The thread on the gear install has got me thinking.

So whats the opinion on how strong the LT230 transfer case is compared to other popular US cases (like AtlasII, D300 or even a D20 say)

I just carnt see that they can be very strong given the size of the rear output. It isnt a 1 3/8 in 32 spline monster that you can get for a lot of the US cases.

So what would happen if you put a 35 spline D60 behind one ... would that be a waste of money and you would just break outputs?? A mate of mine has got a toy hilux transfer in front of a 60 series landcruiser diff and has twisted off a couple of rear outputs in the last month and has got me thinking a bit about transfer case strength. Would the LT230 be stronger than the toy hilux case?? Cause the toy case isnt very strong IMO - this guy has twisted the rear output splines both times and the output has sheared at a circlip groove further up the shaft Hes thinking about putting in an LT230 cause they are cheap but is it any stronger??

Not so concerned about the centre diff strength - more about the output shafts and the gearset (and even more so the gearset with the Maxi 4.3:1 low range)

Sam

Why don't you phone Mal. I'm thinking he has actually done all of the calculations. He can probably tell you exactly how much torque they can take..... He can also probably tell you in detail every failure he has seen.

I've personally taken a tooth off the driven (center) gear on the intermediate cluster. It looked like a casting defect though, not a design weakness.

Do you know the size of the output shafts, or can measure them? If so, I can calculate for you the equivalent strength shaft after the diff. This would give a reasonable comparison, although it would depend on the shafting material.

No personal experience with the LT230 vs the AtlassII or the like, but we almost never see problems with the LT230. Mal has told me his straight cut low range gear is far stronger than the stock gear. This how ever doesn't do anything for your output shafts. Tim Cooper also chooses to use the LT230 behind his higher HP Chevy conversions in place of a domestic option. My truck is still aways off from being on the trail so it will be awhile befor I can beat on it.

Christian

there are loads of people running rear salisburys with both the series tcases and the LT230 - no reason to think a 35 spline D60 is really that much stronger, despite the vehement religion involved in that particular discussion . . .

that you can get a good low-range 3.2:1, fixed outputs, and gear driven case from the factory certainly is nothing to sneeze at. someone long ago told me that the LT230 was a slightly larger case as compared to the atlas I, but i don't have any real data to back this up.

the problem with domestic cases is that many only come with slip yoke outputs, and often have ~2.5:1 or higher low range gear.

Originally posted by SeaRover
there are loads of people running rear salisburys with both the series tcases and the LT230 - no reason to think a 35 spline D60 is really that much stronger, despite the vehement religion

riiiight... a 1.23" diameter shaft is just as strong as as a 1.5" shaft... i believe you :rolleyes:

as for the LT230 strength, how do the size of the outputs compare to those on a series case? I know that Ike Goss has broken a few series output shafts.

Strength of a solid shaft in torsion is proportional to the cube of the diameter.

A 1.5" shaft is 181% as strong as a 1.23" shaft.

If we know the output shaft diameter, we can relate it to the equivalent strength axles shaft using the diff ratio.

da = ( 3.54 * dt^3 ) ^ (1/3)

da = axle shaft diameter (with locker)
dt = transfer case output shaft diameter
3.54 = axles ratio

example:
dt = 1"

da = (3.54 * 1^3) ^ (1/3) = 1.52"

So the stress in a 1" transfer case output shaft would be the same in a 1.52" axle shaft with the diff locked and torque going to one wheel (on that axle).

Sam, I surprised your asking this quesiton.

IMO the LT230 is the ONLY redeaming feature of the LR drivetrain.

Jess at High Angle gave the LT230 some pretty high praises...Same with others in the industry that have seen them appart.

I've put my case through some pretty tough situations and she's shined very well. I think on a light weight rig the virtue of the case will more than speak for itself.

To answer your question...NO I don't think that it would be a wast at all putting it in front (and behind) a 60.

In fact if my rig doesn't sell then that's whats going in the new chassis.

--D

Originally posted by RockRover
Sam, I surprised your asking this quesiton.

IMO the LT230 is the ONLY redeaming feature of the LR drivetrain.

Jess at High Angle gave the LT230 some pretty high praises...Same with others in the industry that have seen them appart.

I've put my case through some pretty tough situations and she's shined very well. I think on a light weight rig the virtue of the case will more than speak for itself.

To answer your question...NO I don't think that it would be a wast at all putting it in front (and behind) a 60.

In fact if my rig doesn't sell then that's whats going in the new chassis.

--D

Doug - do you know how the output shaft size compares to others.

When these couple of toy cases broke I measured the output shaft size of a LT95 and it is smaller than the toy output which supprised me. Im just having a hard time believing that the LT230 can really be all that strong with the size of its output shaft - I really should pull the drive flange off one and measure it.

Sam

I just measured and the front and rear out put shafts are the same. 1 3/16" at the OD of the spline, 1 1/8" at the valley of the spline. According to red red90rovers numbers this means the LT230 out put shafts are stronger than a 1 1/2" axle. I will let him do the math and tell us how much stronger. I guess it all depends on what type of metal they are made out of and how they are heat treated also.

CB

To be honest Sam, I don't know what the numbers are (until Trout posted).

All I do know is that I left my rear axle pinion centered because I wanted real world testing of the 230 prior to off-setting the diff. That testing is complete, and I am very confident in the overall strength of the unit...Again, if I don't go with all new parts, then the 230 will be gladly used again.

42's, full mash, near vert ledges, hopping...etc...Still smillin'.

