New H55f going in -- rebuild working 34mm split case or wait for a 38mm? (1 Viewer)

[GeologistFelix]

Hi, folks!

I have a new H55f showing up on my garage stoop today, and I'm trying to decide how to deal with the t-case question.

The 60 is no longer my DD, and my budget isn't "as low as I can possibly go" any more, so I'm starting to think I want to check off some high-payoff of 'while I'm in there' boxes. However...

- The case I have now is a 34mm shaft split case. It works fine, but I'm positive it hasn't been rebuilt in all of 250k.
- I eventually want 3:1 or 4:1 low range gears (although the planned H55 and a regear will make it a lot less urgent...)
- I don't have a puller, a press, or a single Toyota SST of any kind (unless you count the factory jack handles, haha)

Easiest option seems to be...pull everything off, clean it up, install on the H55f with new gaskets/seals/hardware/gear oil, and probably mod the linkage so I get 2-Lo. If I do that, finding a 38mm case and rebuilding it with lower gears seems like a pretty good 'next 2 years' kind of a project....but...

If I get the tools, it seems like rebuilding my case before/during installation wouldn't add *that* much work, and it would add a lot of peace of mind...and probably help with selling the case later, if I do go with a 38mm case for the low gears at some future point.

The other issue is that every friggin' thread I can find is incredibly vague about the tools they used/suggest. I really have no idea, specifically, what I need -- just that some sort of puller and some sort of press are somewhere between 'really nice' and 'necessary to not destroy brand new bearings,' but that's hardly a shopping list. Can anybody help out with a 'suggested' tool list beyond the typical wrenches/sockets/drivers/etc. so I can at least see how many hundreds it would add to the project cost?

 

[OSS]

I have rebuilt my transfer case twice. Both times I just took the output shaft assembly and front case to a machine shop and they pressed in the bearings as I waited. Cost me almost nothing.

If you don't have a machine shop nearby, you'll need some pullers and a press.
From what I've heard, the 34mm idler shaft is fine. Just rebuild it and use it.

 

[GeologistFelix]

I have rebuilt my transfer case twice. Both times I just took the output shaft assembly and front case to a machine shop and they pressed in the bearings as I waited. Cost me almost nothing.

If you don't have a machine shop nearby, you'll need some pullers and a press.
From what I've heard, the 34mm case is fine. Just rebuild it and use it.

I was just thinking about the 'oh, hey, I have a car I can drive to a shop if the truck is taken apart, now' angle after I posted. Good thinking. 'Have a second car' is probably the best advice about project vehicle ownership I ever heard...

 

[mattressking]

Buy 38mm cases new and 3:1 or 4:1 gears and have the cases machined. Swap parts over when you’re ready and build your dream tcase that way?

 

[GeologistFelix]

Buy 38mm cases new and 3:1 or 4:1 gears and have the cases machined. Swap parts over when you’re ready and build your dream tcase that way?

Maybe in a year or two, I could afford that. After buying the H55, I kinda have to pick my battles this winter...

 

[mattressking]

I'd just run the 34mm case, there's no 'true' benefit of upgrading, just an improved case. If you go to 3:1 or 4:1 then yes it makes it a little easier, so I'd hold out until you're ready to drop the fundage.

Tools you need are a press to remove and reinstall the gears on mainshaft. A bearing puller for the pocket bearing that you can get on amazon, or just mangle the original bearing and tear it out without damaging the bore. Also the usual suite of sockets, torque wrench (preferably a beam type for setting preload) and a punch to stake the nuts. You'll want a couple of large sockets to set the seals in the case.

Georg's video on youtube is a great tool as well. Watch it so you can get an idea of what you do/don't have.

 

[FJBen]

Just rebuilt my split case about a month ago. I wasn't at my house/shop, I was at a temporary rental house and did it with minimal tools. My friend had a standard puller, but it wouldn't fit under the bearings on the shaft and we didn't want to modify the tool.
We cut the outer bearing cage off and were able to just get a bite with the standard pullers. Used a LITTLE heat from a small torch and bearing popped right off. Did this for both bearings. We used his harbor freight press to put the bearings back on in the right specs.
So in reality it was pretty cheap in terms of tools, and these tools you need (press/puller) can be used for a ton of other things.

In all honesty if you don't have either those tools or want to buy them, Stop by a machine shop and they will knock that out in no time.

 

[GeologistFelix]

Update: ordered a rebuild kit for the 34mm case from Kurt (along with half a dozen other things I need to go with the 62 axles I'm putting fresh brakes/knuckle rebuild/steering onto). I'll see whether I want to buy my own puller and press in a few weeks...just paying a local machinist $20 is tempting, but FJBen made a good point: I do *want* a puller.

Also, some eye candy, post appliance store parking lot pickup from the freight guy who couldn't find my house (ignore my goofy choice of box opener; I didn't want to screw up my pocket knife on the staples, and guess what was sticking out of my toolbox):

 

[Hamachi]

Buy 38mm cases new and 3:1 or 4:1 gears and have the cases machined. Swap parts over when you’re ready and build your dream tcase that way?

What kind of machine work are you referring to for the tcase?

 

[stevebradford]

One important factor I don’t believe was mentioned yet is not all 34mm cases are suitable to go behind a H55f.

The early split cases do not have the fifth gear oiler provision cast into the the face of front half.

Split case fifth gear oiler cup 33124-36010

Make sure yours has this casting dimple to accept the plastic fifth gear oiler cup before rebuilding.

 

[GeologistFelix]

One important factor I don’t believe was mentioned yet is not all 34mm cases are suitable to go behind a H55f.

The early split cases do not have the fifth gear oiler provision cast into the the face of front half.

Split case fifth gear oiler cup 33124-36010
View attachment 2609566

Make sure yours has this casting dimple to accept the plastic fifth gear oiler cup before rebuilding.

I'd be hugely surprised if it didn't. My truck is an 11/'85 production, US-market 60, so it's basically the youngest of the 34mm cases, as far as I understand.

 

[GeologistFelix]

What kind of machine work are you referring to for the tcase?

The higher-ratio low range gears are physically larger, so you need some case aluminum milled out to make room, and depending on the aftermarket gears, reinforced/refilled on the outside with some TIG, as far as I understand.

 

[stevebradford]

- Interesting bit of information -

Those early split transfer cases without the fifth gear oiler have different low range gears. The low range is about 10% lower, high range is the same.

That gear will swap into a later 34mm split case with the fifth gear oiler provision no worries. Not a huge difference but if you have them both on hand it’s worth doing.

More reading here.

Split case gearing: lower low range stock gears.

Stumbled across some info about split case gearing. Early 34mm split cases behind the h42 4 speed have a lower low range (2.276) than the later split cases also 34mm idler that came behind the h55 (1.959). So by swapping the gear sets you end up with a bit lower low range! 38mm split cases in...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[cruisermatt]

That doesn’t apply to US market transfer cases