- Thread starter
- #141
Correct. High Range options exist but nothing we stock in the US as there are just so few HF1A cases in the US. We don’t have any HF1A cores avail at this time.
YWST: Low Range T-Case Gear Sets for the 1980-2007 Cruisers (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter cruiseroutfit
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Correct. High Range options exist but nothing we stock in the US as there are just so few HF1A cases in the US. We don’t have any HF1A cores avail at this time.
Will Van
GOLD Star
Thank you! Assuming I could get my hands on an overdrive High Range, could it be installed in conjunction with the Low Range 3.1:1 gear sets you sell? Or is it an either/or scenario?
- Thread starter
- #143
They can be installed individual or together.
Will Van
GOLD Star
Good intel. Thank you!
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
hoser
SILVER Star
HI and LOW t-case at the same time, I think about 8 hrs shop time.
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
I'm regearing my axles to avoid the HI TC gear whine that comes with the HI TC regear, wanted more feedback on the 4speed with 4.88 gears with the LOW 3.1:1 gears.
What kind of trails do you want to run?
For many years I ran a lot of trails with stock 4:30s and a rear locker. Then ran many after breaking front gears and adding front locker. I have a few years on the crawler gear and 4:88s and they are great but for the level of trail that a crawler gear shines, you may find those trails breaks stuff you haven't upgraded. Have a friend with 2000LX (frt & rear Dissent bumpers, sliders, alum frt skid, 285/75R16-E, AHC w/ King rear springs) that goes on our overland trips (which don't require lockers or low range gears) where we cover a lot of rough country. On our last trip his front "shock" began leaking fluid and he had to leave our group early. I have a steel front plate that takes most of the abuse, but I have bashed in my alum belly plate and it took a 20ton press to get it mostly back into shape.
I would think instead of crawler gear, there are other things needed long before you get to a trail that NEEDS a crawler gear. If I look at what my friend's LX does and the trails I do with crawler gear, the following list comes to mind. Maybe these are already done or in the plan.
- Front locker - for the stronger carrier if nothing else (you will already have diff open and lots of posts here of broken front diffs - 4:88 gears do not fix the problem.)
- LSD rear carrier may be strong enough, don't know, but something to check into
- Rear bumper - long rear overhang means god awful hits landing off ledges and need rear corner protection.
- King springs
- Belly skid
- E- rated tires (I have sliced the sidewalls open on D rated tires)
- Rainy day funds for AHC repairs
- Front bumper, maybe?? Both my LX friend's Dissent front and mine have taken pretty good hits.
IMHO if you are going places that need crawlers gears you are headed towards AHC delete.
Lets talk more about trails, what are you thinking - Mojave Road, Death Valley, Anza, or The Rubicon?
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hoser
SILVER Star
@trdcorolla I don't have the HI/LO t-case gears. But a friend does and that is what his shop charged in labor. So, if doing just the LOW's, it'll probably be a little less... maybe.
But I have ran 4.88's and 285/70R17's before and I think it will be kinda buzzy for LA freeways (80+ mph). Might be okay with the 5-sp.
I remember @cruiseroutfit mentioned a quieter solution for the HI t-case gears before but that might have been for the 40/60/70 t-cases.
But I have ran 4.88's and 285/70R17's before and I think it will be kinda buzzy for LA freeways (80+ mph). Might be okay with the 5-sp.
I remember @cruiseroutfit mentioned a quieter solution for the HI t-case gears before but that might have been for the 40/60/70 t-cases.
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
Thanks for the reply. I'm a newb at this off road stuff. I don't know how trails are rated but I want do easy/moderate trails using the lockers as needed to prevent damage that might be happen using ATRAC. I have a friend with a rock crawling Rubi and a two other friends with a stock 2006 LX470 and a stock 2013 GX460 that i'll probably go out with to start.