--D

I can't compare with the other boxes that you refer to but I have friends who rally in the Gulf and do the Desert Challenge (FIA Cross Country leg and second toughest after the Dakar) running the LT230. One guy is running a built 4.5 JE Rover at a solid 300+ horses through his 110 and this is high speed stuff through deep sand (only on 34" tyres though). If he could stop blowing front CV's, he'd be on the podium...

Another guy is running a chopped 110 with an ally-block GM LS1 from Oz through an LT85 and LT230. I don't know where the dyno is on the engine these days but it was certainly a good bit over 300 hp and it's not the gearbox or transfer box that are letting him down.

A 1.125" t. case output shaft would have the same stress as a 1.7" axle shaft on a locked axle with all torque to one wheel and a 3.54:1 axle ratio.

Originally posted by RockRover
To be honest Sam, I don't know what the numbers are (until Trout posted).

All I do know is that I left my rear axle pinion centered because I wanted real world testing of the 230 prior to off-setting the diff. That testing is complete, and I am very confident in the overall strength of the unit...Again, if I don't go with all new parts, then the 230 will be gladly used again.

42's, full mash, near vert ledges, hopping...etc...Still smillin'.

--D

That last sentence sorta sums me up!! (What motor are you running in fron of this LT230?

Is the LT230 stronger than the LT95?
Is it heavier or lighter?
Bigger or smaller?

cheers
rob

TTT CMAWN!! :flipoff2:

Originally posted by RockRover
To be honest Sam, I don't know what the numbers are (until Trout posted).

All I do know is that I left my rear axle pinion centered because I wanted real world testing of the 230 prior to off-setting the diff. That testing is complete, and I am very confident in the overall strength of the unit...Again, if I don't go with all new parts, then the 230 will be gladly used again.

42's, full mash, near vert ledges, hopping...etc...Still smillin'.

--D

What motor are you running?

Has anyone seen, or for that matter even heard of, a stripped output on an LT230?

Series T-case have a small course spline output, not like the LT230. I would say ~1in on the series output (too lazy to go downstairs).

The output on the Lt230 being upstream would be at least as strong as a 1.5in axle shaft.

Ron

Opps...Don't get over hear much lately!

Stock 3.9...

--D



Originally posted by BJ On Roids


What motor are you running?

to repeat rob's question .... anyone know strength differences between the LT230 and LT95 ... with regards to the T-case? ... isn't the t-case in the LT95 just a LT230?

anyone got reasonably hard strength numbers on the tranny?
T

Originally posted by tbmcneill
isn't the t-case in the LT95 just a LT230?

NO

Ok, so what are the differences? I'm getting different info from different boards.:confused: I'm guessing the LT95 is at least as strong as an LT230 ... but, that's only a guess based on people who swear by the LT95 & since they were used in the 101.
T

Originally posted by SUE ROVR
Has anyone seen, or for that matter even heard of, a stripped output on an LT230?

Series T-case have a small course spline output, not like the LT230. I would say ~1in on the series output (too lazy to go downstairs).

The output on the Lt230 being upstream would be at least as strong as a 1.5in axle shaft.

Ron
Not yet, but gimme a few months once the adapters are sorted and I have it in my buggy, I will get some pics.

Here is the outputs on a minitruck transfer case in my buggy. The same transfer case Camo claims is indestructable.

They should be the same as the big shaft, just all one piece. :flipoff2:

So Camo, said these were awesome, and they are cheap and readily available. Two out of three ain't bad, they are cheap and readily available.

Im running a little toyota, with little toyota axles and a little toyota motor and camo cant break them with NOS, 4.3L V6, and 40spl D60s.

Last one, note the spline twisting.

Rock Rover, Im running a stock 4.0L with 42s, so should not be too far from what you suggest.

Originally posted by BJ On Roids

Not yet, but gimme a few months once the adapters are sorted and I have it in my buggy, I will get some pics.

Here is the outputs on a minitruck transfer case in my buggy. The same transfer case Camo claims is indestructable.

Okay...What is a "minitruck transfer case" ?

--D

Originally posted by RockRover


Okay...What is a "minitruck transfer case" ?

--D


Small body toyota truck I believe. When will Strange offer up some more pics of his buggie.

JP

this is the gear-driven transfer case out of 80's era toyota mini-trucks (excepting 85 i *think*). They are known to be bullet proof, and can have the low-range gearset split out of the case making doublers on the toy's a no brainer. Take two cases. Remove low-range case, turn it around and with a small adapter, bolt it up. Presto! Throw in some 5:13's and welcome to the land of 150:1 gearing I sooooooo wish that we could do this with the LT230, but it's just not feasible. :(

Marlin's "toy box" is also really nice. I thought really hard about going with a full on marlin setup instead of the LT230, but I wasn't ready to have my rig down for the next year while I shoehorned a whole new powertrain in there, and in reality I like having the all-time 4WD for largely road-bound wintertime festivities with the wife and kidlet along for the ride .

There are a couple peeps on here that are attempting to use an NP203 gear case to double to an LT230 but I haven't checked on their progress in a while. Their plan was to turn down and respline the output shaft of the 203 case, using a domestic 4-sp. (T18 IIRC) and mill in front of it.

The way the gear reduction case is built on the lowrange toy case, you would have to fab a completely new shaft and have it splined for the toycase on one end, and the rover 10-spline input on the other end, plus the adapter. You then also need an adapter to go between the toy middle case, and then your powerplant of choice (AA has tons).

If money grew on trees I would have been all over this. But sadly for me I live in the city, and like high maintenance women :flipoff2:

Good question...He's been quiet lately...Even owe's me a response on a PM I sent a week or so ago. Makes me think he's cuting down his 60 for more madness...If he's smart he's cutting down that rover housing for mog outters...But I wouldn't want to start any rumors that he couldn't possibly pull off! :flipoff2:

--D