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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 4 Wheel Drives => Topic started by: icecold on November 22, 2009, 04:55:50 pm

Title: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 22, 2009, 04:55:50 pm
I have an 85 GMC with 6in suspension lift, custom fenders and 44's I have a dyna 70 in the back till i can get some money to get a 14 bolt. Right now there are 3" long steel pipes being used as spacers for the transfer case. I am going to be making two spacers one set of 2.5" and another set of 3" out of 6061 T6 aluminum. I want more fire wall clearance so i will try the 2.5" Anyone did something similar?

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Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: VileZambonie on November 22, 2009, 06:12:38 pm
Make sure you check your driveshafts and pinion angle.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 22, 2009, 07:06:11 pm
The truck doesn't have a front drive shaft the gearing prolly doesn't match. I won't even bother with that till i get get a nice dyna 60 upfront. My next step will be the 14 bolt rear first though. I have 8 lug all the way around but up front is just the plain 10 bolt with 8 lug hubs off a 3/4 i believe.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: VileZambonie on November 22, 2009, 10:16:59 pm
I think you mean Dana unless you plan on putting a Harley in the front and back of your truck  ;)
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: beastie_3 on November 22, 2009, 10:21:00 pm
The truck doesn't have a front drive shaft the gearing prolly doesn't match. I won't even bother with that till i get get a nice dyna 60 upfront. My next step will be the 14 bolt rear first though. I have 8 lug all the way around but up front is just the plain 10 bolt with 8 lug hubs off a 3/4 i believe.

Even changing the angle at the transfer case will change the angle of your driveline=vibrations=broken drive shaft/u joints. Make sure you change the differential angle after.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 23, 2009, 05:21:16 am
Why change out the dana 70? It is just as strong if not stronger than a 14 bolt, and has better selection of gears.

Also with a 6" lift there should be no need to drop the t-case. What spacers are you talking about? Do you have a divorced t-case?

Also, what do you mean more firewall clearance? Is your engine set back? What are you running for a engine/tranny/t-case?

If you are worried about front driveshaft angle, you can move the front axle forward 1.5" with a zero rate block.

We need more info to be able to help you properly.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 23, 2009, 09:33:05 am
I am a biker at heart which is why i keep saying dyna instead of dana even though i don't ride harley lol. I am not sure but the dana 70 on my truck may not be as wide as the 14 bolt, I want to go up in gears on the truck but i have a line on a brand new 14 bolt with gears a locker and still in the crate so it depends on how much i would spend on the dana 70 to get it right compared to buying the new 14 bolt through my friend for a good price. The lift is 6 inch springs front and back. This truck is going to be a street/beach truck. I plan on running ground hawgs but the truck prolly won't go in the mud that much. The only reason i am keeping the spacers is for clearance for the exhaust. I do not have a body lift and am running true 2.5" duals.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: maddog on November 23, 2009, 12:24:05 pm
I think I am going to just have an icecold beer right now.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 23, 2009, 06:28:07 pm
What do you mean by get it right with the dana 70?

If the 70 is already under the truck, then there is no mounting costs. To regear it (depending on existing ratio) you are looking at $250 (ring and pinion), master install kit with all seals ($65ish) and if you want a locker/spool ($2-400) Remember the 14bolt wont have a locker so you'll have to add that to the price of it.

As far as track width, you can alway get offset rims to get the width you want.

Why run ground hawgs? They are a directional tire. Rotation pattern sucks, and they only work going forward, suck in reverse. If you are going to be doing sand, I would look at bfg a/t's or a pro comp a/t.

And again, what are these "spacers" you are talking about?
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 23, 2009, 07:41:27 pm
For like 400 i can get a used 14bolt with a locker and 4.56's with less then 10,000 street miles on it. For a little more i can get a brand new never used with the same gears and a locker. Spacer between the frame and trasmission crossmember is what i am talking about. I will try to get some pics when i have them finished.

The tire size i am running is a 18.5/44R16.5, the only two replacements so far i found are tsl's or ground hawgs. For $2000 in tires i want something that is going to last which is the ground hawgs. This truck will be mostly a street truck so getting stuck is not going to be an issue. (http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/ICECOLDREDNECK/c.jpg)
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 24, 2009, 02:54:06 am
If you can get a brand new 14 bolt, with a locker for around $500, I would get it.

Just because you currently run an 18.5 wide tire, doesn't mean you have to stay there....any 44 in a 16.5 rim will prolly fit your rims. What is the width of your current rims?