My build will eventually be similar to your friend with the LX, I want a rear Dissent alum bumper and rear King Springs (was thinking of getting a Dissent alum rear if Ben puts them on sale again later this year). I plan on keeping the AHC for as long as I can being mindful of the weight I add. I'm not going the roof top tent/rear drawer route. My AHC is healthy 14 grads with new LC OEM AHC coils and a 30MM spacer and everything is in spec with me in it and with the 3rd row seats installed and a full tank of gas.
Besides my roof rack, pretty much most of my other mods are armor. Armor is cheaper than body work is how I justified the armor. I have a SLEE front alum skid, a Trail Tailor creeper (a minimal transfer case/transmission skid), Trail Tailor RLCA skids and WKOR DOM sliders. All this added armor puts me about 185lbs over stock (I calculated the diff between the stock part and the armor to come up with that number). I also calculated that I shaved off 4lbs of unsprung weight with my 17" wheels and 33" C load tires (compared to the weight of a stock LX 16" wheel and the stock sizeKO2). If I later move to a E rated 33", it looks instead of shaving off 4lbs of unsprung weight, i'll be +3lbs of unsprung weight, which isn't bad.
Regarding your list, I think i've pretty much covered it in my response above. I have a spare AHC pump/reservoir, oem LC torsion bars (for if I ever get a front bumper/winch) and when I find a set of used AHC sensors for trail spares, i'll feel a more comfortable out on trails. Front bumper wise, I don't think I need one (of course I would love to be more prepared with a winch), I would want one more for front collision protection and more of balancing the weight of the 100, to help the wheels stay down, closer to the ground.
I'm going down this rabbit hole because I didn't like the way my 4 speed shifts with 33's. Since i'm regearing soon, I might as well throw in lockers. I asked this question because I wanted to know to hear feedback from people who did this mod with the 4 speed/4.88 diffs.
For trails i'll start with easy one's and will work my way up. I was looking at wanting to try Mojave Road, Death Valley, Anza, Last Chance, Pioneertown. From my reading, I doubt the Rubicon unless it's the easy part. I"m gonna take some off roading classes later this year. I know I can learn by following people, but I feel like taking a class would be a good start, so I don't learn their bad habits that I don't know are bad.
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
Thanks, I called two shops and got two totally different install labor prices for this 3.1:1 gear install, one was almost double than the other. I was kind of surprised because the two shops quoted similar prices for a regear/locker install.
I've driven around the LA freeway at 3000RPM to see how buzzy the engine sounded, it wasn't bad. 4.88's on a stock 4spd/stock transfer case should be around that RPM at 80mph. Do you know if 34" 285/75R17's fit a stock LX? That would probably be 2900RPM (stock 4.30's/4spd is about 2800rpm at 80). I didn't have to do the pinch weld mod for my 33's, but if the 34's fit, i'll have to do it, and probably mod/move the windshield washer fluid reservoir.
I've decided on 4.88 regear instead of a HI transfer case regear.
For trail ratings a good description of the 1-10 system is on the Cruise Moab site.
CM Trail Ratings
My LX friend on Top of the World trail. Its a level 6 trail, again his rig has stock gears, no lockers.
My LX friend pushing the limits, Death Valley Mengel Pass, BEFORE bumpers and sliders. We did a full backcountry loop on this trip. Mengel on south end and Steel pass on north end of loop. He took some damage on the running board, later.
We did Mojave Rd earlier this year. I would rate the trail around a 4.5. The route finding is harder than most trails I have been on, my Garmin was totally baffled. The LX hanging with the big dogs, my white 100, and two very built 80s on 35s both with 4:88s and crawler gears.
Draw the line at doing level 6 trails, do what you have planned to make it more bullet proof, don't need crawler gear. That will get you more than enough for the trails you mentioned. I took 4x4 training with Bill Burke at Anza and most of what I saw was under level 6, expect there are back corners that are above that. The training I took is the most valuable upgrade I put in my Cruiser. Good thinking on your part
When looking for training someone that has i4wdta.org certification is a good place to start.
Tom is in your area, and has some good info on his site.
4x4 trainer
Good luck on the build.
Lower t case gears for 4L are extremely useful. Once you put bigger tires and some weight on, it’s nice to have lower gears. I have been wanting to regesr my T case for a long time.
