boulders or other off-road obstacles can damage the t-case.
a damaged or non functional t-case will immobilize a 4wd vehicle.
WHAT DOES A TRANSFER CASE DO?
the transfer case, or t-case, contains gears and selection forks.
it manages and distributes or 'transfers' power to the axles.
the t-case enables a 4wd vehicle to operate in 2wd.
this is accomplished by disengaging the front drive shaft.
WHERE IS THE TRANSFER-CASE?
the t-case is bolted inline directly behind the transmission.
it is supported through its attachment to the transmission.
the transmission rests on a lateral cross-member.
the t-case, however, hangs out behind the transmission.
it is vulnerable - directly in the apex of the break-over angle.
(click here to read what the break-over angle is)
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
OLD VS NEW
____________________________
the new skid above, the stock skid below.
the new skid will mount in 11 places!
the stock skid only mounted in 3...
the new skid will be very secure with all this mounting hardware!
* 3 self-tapping bolts on the front of the trans member.
* 2 hex head bolts through the bottom of the trans member.
* 6 bolts and nutcerts installed in the framerails, 3 per side.
i had a stock t-case skid installed on my jeep already.
it spans at an angle from the transmission cross-member to the frame.
note the t-case is not entirely protected by the stock skid.
here is the transmission cross-member with the stock t-case skid removed.
the transfer case is to the left of the cross-member.
the transmission pan can be seen to the right of the cross-member.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
PRE-INSTALLATION MOCK UP
____________________________
i jacked up the skid plate to mark for drilling.
its heavy, but after getting it balanced on the jack, it was a breeze..
..until i found that this exhaust clamp was in the way.
see how the exhaust clamp's threads contact the skid on the right?
this prevented me from jacking it up all the way for a flush mount.
the exhaust clamp caused a gap between the skid plate and the frame rail.
i couldnt jack it up far enough to mark the holes in the proper places.
i cut the exhaust clamp and got it to fit just right.
here is how i cut the exhaust clamp to make it fit.
the threaded ends of the clamp hang too low.
so i cut them off!
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
DRILLING FRAME MOUNTS
____________________________
i lined everything up and marked centers for the frame holes.
drilling small pilot holes first makes centering bigger bits easier.
i used a step bit to quickly drill to the proper diameter.
a bit of flat black paint after drilling to prevent rust.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
____________________________
the skid is very well designed.
it follows the contour of the transmission cross-member perfectly.
the transfer case will be well protected!
the coverage is excellent from all angles.
note the cut-away for the catalytic converter.
note also the vertical lip to help deflect rocks.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
PREP, PRIME, & PAINT
____________________________
to prepare the surface i used some mild soap and water.
after cleaning i used a bit of brake cleaner as a solvent.
this ensured the surface was dry and free of oils.
i wiped everything down and let it fully dry.
prep.
prime.
paint.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
NUTCERT INSTALLATION
____________________________
nutserts are cylinders containing threads.
they have a crushable sleeve which pinches them in place.
they will be installed in the holes i drilled in the frame.
simple handtools can do the job just fine.
the holes in the frame are the same outside diameter as the nutsert.
a combination wrench is used to hold the mutsert steady during installation.
completed side with 3 installed nutserts in the framerail.
the nutserts create a place to thread bolts into the frame.
it is now possible to hang the skid for final drilling.
i used a piece of wood between the jack and the skid to protect the finish.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
DRILLING CROSS-MEMBER HOLES
____________________________
first i drilled pilot holes for the 3 self-tapping bolts.
3 bolts will hold the skid to the front of the transmission cross-member.
this was the hardest part of the whole installation.
drilling without much space!
these holes are for the vertical bolts through the cross-member.
my step-bit wouldnt work here.
i had to drill through two layers of the cross-member.
so i used several bits to enlarge the holes progressively.
the final two cross-member bolts are installed vertically.
they sandwich the cross-member and the skid together.
they are flush mounted to the bottom of the skid plate.
this prevents them from becoming rounded from wearing on the rocks.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
INSTALLATION COMPLETE
____________________________
all i had to do was tighten the bolts in the specified order.
No comments:
Post a Comment