase "receiver" that holds the lever. In my configuration I would be cutting that off to clear the 5th gear shift rail on the top of the 5th gear extension housing. Not an insurmountable problem but one that I chose to put off for now by going all custom.
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You did not box in the internal shift fork?
 
Mace said:
You did not box in the internal shift fork?
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The internal shift fork in the MARLIN ToyBox is boxed. I would need to do something to keep the remote shifter/top plate combo from flopping around. Without something underneath the ball/socket would let the lever move in any direction.
 
Here it is with the twin stick shifters installed
IMG_3009.webp
IMG_3008.webp
 
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