School me on swapping to 1-tons

Lurch830

Lurch830

messin' with sasquatch
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Location
Wilton & Albemarle, NC
My eventual plan is to go to 1-tons & I've got some questions that I'm wondering about...
The Plan:
Swap d44 for a ford kingpin d60
Keep current leaf springs in front (stock rears with add-a-leaf)
Swap h233b (stock axle) for a 14bolt
Keep current leaf springs in back (63" chevy 2WD leafs)
Swap d300 for a 2-speed atlas w/ parking brake kit
New drive shafts with 1350 U-joints everywhere
Chromoly axles for the d60
Chromoly stubs w/ stock inners for d60 spares
Stock spares for 14bolt (most likely will not need)
Gear both axles 5.38
Lock both axles (spool in rear, spartan in front)
Full hydro steering
Recentered H1s with 37" military tires

Questions:
Is there a downside to running a Stak instead of an Atlas? They are cheaper & I like the 3 gear option that Stak has while still having 'hard' linkages. Is it cheaper because you get what you pay for/bad craftsmanship, inferior materials, etc?
With the H1s, would cut-down rubber or PVC runflats be better? Rubber is cheaper than PVC through trail worthy fab, but I imagine getting the rubber out would be harder than PVC. If I got PVC, I was going to cut them like Billavista did to make installation/removal easier.
Any advice/input to offer?
 
"Stak" doesnt make cases anymore, and almost every stak ive seen has a problem popping out of gear i know trail worthy fab is unofficially building the stak style cases i think they bought the rights and are changing some of the origional designs. That being said ide spend the extra coin on an atlas cause from what ive seen they seem better.
 
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And pvc inserts are easy to get in and out ive done it multiple times rubber seems like it would suck cause rubber sticks really well to other rubber
 
toyota1 said:
"Stak" doesnt make cases anymore, and almost every stak ive seen has a problem popping out of gear i know trail worthy fab is unofficially building the stak style cases i think they bought the rights and are changing some of the origional designs. That being said ide spend the extra coin on an atlas cause from what ive seen they seem better.
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The cost difference isn't that big between the two, I just liked the idea of having 3 gear options with hard linkages. Oh well, guess I'll pony up to the atlas.

toyota1 said:
And pvc inserts are easy to get in and out ive done it multiple times rubber seems like it would suck cause rubber sticks really well to other rubber
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That's what I was thinking to, the good thing is this project is down the road...

paradisePWoffrd said:
I would continue to run the d300 for some time. With only 37s & stock motor you should be ok, unless the gear options are what you are wanting too.
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The reasons I want to go to atlas is the d300 is flipped to be DSD and even double sealed on the shift rails it leaks, occasionally pops out of gear, I want to go from 1310 joints to 1350 joints & HD outputs (seemed like I'd have as much in a built d300 as an atlas) and the cable shifters from NWF originally would stretch (I've now got HD cables from them that seem to be a lot better).
 
I tried to cut the mohawk off the stock rubber inserts on a set of H1's. It didn't work. We tried a sawzall, and chainsaw. I'll be going with the PVC inserts when the time comes.
 
drkelly said:
I tried to cut the mohawk off the stock rubber inserts on a set of H1's. It didn't work. We tried a sawzall, and chainsaw. I'll be going with the PVC inserts when the time comes.
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Trail Worthy Fab sells them uncut for $10 & cut down for $20 vs $50 for the PVC, but I think I may go with PVC for quicker/easier installation & removal. I'll probably make the "S" cut in them like Billavista did on pirate.
 
If you can handle another 8" in T case, and want more gear selection, why not an Atlas 4 speed? That's what I run
 
upnover said:
If you can handle another 8" in T case, and want more gear selection, why not an Atlas 4 speed? That's what I run
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There's also the ORD Magnum box now. That looks pretty neat.
 
upnover said:
If you can handle another 8" in T case, and want more gear selection, why not an Atlas 4 speed? That's what I run
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I looked at it and like the extra gear selection, but I planned on staying away from cable shifters since the first ones I had from NWF were lacking.

shawn said:
There's also the ORD Magnum box now. That looks pretty neat.
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I'll take a look at them, thanks.
 
