Blue MJ

Mock up just checking clearances.

As it sits in this mockup, rear yoke is 4.5* down and front is 4* up. According to math, if I raised just the tcase end about 2-3" and not the motor mounts I would wind up with 2* down in the rear. I'll be running CV shafts for now, would this still be acceptable drive train angles as long as I set the axle pinion angle properly?

With the tcase hanging this low, I'm going to run into issues with making the old long arm cross member fit and protect the case.

I see a couple options:
1. I could probably massage the floor and get it up 1- 2", maybe 3" if I start cutting, which would give me a nearly flat drive train angle
2. I could do #1 and add 1" motor mount lift, which math says would give me about a 3* drive train angle
3. I could raise it 1" fairly easily and then cut the skid plate off the long arm cross member I have and try and build a new temporary lower skid plate
4. Revisit the clocking, cut the floor open, **** with my seat mounts where I probably can't afford to raise the seat because I'm tall and it's tight already, then probably wind up dropping the drivetrain a little bit like Yota said...

Thoughts?

IMG_6660.jpeg

IMG_6656.jpeg
 
Last edited:
hadn’t thought about a body lift, ordered one :flipoff2:

It’ll look like this
IMG_4251.webp
 
fl0w3n said:
So is drivetrain angle not really a concern?
Click to expand...
Not in my experience, I've lifted tcases and left the engine alone.

I always thought that was kinda an old school hot rod thing.

I figured in this sport you're never sitting on level ground anyways so what does a couple degrees forward her back really matter
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Not in my experience, I've lifted tcases and left the engine alone.

I always thought that was kinda an old school hot rod thing.

I figured in this sport you're never sitting on level ground anyways so what does a couple degrees forward her back really matter
Click to expand...
True, I’m probably over thinking it. Other than drive shaft implications it’s probably irrelevant for this type of build.
 
fl0w3n said:
True, I’m probably over thinking it. Other than drive shaft implications it’s probably irrelevant for this type of build.
Click to expand...

Like I mentioned before, dropping the tcase down too much can cause a dumb front angle. But the rig I'm thinking of is low pinion, leafs and 49s
 
Had a few minutes in the garage so played with shifter location. This should work and not interfere with the trans shifter.
If you look close there’s 3 little holes near the shifter in the tunnel I drilled, the two on the right is where the ecobox shift bracket hits the floor and the other one is where part of the 300 back brace hits. The last area that was hitting I was able to massage the floor enough to get some clearance. Still unsure if I actually need/want to cut the tunnel up other than to get the cables routed down.


1749050014757.jpeg



Apparently Ruff Stuff miss labeled the measurements on this frame out rigger bracket… advertised as 3.5” x 4” usable inside area. I was planning on a 3.5”x2.5”x0.180 tube to land in it to build a new crossmember that supports both transmission and transfer case off one member.

I’m trying to get this thing together for a trip at the end of the month, I’m considering just reusing the transmission mount and no support on the tcase for now to save time. What’s the chances I rip the tail housing off the trans…?
IMG_6706.jpeg
 
YotaAtieToo said:
I don't think the ax15 has a weak tail housing by any means
Click to expand...
That’s good. Long term I’d like a nice support, but putting this back together without it now would sure save time and I’m under the gun.

PTSD from my ZF6 Duramax years back
1749082417739.jpeg
 
Chebby problems :flipoff2:

Really though, I don't know what to think about tcase mounts. Some say support the rear output, some say it's bad to support the rear output, some say to support the front output, some say it's bad to support the front output :laughing:

Seems like most V8 buggies just have a single trans mount, but not sure what to say about a doubler hanging past that?
 
Massage the floor. It's right behind the rear seat mount bolt.