No doubt crawler gears are useful, but most builds have limits on money, so you have to prioritize most bang for the buck. Like on 98-99 you would have to put a front locker above other drivetrain mods to replace the weak two pinion carrier.
I went 10 years running most of the level 6 trails in Moab with stock gears and a rear locker, the last 4 of those I added a front locker, because I made a stupid move on the big ledge on Gold Bar Rim and blew the front diff. The 4:88 and crawler gear I installed a few years ago have made those easier, but was not necessary for those trails. Also I learned a lot about finding better lines with the lessor equipped rig. So now I look at level 7 trails and know I will break something or take body damage, but the crawler gear will get me through.
The group I roll with has 3 very built 80s on 35s with 4:88s and two have crawler gears and when we are not doing crazy trails the gung ho LX guy shown above.
How are you liking the Foxes? I had those before I went to Icons.
If you have the cash, by all means get the crawler gears, and Kurt's guys are great to do business with.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Crawler gears are the best bang for the buck mod that exists, in my opinion. 10/10 I would toss them in before ever messing with the front diff. Hell, the slower speed and more control afforded by crawler gears might help prolong the lifespan of the weaker 2-pinion diff on early model years. Worst case, you bust the 2-pinion and replace with a decent used but stronger 4-pinion for $450.
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
Thanks @Skidoo for your suggestions/link to the trail rating system/comparison to your rig to a stock armored LX.
Thanks @hoser for the hours/input on your 4.88's with your old tire size
@krice118, i'm regearing to 4.88's to make up for my bigger tires and armor.
@JunkCrzr89 with my upcoming 4.88/lockers, I can't make the same while i'm in there excuse (like adding the lockers) to the transfer case crawl gears.
Would crawl gears make the 100 safer if the brakes go out...
Thanks @hoser for the hours/input on your 4.88's with your old tire size
@krice118, i'm regearing to 4.88's to make up for my bigger tires and armor.
@JunkCrzr89 with my upcoming 4.88/lockers, I can't make the same while i'm in there excuse (like adding the lockers) to the transfer case crawl gears.
Would crawl gears make the 100 safer if the brakes go out...
If you were in 4Lo and it wasn't so steep it would build speed.
If you are in 4Hi getting it into 4Lo is a stunt and a half
while flying down some hill.A working Parking Brake works in both cases and easier to deal with - its one of the inspection items for Cruise Moab, it has to hold the vehicle in place when its in Drive. I like mine to hold in place up to 1200-1500 RPM and adjust/repair until it does.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
If you were in 4Lo and it wasn't so steep it would build speed.
If you are in 4Hi getting it into 4Lo is a stunt and a half
A working Parking Brake works in both cases and easier to deal with - its one of the inspection items for Cruise Moab, it has to hold the vehicle in place when its in Drive. I like mine to hold in place up to 1200-1500 RPM and adjust/repair until it does.
trdcorolla
SILVER Star
I should have thought of my question before posting it, the answer was obvious. I follow that IG account, haha.
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New options in stock
10% overdrive and 10% underdrive high range gear options for the 1980-1990 (and later non-US) Split T-Cases. - $350/set
These work WITH your existing idler gear and low range output, so you replace the input gear and the high range output gear to offer either a 10% underdrive or 10% overdrive in high range only. As the low range gearset is also driven by the input gear, this does alter the low range accordingly. These are a direct fit into a 86-90 38mm t-case. They can be used in the 80-86 34mm t-case by using the 86-90 idler gear (with conversion parts) and low speed output gear. Please call for pricing/options on the 34mm variants as we don't have these in the computer yet.
PART# TCG8690UD
PART# TCG8690OD
Kurt, will these (specifically the Overdrive set, TCG8690OD) work in conjunction with 3:1 low gears (TCG869031)?
Could one have their high speed and low speed cake, eat it too, and for the same money as the 3.3:1 and 4:1 kits? I'm guessing there's a reason this isn't offered as a kit already, seems like it would be really popular?
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