air shift or part time conversion for sprag

[Monster Man]

so what are the options on converting the sprag to either airshift or part time? Is it possible to modify the sprag case to be part time by installing an extra lever to engage just the front?

Does the airshift use a whole different style case, or is it able to be sourced in pieces and upgraded?

I'd like to put those disconnected flanges on, but only if it's a easy swap back otherwise it doesn't make much sense to have 6 wheel drive. With the sprag I'd need to remove the driveshaft too for it to stop spinning, right?

 

[Desert Rat]

MM;
I too have a sprag. The only practical option is to swap the transfer case to an air actuated one. Yeah, it's a pain in the butt, however, it causes the least problems in the long run.

 

[Monster Man]

Originally posted by Desert Rat

MM;
I too have a sprag. The only practical option is to swap the transfer case to an air actuated one. Yeah, it's a pain in the butt, however, it causes the least problems in the long run.

can the case be swapped form the bottom of the truck?

 

[Recovry4x4]

The case can be swapped from the bottom but heed my advice, take the pass seat and floor pans out. You will not be sorry that you did. Transfer is a relatively easy swap. You can come in through the pass door with an engine crane and lift & drop the case or you can pop open a front window and run a 4x4 across the windshield frame and back of the cab and sling the case from there. The gov't has a way cool hoist just for this application and it sits right on the floor. I have one and its nice. There is one bolt that is perfect balance for the transfer case when you bolt a chain to it. Pop off your spare tire and ingress and egress from there, makes it easy. Also a low dolly makes getting the case in & out from under the truck easier. Shoud be able to complete a case swap in a few hrs. If you have to add airlines and a switch, obviously longer. You have questions? We have answers!

 

[Monster Man]

thanks! not as bad as I thought. I'll start saving my lunch money for an air case in the meantime then. And selectros- yup, that'll be sweet. I'd easily go the flange route if I had the air shift case, but if I'm upgrading the case I might as well make it really easy on myself, right? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_approve.gif" alt="Approve">

 

[Recovry4x4]

I would so much love to go the Selectro route. I just can't swallow the cost of them. I know I'll never get it back in fuel savings. Since I have air on board, I'll keep it stock and switch the flanges back & forth for the highway trips.

 

[Monster Man]

Originally posted by Recovry4x4

I would so much love to go the Selectro route. I just can't swallow the cost of them. I know I'll never get it back in fuel savings. Since I have air on board, I'll keep it stock and switch the flanges back & forth for the highway trips.

interesting, I sat down and did the math and you're right- it would take 14,850 miles to recoup the cost That's assuming you picked up 1 MPG, if you got more then that's great

 

[Longhunter7]

MM!

I just heard about a manual shift conversion for the sprag!

It comes with new gears and a shift lever!?

It is supposed to be available at Memphis Equipment!$$$$$$$$$$$

They are always high priced $$$$$$$ but check it out!

P.S. I figure that I saved about $650.00 smackers by installing the Selectro hubs!

How you ask? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_question.gif" alt="Question">

I was going to install power steering in my Deuce, but after I installed the hubs (real easy to do), I found that I DID'T NEED the power steering!

I made it MUCH easier to drive! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_thumzup.gif" alt="Thumb Up"><img src="speech/icon_speech_yeah.gif" border="0">

 

[Recovry4x4]

I installed poor mans PS on my deuce. 65PSI makes a huge difference. On a cool note, the guy that I got my pipeline truck from just got a legit 1987 deuce. Has the split brake system and air assist steering. He laughed at me the other day and said, strip it off and its yours! He was serious but thats a great selling point for him. I might try to trade him one of my M105 trailers for the PS though!

 

[Monster Man]

Originally posted by Longhunter7

MM!

I just heard about a manual shift conversion for the sprag!

It comes with new gears and a shift lever!?

It is supposed to be available at Memphis Equipment!$$$$$$$$$$$

They are always high priced $$$$$$$ but check it out!

you're right, see my other post, Alex told me about the kit. It replaces the sprag with a series of gears and allows you to manually shift. It's under $500, but I'm looking to see about retrofitting airshift to the sprag now. Dave at Eastern Surplus says you just need to replace the front output of the sprag case with the air case parts, waiting to hear back on how much for all those parts.

 

[Monster Man]

well, I decided on the airshift conversion because it comes in about $120 cheaper than the Memphis shift kit. I'm all about doing it right, for the cheapest amount though <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_approve.gif" alt="Approve">

will keep you posted on how the install goes, sounds fairly straightforward and hoepefully Dave can provide some diagrams or instructions specific to the swap.

 

[spicergear]

I had a sprag style case in mine but wasn't happy with how inconsistent it seemed to be. Probably just needed adjustment but when a T-case with the Memphis R.E.B. Transfer case kit all but fell into my lap (bought spare truck for $300 with that and a PTO on the T-case) I slapped that thing in. I made a plate for my floor jack that allowed me to stack blocks on it to get the right angle to the case as it was lifted into the truck. Worked pretty easily. I LOVE the manual shift. Driving along in some slimy stuff the other day on a sidehill and started sliding off the roadway into a field. I gave the manual lever a push out of it's retaining notch and it slid right up and pulled in the front axle on the fly and allowed me to pull back up to the road via the front axle.
***HAS ANYONE HAD PROBLEM WITH THE FITMENT OF THE OUTSIDE HOLES ON A SET OF SELECTRO'S WHEN INSTALLING THEM? I put a set on the Rockwells in my other truck and the outside bolt circle on the Selectro that bolts it to the spacer and hub was misaligned by like .060 and the holes were the wrong size! The holes were drilled for a 7/16" bolt, not the 1/2" hardware supplied. I had to redrill using the Selectro spacer as a guide and beat the h#ll out of nice TiN Coat drill. Oh, and of course I got this from usa6x6 so it just propetuated my love of that place.