I wanted to support the rear of the transmission but I haven't found time to figure out how to do it with the foot mine came with. I know 'just run some box tubing and weld it to the stiffeners' in theory. Not in practice.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2967.jpeg
    IMG_2967.jpeg
    2.3 MB · Views: 63
  • IMG_2673.jpeg
    IMG_2673.jpeg
    2.7 MB · Views: 70
  • IMG_2681.jpeg
    IMG_2681.jpeg
    3.1 MB · Views: 70
  • IMG_2682.jpeg
    IMG_2682.jpeg
    2.9 MB · Views: 65
  • IMG_2677.jpeg
    IMG_2677.jpeg
    3.6 MB · Views: 60
  • IMG_2666.jpeg
    IMG_2666.jpeg
    2.7 MB · Views: 64
  • IMG_2667.jpeg
    IMG_2667.jpeg
    3.3 MB · Views: 60
  • IMG_2665.jpeg
    IMG_2665.jpeg
    3.3 MB · Views: 59
I did a little bit of floor massaging and I think it’s actually going to fit and hopefully clear with the TNT cross member/belly skid.

Went for the final bolt up. First noticed old CPS was cracked, still functioned but figured I’d put a new one while it was easy. Modified it with a 3/8 hole on the top side so it sits slightly closer for stronger signal, and slotted the bracket for ease of replacement in the truck if needed. All that was available locally was Duralast brand for 2x the price of Rock Auto, but oh well I’m short on time.
IMG_6713.jpeg


Cut a window for shifter cables to route. One day I’ll build a nice little sealed cover for it, but for now this will do. In hindsight cutting only the front and two sides and bending it up then patching in triangles on the side probably would have been cleaner. Oh well.
IMG_6714.jpeg



Hopefully final bolt up. All the prior mockups was without the clutch for an easy stab in and out, this time took ~8 stabs and a couple dozen times up and down to check alignment but finally got it once I realized the trans was in neutral so rotating the yoke wasn’t spinning the input splines :homer:
IMG_6715.jpeg
 
tested routing of the shifter cables and the 300 cables will be fine, but I ordered too short for the doubler box. For now I’ll just run it without a cable to the doubler box, which still gives me 4:1 and probably all I should really be putting through this axle combo and 1310 CV shafts.
 
Trimmed as much as I'm willing to right now. Still need to go up 1" for the cross member to meet the frame mount. But, it's turning into the last 10% takes 90% of the time. I'd basically need to cut the whole top of the tunnel from shifter hole to 6" away from my cable hole, as well as the bulge near the driver seat. I don't like that option, at least for getting it back together now to make the trip at the end of the month.

Second option is find a transmission mount that's 1" shorter, but then the cable shifter bracket will be 1" into the tcase skid. So, opening a hole up in that and then building a little bulge in the skid to go around the cable shifter bracket.

Third option is get some 3x1 or 2.5x1 rectangle tube and just space the cross member down 1", and build a little wedge at the front of the frame so it's not a rock magnet, although I'm sure it will be. This would obviously lower the rig 1" too, but that's fine I'm changing up the ride height anyways.

Also, the ecobox to ax15 leaks. I suspect it’s the ax15 output seal leaking, but I’m going to ignore it and hope it fixes itself.

IMG_6726.jpeg

IMG_6724.jpeg

IMG_6725.jpeg
 
I thought about it more, and decided to grow a pair and just cut more.

I figured before I just hack the whole center out, I’d try cutting little windows where needed.

I think it worked and took less than I thought. Need to tune it up a little, and open up for the shift tower but I think I’m there.

Transmission mount needs modifications, it’s just sitting in there and causing the cross member to sit weird but I think once I fix that it’ll bolt back up just like before.

IMG_6728.jpeg

IMG_6730.jpeg
 
My ecobox leaks at the transmission as well. I don’t know if I should recommend using RTV between the ecobox and transmission, or just thumbing in a good amount in the area you can reach for now just to make the trip. I find not wheeling seems to prevent leaks.
 
RunningProblem said:
I find not wheeling seems to prevent leaks
Click to expand...
:lmao:


Have you investigated if it’s the trans leaking or the ecobox?

I forget if I did a new seal on the input I stole from the 231 for the eco box, but I think I forgot to lube the trans seal before stabbing it so I’m guessing it’s the trans that’s leaking. That seal was of unknown age anyways and sitting dry for a couple years.

Probably easiest to fix now… but just another side track path I don’t feel like going down. I don’t think it’s bad enough to worry about now.
 