Also ground hawgs in the 44" flavor only come in bias ply. Personally I wouldn't want to run bias on a full time street rig. Radials would be much better.

Pitbull tires is supposed to be coming out with a 40+ inch radial in the rocker which would be much more road worthy. I would also consider dropping to a 40" tire, and give yourself some room to flex if you do ever leave the pavement.

Also putting a dana 60 in the front of the truck will be pointless if you only drive on the street. Save yourself some money there. Do you have x-over steering right now? If not, I would suggest it. It will help turning those meats on the pavement.

Judging from the pic, you have iroks on there now. Nice truck by the way.

Also, have you reinforced the frame where the steering box is? It is prone to cracking there, especially when you put 150+ lbs of tire on the corners.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 24, 2009, 07:33:12 pm
I just got the truck like 3 weeks ago and am fixing everything the way it should be done. Those are some old dick cepek fun county 1's. 16.5x9.75 those tires are ballooned up right now. I don't plan on hitting mud just maybe the beach. The new one went way up in price cuz i guess the guy ain't needing money right now lol. Standard steering right now, i have the steering brace on order, next will be the ORD engine cross member, I plan on running 16.5x12 rims. The truck drove from VA to NC, but man it was not right, the factory quadrajunk was not fully hooked up so i put a edelbrock intake and holley carb, new distributor, new wires, cap, rotor, plugs, did some cleaning and painting on the motor. Just fixing little things right now. Since my right headlight thinks it is a turn signal i will be redoing the wiring for the headlights with my father to get it right. Traded a bad ass bike for this truck that was suppose to be straight forward but what ever.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 25, 2009, 03:00:58 am
Holy crap.....yeah get some 12" wide rims or even 10's at least. I would recommend going to a 17" wheel, because the 16.5's are being phazed out because of poor bead retention. Only reason I would ever run a 16.5, is a military beadlock.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: fitz on November 26, 2009, 07:20:02 pm
Is it just me or does a 3" transfer case drop seem excessive. My truck runs a 6" lift and the transfer case drop is only about 1"-1.5" (I can measure it if you want)
It's aluminum spacers and I believe the kit came from Rancho (I'll have to check my receipts)
I'm guessing that if you are having firewall clearance issues the drop is too big and it's tilting the motor to far back.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 26, 2009, 08:49:54 pm
It is alot of drop but i like the exhaust clearence it provides. I am making spacers out of solid aluminum blocks so both bolts go through the same piece.

Could you snap a pic of your driveshaft going into the transfer case and post it. I would like to see how far out the shaft is with a 6" lift. Thanks.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: fitz on November 26, 2009, 10:15:55 pm
My truck has a turbo 350/205 combo that uses bolt on yokes, not the slip yoke.
As far as the exhaust, mine runs under the crossmember,outside of the frame, then exits in the same location as yours. I have a suburban tank under the bed in the rear, so my flowmaster's are where the stock tank would be.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 27, 2009, 02:43:21 am
You do realise that dropping the rear of the transfercase increases the front angle which is the one that needs to be reduced.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: icecold on November 30, 2009, 04:21:24 pm
This is one of the blocks i ordered off line. 3"x3"x12". I am going to machine this down into a spacer which will be 3" tall and 3"-3.5" long until i get my 14 bolt then i will cut it down to a 1.5" tall spacer.
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/ICECOLDREDNECK/000.jpg)
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: beastie_3 on November 30, 2009, 07:49:59 pm
Wouldnt lowering the transfer case 3 inches put a lot of stress on the motor mounts and twist them?
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 30, 2009, 09:44:19 pm
You can clock it and it does not affect the mounts, and reduces driveline angles. Dropping it ir raising it affects drive angles, mounts, and firewall clearances.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: beastie_3 on November 30, 2009, 10:33:39 pm
Clock it?
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: fitz on November 30, 2009, 10:46:51 pm
Have you thought about running a divorced transfer case set up?. I had one on my truck when it had a 12" lift
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on November 30, 2009, 11:47:44 pm
Clock it?


Yes they make clocking rings so you can turn the t-case so the front output is lower/higher, and the input/rear output stays the same.
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: beastie_3 on November 30, 2009, 11:58:10 pm
Would that affect the shifter linkage? Who makes such kits?
Title: Re: Transfer Case Lowering .
Post by: Chevalade on December 01, 2009, 03:47:57 am
Northwest fab makes a kit, and there are others, just cant think of them off the top of my head