 

[Longhunter7]

Spicergear!

I did not have any problem installing the Selectro hubs on my 72 AM General!

All the holes were the correct size and they lined up perfectly!

It was a very easy job, and only took about 45 minutes a side! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_thumzup.gif" alt="Thumb Up">

The hardest part was getting all of the old gasket off! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_angry.gif" alt="Angry">

 

[spicergear]

Just so you guys familiar with the Selectros don't think I'm outta my mind, the thick spacer that comes along with the Lockout unit itself was drilled correctly with the proper 8 hole pattern diameter and bolt size. I could put the lockout unit knob down on a bench and lay the spacer on top of it and look down the holes and quite easily see that the holes were not located where there were supposed to be. Oh, and the same hardware that easily fit the spacer would not fit through the holes in the lockout unit. Man was I pi$$ed.

 

[Trango]

working title: Spicergear receives off pattern hubs from USA 6x6.
subtitle: Daniel makes another satisfied customer.

I heard USA 6x6 finally had their stuff together.... guess not.

 

[spicergear]

My deal was that I ordered...
2 high clear pans
2 detroits
1 ton wheel disc for steer rear
1 ton wheel disc non-steer
2 weld in bungs -for future build-
Then, a little later, got a windfall enough to get a set of Selectros. All in all like $2300+ for all the stuff I got. When I first ordered, end of Feb '04, he told me all was in stock except one pan. I wait two weeks- nothing. I call. He gives me some excuse about his welder (pans) not being reliable and holding the order so he can send all at once. I wait two weeks- nothing. I call. Now, apparently, the welder is fine only they can't get steel. I wait two weeks- Nothing. I call. Now, the laser cutter guy's machine broke down. I wait two weeks- NOTHING. I call and tell him that I can't do $hit about assembly until I get the pans and for him to AT LEAST send me the 2 Detroits so I can slap them in the diffs. I wait A WEEK. NOTHING! I call, he tells me the stuff is on the shipping table. I wait a week...NOTHING! ARGH!!! SONOFA...!!! I call again and lean into him. He gives me a song and dance about steel. I tell him I deal with the steel industry every day and tell him to stop using it as a BS excuse. The I'm told the welder is unreliable...again. I tell him to get my $hit out or I'm gonna need a refund. OH, and in the meantime I called him to get the deal on machining the hubs so that when I finally GET the hardware I'll be able to move with it. The next week I get Detroits, front brake hardware, all four rotors and all four calipers...NO rear brake mounts. In assebling the front I found out he told me wrong how to do it and I need to machine them again, a second depth...and the hardware I received is mixed and mostly the wrong lenth. I'm so friggin angry about now...then I call to find out what the deal is with the rear brake stands and he tells me he'll have them by mid July. !!!That would be, theoretically or course since I cancelled them, 5-1/2 MONTHS!!! I'm already at 13 weeks and now have one full day and four evenings to get these together, under the truck, driveshafts, steering, etc, and drive to M715 Zone's F.E. in Western Kentucky 800 miles away. I call to cancel my stands and some guy answers, tells me they're closed and hangs up on me. SOFA-KING ANGREEEEE!!! Denial (<--as he proven his name to be) calls about 20 mins later...I blasted him about that, then blasted him about my high clear pans...LEAKING!!! I've got a pic of a hole the size of a welding rod! Then, the BS with the lockouts. Oh, and the 8 holes that he puts in the rotors were off on 3 of the 4 rotors. I had to use a rat-tail file to elongate the hole over to fit the hub pattern. It was absolutely aweful. AB-SO-FU&$ING-LUTELY AWEFUL!!! So, sorry about the book fellas...but that's about as nutshell as I can get that infuriating deal. I posted all this as it was going on the M715Zone site and he even had the balls to come on and try and defend himself. That backfired. F-him.

 

[Trango]

Hey Tom

dude I made rear brakes for the rockwell. Fronts are still hard (as you know).

Got any F250 or F350 dually, 2wd Pherds sitting around you?

Good. Now grab the rotors, the calipers, the brake lines (because you, I mean, me, are cheap!), and the CALIPER stands. Go get new brake slider pins at Napa (perhaps the spendiest thing at $10 each).

http://www.planetbantz.com/imghost/bob/

Spin through the "rockwell hub" pics in this directory for some more hints. Allen head bolts needed, since you will be opening up the hole in the hat AND relocating the bolt holes. Mine is pretty strong - I have a line lock on my rear end that's currently clamping the rear end strong enough for me to cycle the rear suspension when I rock the front tires on the rockbuggy!

Bob

 

[spicergear]

Trango, on another post I posted about making my own rear brackets. You could, actually, use the exact same mount for the front for the rear as the bolt circle that the brake backing plates use is identical. I patterned off the front, used 5 of the 12 holes to bolt it on, flipped the rotor, cut some shorter custom spacers and I was done. Simple. I also posted on another post that I called Daniel (Denial) to ask him whey he'd ever cut off that mounting circle and make up some weld on stand...he's only selling my design now. He even admitted to it. What a POS.

 

[Trango]

Hey Tom,

I got a guy feverishly looking for brakes for the front axle. Drop me an email to ..... if you have a solution you'd be interested in selling.

Cheers
Bob

 

[spicergear]

I'll be in touch.