Lurch830 said:
I looked at it and like the extra gear selection, but I planned on staying away from cable shifters since the first ones I had from NWF were lacking.


I'll take a look at them, thanks.
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I don't have cable shifters. But to be honest, I wish I did.
it's either or just like on the 2 speed Atlas
 
upnover said:
I don't have cable shifters. But to be honest, I wish I did.
it's either or just like on the 2 speed Atlas
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Out of curiosity, what do you wish you had cable shifters? Mounting location or something else?

upnover said:
Another option

http://www.nc4x4.com/forum/index.php?threads/strong-box-doubler-behemoth-drivetrain.115450/
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I thought about something like this (NWF offers something similar). I like the fact it would make my front driveshaft longer & less of an angle, but I'd have to modifiy one of my crossmembers to clear the rear output. There is some give & take with each solution, I just want to decide on everything before I start buying stuff so I don't change my mind half-way through.
 
I don't have experience with them, but to those I have spoke with who do, tell me that the cable shifters are easier to shift most times. There have been times when it was difficult to get mine out of gear to do a front or rear dig
 
upnover said:
I don't have experience with them, but to those I have spoke with who do, tell me that the cable shifters are easier to shift most times. There have been times when it was difficult to get mine out of gear to do a front or rear dig
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My experience is just the opposite. My cable shifter for the front seems to bind & it won't let me shift in or out of gear. My buddy with an atlas & their universal shifter kit seems to do fine. But that's comparing an atlas with my flipped d300, so that's not exactly apples to apples.
 
I've had Atlas 2 speed for 12+ yrs, the cable shifter is much better than the linkage style. By design the linkage is always in a bind, side loading the rail against the case, unless in neutral. The cables stays linear 100% of the time, push/pull in a straight line always. Any problems with cable shifters is strictly due to tight bends in routing of cables, gear bind or poor adjustment.

sent from a fancy Samsung Note 2 with an illiterate operator. ..
 
mcutler said:
I've had Atlas 2 speed for 12+ yrs, the cable shifter is much better than the linkage style. By design the linkage is always in a bind, side loading the rail against the case, unless in neutral. The cables stays linear 100% of the time, push/pull in a straight line always. Any problems with cable shifters is strictly due to tight bends in routing of cables, gear bind or poor adjustment.

sent from a fancy Samsung Note 2 with an illiterate operator. ..
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Are the Atlas cables that much better than NWF cables? My issues might have been due to gear bind since I know they were routed properly & I'm pretty sure the adjustment was good. I'm strongly against cables again since I've replaced several on my d300, but I'd consider them if they are stronger & better designed than NWF.
 
Lurch830 said:
Are the Atlas cables that much better than NWF cables? My issues might have been due to gear bind since I know they were routed properly & I'm pretty sure the adjustment was good. I'm strongly against cables again since I've replaced several on my d300, but I'd consider them if they are stronger & better designed than NWF.
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Im not sure what the NWF are like, but the Atlas cables are super beef. If I remember reading correctly they have a few jundred pound push/pull force. Way overbuilt IMO. I have not seen the NWF cables though to compare.
 
Yeh, I was surprised at the beefiness of the cables that came with my Atlas 4spd.
 
I have the PVC inserts from Trail Worthy in mine. They are beadlocks only, not runflats. If your tire goes flat, you will still be riding on the wheel.
 
livetorun said:
I have the PVC inserts from Trail Worthy in mine. They are beadlocks only, not runflats. If your tire goes flat, you will still be riding on the wheel.
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Good point...I'd messed the words up. I'll probably end up going with their PVC inserts when the time comes.
 
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