the "a" word

[N-Smooth]

Please don't try to emulate the "Toyota guys". Ever get behind those guys on a trail?

When your transmission grenades (and it will, cuz it's a Jeep), are you gonna replace it with another stick, or are you gonna upgrade to an auto? If there's a chance you will swap in an auto don't go with the 5:1. 4.3 or even 3.8 will be closer to the sweet spot. Mine's a 3.8 and everyone tells me I'm too low...

true story

well why do autos have such high gear ratios? how can i get a higher geared tranny and a higher geared t-case and be happy with it?

i've never heard james k complain about his sm465... have you?

 

[Cody]

Yeah, classic toyota moment on a big climb.....this actually happened to me and Mike Lib on Rusty Nail when a built toy was trying to climb the wall of the 2nd obstacle.

-1st gear, both cases engaged.....5 attempts, no dice...stack rocks
-2nd gear, both cases engaged......5 attemtps, no dice...stack rocks
-3rd gear, both cases engaged......5 attempts, no dice...stock rocks
disengage 1 case
-1st gear, only 1 case engaged.....5 attempts, no dice...stack a but load of rocks....
-2nd gear, only 1 case engaged.....3 close attempts, 3 not so close attempts, stack more rocks and throw down spare tire, and then 5 more attempts until they realize that even though they are almost generating enough wheel speed, they don't have the power to keep them turning all the way up.

45 minutes to climb an obstacle barely bigger than dump bump--and this was during EJS! (this guy is a particularly large ass hat--i'm not trying to make a generalization about all toyota guys doing crap like this. I happen to like toy's...just not dual cases)

Anyways, you don't have the engine to generate and sustain enough wheelspin in 3rd gear to climb something big. You wheel Moab, this isn't 'crawl' country like JV or AZ. Most of the good stuff (i.e. stuff you would take a XJ and hack it to **** so you can wheel on) requires some wheelspin and some throttle. You can fake low gears with an auto and 2 functioning feet, but you can't fake wheel spin and torque when you need it.

just my 2 cents. or maybe like 10 cents by now.

Cody

edit: auto's come with higher gears because the torque converter acts as a doubler in a sense. If you swap in an electric XJ tranny, you can even wire it so that you can lock the TC and throw it in first for going down hills and descend just like you have a manual.

 

[James K]

true story

well why do autos have such high gear ratios? how can i get a higher geared tranny and a higher geared t-case and be happy with it?

i've never heard james k complain about his sm465... have you?

sm420

 

[RockMonkey]

true story

well why do autos have such high gear ratios? how can i get a higher geared tranny and a higher geared t-case and be happy with it?

i've never heard james k complain about his sm465... have you?

Since an automatic has a torque converter instead of a clutch, its connection to the engine is fluid, instead of solid. So you can have your engine turning at 2k, and because of the slippage of the torque converter your wheels can be turning much slower than an equally geared manual tranny. Actually, at 2k just about every torque converter would be pretty well locked up, but you get the point. Basically an automatic has an infinitely variable gear ratio, and at low RPMs they are effectively much lower than a manual. That's why your car with an auto does not stall the engine when you stop at a light. I would never go back to a stick, in a trail-only rig. There is a reason nearly every comp rig has an auto. They rock.

 

[Herzog]

I love my auto! It even holds the gear (stays locked) when I'm creeping downhill. AW-4's rule.

 

[ewander]

I love my auto! It even holds the gear (stays locked) when I'm creeping downhill. AW-4's rule.

Did you put some type of kit on it? I am new to the AW4 world, but it seems like mine would be shifting into second going down the steep stuff. I heard that someone had a kit out there and then heard again that it wouldn't work for the newer XJs........

 

[Herzog]

Did you put some type of kit on it? I am new to the AW4 world, but it seems like mine would be shifting into second going down the steep stuff. I heard that someone had a kit out there and then heard again that it wouldn't work for the newer XJs........

Mine is un-modified. 1989.

 

[RockMonkey]

My 999 stays in first if that's where the shifter is. Should bolt up to your motor too.

 

[Cody]

My 46 RH stays in first if thats where the shifter is too.

I think on the 42RE's or a few other electric trannies, you can wire them and switch gears with a switch. The freedom of a manual with an auto.

Cody

 

[N-Smooth]

interesting info about autos. i have driven a couple trail rig autos and was kinda bored for the moab type wheeling. having a stick makes it more fun and downhills are way better imo.
if i build a buggy i am not sure what tranny to put in it, it is a big debate for me, the biggest in fact.

 

[RockMonkey]

Yup, easy trails are boring in a very built rig. You need to step up to the harder trails. I guarantee you wouldn't be bored with an auto on Upper Proving Grounds.

 

[N-Smooth]

well the thing is i don't have any friends with very built rigs cause all the guys my age are either total lazyasses and don't have jobs or the others are too busy with college. my uncle's jeep is cool, but he never wheels anymore.
my jeep is too built for my group of friends.

it think it will be sweet with the 5.0, but if i get it and change my mind i can always turn around and sell it to get a 4.3 or something. i did a couple obstacles this year that required wheelspin and i got up them just fine, and i crawled up the others super good. when i go to bigger tires it should be not much different.

