Crawl boxes?

[jefe]

I'm looking to lower my crawl ratio, current is 53:1. Has anyone had any luck running 4:1 crawl boxes, such as the tera-low, on their jeeps? How difficult is the installation?

[ddewar53]

jefe said:

I'm looking to lower my crawl ratio, current is 53:1. Has anyone had any luck running 4:1 crawl boxes, such as the tera-low, on their jeeps? How difficult is the installation?

Are you talking about changing the low range gearing in the stock transfer case in a YJ? It's pretty expensive, cheapest I've seen is about $1000. The kit includes a new front case half, planetaries, and assorted bearings and small parts.

In about 5 years or wheeling around here, I haven't seen enough need for a lower crawl ratio to justify spending that much $$

I guess you could try to find a t-case out of a wrecked Rubicon and put it up there, I think they have a lower final drive in low range. I'll say it again, though, I don't think you'll find much terrain around here to justify that kind of effort or expense ;D

Another way to go might be to look into a D300 flip kit - the kit can be had for around $600, another couple of hundred for the new lower gears, plus whatever you have to spend for the used D300 to begin with. At least that way, you can justify the expense because you're getting a much stronger t-case, that's gear driven instead of chain driven.

[Kevin W.]

Jefe,

I believe you said you were from Arizona... out there a really low crawl ratio is much more useful then here.

99% of the time on local trails, I ride in 2nd or 3rd gear. The 1st gear in 4-low in a rubicon is just too slow for nearly all obstacles. When you have wet and muddy rocks, you need some spin to make it over stuff. Plus, a bit of momentum helps you "bump" over things.

Paragon, HOWEVER, is a very different story. The lower you can crawl, the better off you are on the super sticky HUGE rocks down there!

As a general rule of thumb, I think you are OK with the stock T-case gearing in New England offroading, assuming you have the proper gearing in your axles for the tire size you are running. So I agree with Don, that its probably not worth 1,000 +....

KEV

[johnsxj]

I have to agree with ddewar53 and Kevin on this one Jefe.
New England trails have a bit of everything in them (dirt, mud, rocks, mud, water, rocks in mud etc..) Your 53:1 ratio is pretty good for these types of trails.
Instead of spending a lot of $$$ on lower t-case gears, put the money towards other things you want to do to your Jeep.
John

[jefe]

Thank you all for the insight. I haven't really seen the trails that New England has to offer, The idea was originally planted in my brain a while ago in New Mexico.

How is Paragon? That's down in P.A. right?

[Kodi]

Yes....there is a trip planned. Check it out under "Members Only"

[ZAEDOCK]

jefe said:

I'm looking to lower my crawl ratio, current is 53:1. Has anyone had any luck running 4:1 crawl boxes, such as the tera-low, on their jeeps? How difficult is the installation?

Jefe,
These guys are right on with what they said about New England wheeling. My YJ has a Muncie SM420 with a 7.05:1 first gear for crawling, but most of the time I keep it in 2nd(3.57:1). I also run a 4cylinder which needs to rev a little higher than a 4.0L.
I think that you would like Paragon and some of the rocky trails they have ("M" trail, Rattler's Tail, etc...). It's like moonrock with awesome traction. It's probably the closest thing you'll find to AZ slickrock out east.

Anyway, wheel the season "as-is" and see how you like it.

[jpnjim]

I just got one of these:
www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451754

Turns your 231 into a crawl box, and a second T-case mounts behind that.
I didn't want a single 4:1 low range for the reasons others mentioned.
I would've rathered a 2:1 crawl box (+ the D300's 2.6:1), since 2.73:1 x 2.6:1 is very low, but the price was right.