Low range t-case question

Ok, here is the question

I'm looking to lower the low range of my d20 t-case. I want to go the cheapest route, that is I beleive to swap gear from a d18.

Now, where can I get good instructions to do this, along with a precise part list of what I'll need for this ? I found some instruction about this, but from a Scout point of view. I'll need the part # for the gear, I think I found a source for the gear only.

Thanks for your help


Bob in Sherbrooke

 

I swapped in the gears from a early bronco dana 20. That way you get everything you need for a 2.46:1 ratio. But you will also need the output gear from the transmission. I think I removed that from the bronco as well.

 

Bob, here's an article on Jeeptech http://www.jeeptech.com/convxfer/2.46-20/

The kernel of this process is the 6 cyl Bronco gear. Somebody was selling these new for about $100 IIRC. I know that one of these articles has a wrong part number for the Bronco gear - not sure if it's this one. This was pointed out by Nick (nickmil) in a post here a long while back. If you search you'll probably find the post, or call R&P in Oregon and I expect they will help you - they might even sell you the gear.

hth!

 

Bob, If you figure it out, please don't keep it a secret! I'd like to do the same thing with my Dana 20.

 

No secret, just find an early bronco 20. If the big gears inside have 33 teeth, then that is the case you need to swap parts from.

 

been digging through old threads researching this.... if i have a CJ D20 do i need the CJ D18 to complete this? am i changing anything more than the gears (33 teeth) out of the bronco D20?

 

i see in your sig that you have plans to swap in an NP435. if you really want to go this route, you might want to put off changing the d-20. i did the np435 swap, and it is a big improvement over the t-14 (virtually the same 1st ratio as the t-15), effectively more than doubling the original crawl ratio.

 

i'm about to just suck it up and pay for the 3.15:1 kit.... by the time i track down 2 additional tcases i could have it done and have a better crawl ratio

 

too bad the 3.15:1 kit is like $800....you could scrap the d18 parts for half that....or less....

to each their own i guess....i dont know what im going to do with mine yet....i may go with a teraflex, or just put in a D300.....will depend on what transmission i go with too...

 

You can buy all the four Dana 18 gears new from Kaiser-Willys:

www.kaiserwillys.com

18-8-22 #809290 $64.11
18-8-24 #809291 $57.33
18-5-9 #809293 $84.84
18-8-23 #809297 $58.49 (added as per nickmil's post below)

Bronco Graveyard has the 18-8-37 gear for $150:

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/i-11625_rear_sliding_gear__dana-20.htm

 

The part #'s Dvader gave are correct. You will also need an 18-8-23 Bull gear which is stock for a 29 tooth 18 transfer case with a 6 spline input and there is some grinding on the inside of the case needed to clear the 18-8-37 bronco sliding gear. Nickmil

 

Might also try Toms Bronco parts in Medford Or. Good people. They have a website.

 

Yep, could be a real savings getting Bronco gears from a place like Toms.
I believe that the Bronco case has 3 of the 5 needed gears. I noticed that Bronco Graveyard sells a used 18-5-9 for $40 and a used 18-8-24 for $50. That's $80 less than buying new from Kaiser-Willys. I don't know if the Bronco uses a 18-8-22 or not? If so, maybe even more savings going with a Bronce place.
Of course you could always happen upon a Dana 300 out of a 1980 Scout. 2.62 reduction, Texas bolt pattern that will bolt right in where the Dana 20 was. Remember to grab the bull gear and speedo cable from the Scout.

 

Tom's Bronco is pretty pricey. And I am not so sure about the quality of anything that comes from the new "kaiser". Your best bet is finding a used bronco transfer case. You will save money overall. Just make sure you have 33 teeth big gears because some of the real early ones were different. And if you can't pick up the tranny output gear at the same time, then at least it is only one part that you have to overspend for.

 

The problem is finding one. Early Bronco's, like Mustangs, have become collector items. You rarely find one in a wrecking yard. Guys like Tom and Jeff(Bronco graveyard) scour the country finding a dwindling number of parts. This is why everything is spendy. I used to work for Toms dad when it was Rusty's 4X4 and remember stacks of T cases sitting out in the rain. Couldn't give them away. now almost 15 years later they are like gold. Same with the heater boxes. When I installed mine(which is a great upgrade for pre 72 CJ's),they were getting 65$ for a complete used box, including the radiator and motor. We threw fifty of these away because NOBODY needed them. I think they are getting 125 just for the box now.

 

one can dream... last one i saw near me went for $650.00

 

When we discussed this last, I guessed that there were at least 10,000 1980 Scouts made, so they aren't rare. However, a large number of those had automatics, so their transfer cases are useless to us. Maybe 5000 total? Probably more. Still, that's only a few hundred (a most) per state. Worth keeping your eyes open for, but not plentiful by now.

 

The cool thing is the Automatic bull gear can be re-broached to fit a 6 spline, but you can't go the other way. It's not as strong as an original 6 spline in the splined area, but that doesn't really go bad as long as the nut is kept torqued down. A local guy here does them to brand new auto gears and sells them all over the country as we can't get the stick gears new, but he has a supply of NOS auto gears. A while back I found a pallet load of Scout 300's, but at the time no bull gears so they were useless and had to have them shipped from the midwest so didn't get them. Nickmil

 

I am confused on the Bronco sliding gear number; I have never seen the gear # 18-8-37 referenced before for this conversion. All, I have ever seen is gear number 18-8-58, and this is the gear I have. And, also I have never seen anyone say you could use the rest of the gears out of a Bronco TC before. Am I missing something in this conversion or are the articles out on the web wrong in the gear number for the Bronco Slider?