 

[Cody]

well the thing is i don't have any friends with very built rigs cause all the guys my age are either total lazyasses and don't have jobs or the others are too busy with college. my uncle's jeep is cool, but he never wheels anymore.
my jeep is too built for my group of friends.

Hell, most of my oldest friends can't even change their oil.

I'm not much older than you (if at all), you just have to start wheeling with different people. Most of the guys I wheel with are of different ages and backgrounds than myself, but we all go wheelin and have a blast. Most of them aren't the guys that I call up every friday to chill (although some of them are).

Cody

 

[ryslc]

for an atlas i would call
mount logan offroad 435-752-4272
-or-
just 4 fun motorsports/curtis 560-7510(where i got mine)

 

[N-Smooth]

i am now thinking about getting my teralow replaced and just spending the money i have saved up on a winch, new tires and beadlocks.
what do you guys think?
i would love to have an atlas, but when i look at it this way i get confused.
i could even get a 9" rearend too, do the make 5.38s for them?

 

[Cody]

i am now thinking about getting my teralow replaced and just spending the money i have saved up on a winch, new tires and beadlocks.
what do you guys think?
i would love to have an atlas, but when i look at it this way i get confused.
i could even get a 9" rearend too, do the make 5.38s for them?

get a 60 and some tires. screw the winch!

I think it's 5.36 or 5.31 for the 9's. I think the closest matching ratio is 5.13.

Cody

 

[N-Smooth]

rear 60?
the thing about that is they are 8 lug and i am not a fan of the 30 splines. but they do make 5.38s for them. i already have a d44 which is about the same as a stock 60 imo.

so 9s don't go to 5.38??

 

[Cody]

rear 60?
the thing about that is they are 8 lug and i am not a fan of the 30 splines. but they do make 5.38s for them. i already have a d44 which is about the same as a stock 60 imo.

so 9s don't go to 5.38??

Front 60. Once you start doing more wheeling, you'll wish ever day that you had a front 60. Unless you're content with 35's, and pritchett canyon--but with your rig I'm sure you have your sights set on something much better.

Dude, I was in your position almost 2 years ago and the biggest thing I regret is not ponying up the dough and getting the front 60. I thought the 44 would be enough, but the 44 is marginally better than a d30. My rig isn't all that different from yours and I imagine you've heard my laundry list of broken 44 parts from this year.

You can convert the 60 to 5 lug, or convert the rear 44 (or go get a 14 bolt or 60---or take both and make a FF 60 w/ disks )

Cody



to be totally honest, if I were you and had 2500 bucks saved up, I would sell that rig of yours for as much as possible and buy a set of 60's, a v8, auto tranny, t-case, and a chassis and spend the rest of the winter putting it together. You could get all the major stuff together for 4-5k I bet and then just work through all the nickle and dime stuff in the offseason. You'll just be doing the same thing in 2 years anyways so might as well prevent the heartache.

 

[N-Smooth]

Front 60. Once you start doing more wheeling, you'll wish ever day that you had a front 60. Unless you're content with 35's, and pritchett canyon--but with your rig I'm sure you have your sights set on something much better.

Dude, I was in your position almost 2 years ago and the biggest thing I regret is not ponying up the dough and getting the front 60. I thought the 44 would be enough, but the 44 is marginally better than a d30. My rig isn't all that different from yours and I imagine you've heard my laundry list of broken 44 parts from this year.

You can convert the 60 to 5 lug, or convert the rear 44 (or go get a 14 bolt or 60---or take both and make a FF 60 w/ disks )

Cody



to be totally honest, if I were you and had 2500 bucks saved up, I would sell that rig of yours for as much as possible and buy a set of 60's, a v8, auto tranny, t-case, and a chassis and spend the rest of the winter putting it together. You could get all the major stuff together for 4-5k I bet and then just work through all the nickle and dime stuff in the offseason. You'll just be doing the same thing in 2 years anyways so might as well prevent the heartache.

i don't have that much money saved up at all. i have some and i was going to use the refund money from the teralow also.

the reason i don't want a front 60 is that my rig is not built for it. i cut corners when i built it and i have to be happy with it. i can't see having a 2.5L, stock tranny and 231 teralow, and then ONE TON AXLES. it just doesn't seem to fit into the mix at all. sometimes i wish i could have all that nice stuff you mention, like a v6 or v8 and one ton running gear but that will have to wait. i need to top off the xj so to speak and just wheel it until i build and while i build another rig.

i am not sure a stock d60 rear will be much better than my current d44. they are both 30 spline after all. i might just get the winch and tires like i said.

 

[gtidrivr]

i can't see having a 2.5L, stock tranny and 231 teralow, and then ONE TON AXLES. it just doesn't seem to fit into the mix at all.

Where exactly does that Atlas fit in?