Which transfer case to use?

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Sep 5, 2008
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Lebanon, Oregon
Hey guys I have a 69 fj40, with a 350 chevy, sm420 mated to my stock 3spd t-case. I have 76 cruiser axles with disc brakes front and rear. The motor, tranny, and axles have all been rebuilt. I tell you this because I am happy with everything but the t-case. My plan is to run my stock t-case with a case saver until I get a better t-case. Which way do I go? I was going to save for a Orion HD, but I hear they are no longer available. I was thinking about one of the split cases, but I am not sure on one bolting to my sm420. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks. Mark.:beer:
 
I have the same drive train and I'm happy with mine so far (9 years). The regular Orion should work great and you get to keep the E-brake.
If your heavy on the skinny pedal then the stock Tcase probably will fail.
 
Hey guys I have a 69 fj40, with a 350 chevy, sm420 mated to my stock 3spd t-case. I have 76 cruiser axles with disc brakes front and rear. The motor, tranny, and axles have all been rebuilt. I tell you this because I am happy with everything but the t-case. My plan is to run my stock t-case with a case saver until I get a better t-case. Which way do I go? I was going to save for a Orion HD, but I hear they are no longer available. I was thinking about one of the split cases, but I am not sure on one bolting to my sm420. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks. Mark.:beer:

The regular Orion's are still available, just not the HD unit.
 
An Orion is the obvious choice. I'm not aware of a way to get a split case behind an SM420-due to the need for a 19 spline input.

There is an adapter to run a split case behind an SM465-maybe look into that.

50-4903
 
Thanks guys. I have never had trouble with this t-case, just read about them braking. Its also the only thing on this "project" not rebuilt. The orion case is intriguing just hard to justify the cost with out going for an all out orion hd. Hopefully advanced adapters starts making them again or georg can get enough of us to order some to make a short run. We will see. Thanks. Mark.:beer:
 
whats a tcase saver do? besides save the tcase smart guys
 
i think t case breakage is rare and you have to beat the crap out of your truck to break one .you didnt say what kind of wheeling you do and if you have lockers.i have run the stock t case with 501 caddy and tractor tires for years and not broke the t case.if you change it out then the guys on here have you covered good luck
 
You could do as I did, put the 3 spd gears into a 4spd housing (just need to shim the idler cluster) in conjunction with a tcase saver!
 
You could do as I did, put the 3 spd gears into a 4spd housing (just need to shim the idler cluster) in conjunction with a tcase saver!


But didn't you win the 8 ball for breaking your t-case? Just sayin...:flipoff2:

Just me peronally, but an SM420/toycase delivers way too much torque multiplication for a stock case to last very long.
 
I ran an EFI 350/SM420/3spd case and tcase saver along with 35" boggers, SOA, locked F&R for years never had an issue. Broke everything else that you can: Twisted driveshafts, broke pinions, axleshafts, hubs etc... As you can tell i didnt baby it. I always ran with a group with 40" tires or better and always stayed with them even though i had to get on it at times.
 
But didn't you win the 8 ball for breaking your t-case? Just sayin...:flipoff2:

Just me peronally, but an SM420/toycase delivers way too much torque multiplication for a stock case to last very long.

Technically, I broke the t-case, but not the "case"! :flipoff2: Just the front output shaft, which is easliy replaced. ;)

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