It's the eco box. The fluid was still golden colored. Mine had the eco box seal put in by me since it's so unique. I wouldn't even know where to start to track it down and it's a little easier to add fluid than pull two transfer cases and disassemble my fabricobbled shifter linkage.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Trans won't leak out the seal just sitting there, oil level is below out put shaft.
Click to expand...
Not unless there's a ton of water in the trans :homer: I probably ****ed up when pressure washing it and got water inside, and forgot to ever drain it. Whoops, did a fluid change and then flushed best I could with 2 qts, then filled it with fresh syncromesh. Lots of rust chunks came out, but none of them were solid, they were all slimey feeling. Shifts ok, sticks going into 3rd sometimes. Hopefully it's not ****ed. I'll plan on bringing a couple qts to flush it incase.



I had this mount sitting around, and it had the right height to it, but wrong offset and wrong bolt pattern on trans side. Got sick of trying to line everything up so I just welded the bottom bracket to the cross member. Now pull the bolt in the bushing to drop the cross member. Access is decent, shouldn't be much more than a pain than dropping that whole cross member is anyways.

Other than that, doing a little bit late into each week night or collecting random nuts and bolts I need after work. Got the cross member to sit back where it was, and the doubler setup tucked way up. It's pushing up against what's left of the tunnel on the eco box area, so I threw some rubber floor mat stuff in between so hopefully it doesn't just rub to **** or squeak.

Cable for the eco box is too short, so I pulled that for now and I could just reach over and manually shift it since there's a handy access window now. And of course the cables for the 300 look too long.

Triple stick shifter is going to be tricky to mount solid. I'm thinking I'm just going to tie into the seat frames for both passenger and driver, make it bolt down obviously, but that's the most solid structure I can see tieing into right now.

Getting close, to be on track I really need to be completely done with the trans / doubler setup by Friday. Then I will debate if I want to tackle swapping to the spring under deaver setup over the weekend and changing ball joints and bolting front axle back in over the weekend. Hopefully a shake down quick trip to Hollister Sunday. Then leave for Rubicon Friday night or early Saturday morning following weekend.

IMG_6840.jpeg


IMG_6849.jpeg

IMG_6850.jpeg

IMG_6846.jpeg

IMG_6848.jpeg

IMG_6847.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Make sure you can shift through all your gears with your levers in all the positions before mounting. Never know when you'll need 4th gear in low low.
 
RunningProblem said:
Make sure you can shift through all your gears with your levers in all the positions before mounting. Never know when you'll need 4th gear in low low.
Click to expand...
That is kind of a compromise I’m seeing, the rough mockup I have there is with the 300 levers shifted forward and I think trans in 2nd or 4th don’t remember. It felt mostly unobstructed, except reverse takes just a slight wrist movement. It’s having to sit high because of the 300 backing plate sticking up so high lol.

That’s part of what’s making the cables too long, I’m having to mount it further back than I anticipated. I could rework the trans shifter but I like its feel as-is.

Maybe the “buggy” style bracket would have been better from JB.
 
I do think, after you mentioned it, a buggy style sitting above the floor board would be better in your situation. Any ambition to create your own buggy style shifter box at this point with some plate steel? Second option is to ask them nicely if you could exchange it after making poor life choices. The worst thing you have happen is they say no.
 
Think outside the box a bit.

Moved them to one side or the other, at an angle left or right, tipped to the side, where ever it fits and feels comfortable. As is, it looks like it would be really in the way for shifting the trans.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar Threads

JK chassis build for mild wheeling and towing
Replies
16
Views
919
YotaAtieToo
YotaAtieToo
Full size bucket seats in rear of yj
Replies
11
Views
938
posford
posford
Build "CJ3BL" 53 Willys
6 7 8
Replies
215
Views
11K
CJ3BL
CJ3BL
2025 2 Door JL Sport Highway Friendly Build
2
Replies
50
Views
5K
'84 Bronco II
'84 Bronco II
Nvr-Enough's YJ (re)Build
2 3
Replies
84
Views
9K
Rockchump
Rockchump
Top Back Refresh