Which Case To Run With Th350 With Stock Axles (1 Viewer)

[Mseitz20]

I've done searches and have not been able to find anything on this topic that was much use, maybe I'm not searching right but I'm not sure. Long story short I bought an 71 Fj40 with a 454 and th350 mated to a stock land cruiser case. The case is bound up pretty well in 4 high it won't go into 2 high or 4 low, it's been driven in 4 high with the hubs unlocked for quite some time and it's not coming free from what I can tell its internal not the linkage. I can lock the hubs and have 4 high, but I can't get it into low and would like low range to wheel. I had a chat with marlin crawler and they basically said the land cruiser case won't really stand a 454 too well. So my question is, is there a transfer case I can run that will retain the stock land cruiser axles? (I pulled them open the other day and I have a limited slip rear and a Detroit locker front with I believe long fields, previous owner thought axles were stock) I know a np200 can be run but have heard they're not too good with speeds over 40, there's the dana 18 but I don't think that would hold up well, would an orion kit be enough to give the current case enough beef to stand a 454?

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi all,

The Orion would be a bolt-in replacement for what you have now. It has deeper low-range gears, and a cast iron casing.

Another thought would be going with the 1981 - 89 "split" type t-case that came in the FJ60/62/70 etc. These are stronger and quieter than the older one-piece t-case you have now. Going this route would require changing the adapter between the TH350 and the t-case. You would also lose the t-case mounted parking brake going this route, along with some minor drive shaft changes.

Regards,

Alan

 

[Mseitz20]

Would either of those be able to withstand the power? I was considering the Orion but had not heard of anyone running one with a 454 but then again no one runs a 454.

 

[Fast Eddy]

You'll break anything Toyota with a heavy foot and a big block. With a light foot and all the upgrades, including an Orion, fine-spline pinions and chromo birfs you could make it survive.

To make proper use of that much power and torque? Atlas transfer case or 203/205 combo and D60 axles would be the ticket. 4-linked Rockwells would be fun too.

 

[shelfboy1]

back in the 70s all of us ran big blocks mine being a 501 caddy with auto tranny ,no one ever broke anything other than some drive shaft bolts on or off the road .we didnt rock crawl back then either .maybe its how you apply the power that matters the auto seems to take the pain out of it

 

[Mseitz20]

I was hoping to not pour too much money into a case, but if an orion allows me to run stock axles and keep it at least looking stock that might be a bullet ill bite. Any one besides shelfboy have any experience running a stock case with a big block? If I'd be able to run it stock I'd like that but I don't want to break the case once I send it into low and then be sol for a while and not be able to drive it.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

if you weren't the one that broke it, why not simply fix what you've got? You've not mentioned what you've got in the motor or the trans; but, if the turbo 350 is living behind the motor, I'd presume that it's really not (no offense) that much of a build. Most diesels have more torque and about the same hp as a stock 454. Both 454s and T350s can be built to amazing levels - however, it's still a T350 with an aluminum tab in the case to stop the rotation of the drum.... too much power and that little aluminum tab becomes shrapnel. Pull your case, fix it, and drive it - you say it's jammed in 4 hi, probably you're missing a teflon cover on your selector fork - really, just that simple. I've abused the snot out of FJ40s, never had to replace a case - but, like you, I don't do rocks (at least not regularly)...

 

[Mseitz20]

Yeah that makes sense, the motors basically bone stock I believe it has some sort of aftermarket cam in it but I have never really looked into it. I just figured the case in the 40 wasn't ever a super strong case considering the motor never put out a ton of power, so I just wasn't sure of who much it could handle. I'll probably pull the case off this winter and see whats wrong with it and throw it back on and see how it holds up.

 

[Fast Eddy]

There were some 454s that had ridiculously little power for a big block. 235hp and 385 ft lbs. It would make a pretty good motor for wheeling. Almost any big block will have as much torque at idle as a 2f.

 

[Mseitz20]

I talked to my local Jeep custom shop, Endangered Species Jeep, and the guy there is rather fond of fjs and he recommended if I want to run a regular case or bigger axles get them out of a j series Jeep truck, dana 60 rear 44 front, they're not full width but they're not narrow either. He said he would personally run an np205 or Dana 300 with jeep j truck 60/44 combo.

 

[bikersmurf]

I'd also fix what you've got. I've been running stock birfields, T-case, and transmission with a +/- 300 hp 350 for 18 years. If you drive it hard you'll start breaking things, but if you use your head you can likely be on the road for a small amount of money. If you find it's not enough, swap in a centered rear axle and a stock Chevy T-case (with no adapters).

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I centered on a NP205 - I'm going to add a D&D billet gear splitter case that uses NP241 internals to get the crawl ratio to something respectable... the NP 205 has a 1.96:1 low range... which is pretty high for off-road work

 

[Mseitz20]

It drives right now, I drove it around for a little today. The way I look at it is I don't want to pull off the case get it freed up and fully working and then put it into 4 low and try to wheel it some and then have the case s*** the bed and not be driving. Then have to go out and find axles and a case in a hurry so I can drive it where I could spend this winter sourcing a nice set of axles and putting a stronger case that was designed to deal with the motor. It works now for a little wheeling and I figure if I'm going to get it to have a working case do it right and put in one that I won't need to really worry about in the future. Not sure if my thinking is right but that's what makes sense to me.

 

[Mseitz20]

Isn't a 241 sprocket and chain where as a 205 is gears? If I'm correct I believe the 241 is just the beefed to the 231 which is a chain driven case common in jeeps.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

it adds a gear splitter to the front of the 205 case. The only down side is it makes the transfer case 7" longer.

this is an np 205 case with a box4rocks gear splitter on the front. The box4rocks is the aluminum bit - inside it is the planetary gearset from a NP231, or an NP241, or an NV1356 transfer case. What it does is give you up to a 6:1 crawl ratio, also you'll have a 3:1, 2:1, and 1:1 ratio along with the ability to operate the front axle independently of the rear axle... the box4rocks cost $700, plus the cost of a donor 241 to donate the guts... all in on mine, about $1,000. I paid 250 for my np 205, $50 for the 241, and 700 for the box4rocks (on order).
Here's a 205 without the splitter

they also make the splitter for the Dana 300

I just asked all these questions on Pirate http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-land-cruiser/1857761-educate-me-about-dana-300-cases.html

 

[Mseitz20]

That's pretty sweet, thats still a centered rear output right?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

yep. It does mean you're changing the rear axle - but some good shopping will net you a dana 44 or dana 60 for reasonable money.

 

[paranoid56]

i would not put a a 44 in there. thats about the same strength of the fj40 axle.

 

[Downey]

My 2 cents is fresh 5.3 fuel injected SBC, repair the present T.C., and don't spend the rest of your life worrying about too much torque cracking your T.C., while you are enjoying the better mpg.

 

[Flipper1938]

What kind of mileage can you get with a 5.3 LS motor?