how do some of these competitors unlock the rear drive and use only the front. Do they have a shifting disconnect on the rear of the t-case. Doesn't Shaffer have this option on his new buggy?

good question, I'd like to hear the answer.:)

yea, I'm going to try to build something to do that real soon, but it would be nice to see one already made.

The Dana 300 (80(82?)-86 Jeep CJs) has a shift pattern that allows you to use either axle alone in low range, or 4WD HI and LO when you run a twin stick and remove the interlock pin. So it basically adds FWD LO and RWD LO.

I presume that most of the competitors you've seen have swapped this T-case into thier vehicles, if they didn't get an 80s CJ to start off with. Earlier CJs had the Dana 20 case, which doesn't have that option. The Toyota twin-stick setup gives you RWD LO, but not FWD beacuse the case simply doesn't work that way, not matter how you arrange the shift forks. AFAIK the D-300, nd the D-300 based Atlas II case are the only cases that allow this.

I wheel with a guy that runs a D300 setup like this (AMC 401, T-176, D-300 with tera-low and a twin-stick) on his CJ, running 35" boggers and ford 9" and D44 w/ Detroits.

FWD LO is really only useful for turning. We've played around a lot on some trails around here, and even on dry stuff it won't climb worth crap due to weight transfer. He runs the twisty, easy stuff in RWD LO mainly...

It is fun to watch people's faces when he spins around on muddy stuff by gassing it in FWD, then shifts to 4 for the hill he's now pointed at. (We have video of some guy frantically yelling "Your rear axle's busted!" to him as he began a rocky hill, only to watch him climb right up it.) :D

I know shaffer runs a sami case not a 300. i crawled under it before the competition. I would have looked and asked questions had I known that he could unlock the rear.

Shaffer used an ARB and a brake handle that would lock up either side (rear) at will (there is a name for it, just can't think this morning...)
He just onlocks the diff and pulls on the lever. This was on last years rig: http://www.izook.com/rides/features/mikeshaffer/images/interior01.jpg

As far as it goes the dana 20 is doable by pulling the pills out.My bro in law just did this for his jeep.He is also modifying the case for some bronco gears for a better crawl.There are many cases that can do this it's just if the gearing isn't low enough most guys will upgrade to a better case.Even my 205 can have front wheel low or high only for that matter.Ask me how I found out in a mud hole and a hill climb.All better now though.

Originally posted by billjohn
Shaffer used an ARB and a brake handle that would lock up either side (rear) at will (there is a name for it, just can't think this morning...)
Cutting Brakes.

I am running a sami t-case and I can unlock the front but not the rear ....Some times I will set the mico lock on the front brakes put the t-case in 2wd low spining the rear tires my spotter can push the rear over to one side (around a flag)or in 4wd I can unlock the rear ARB and use the steering brakes to turn on a dime!!:smokin:

Hey Mike! Congrats on last years placement (6th I think?) Beat out Walker Evans (and a whole lot of everyone else{grin}). I finally got to see the standings in one of the new print rags that came in yesterday.

Just for fun, I went and found a pic of this beast for the rest of you who may not have seen it. This is from the CALROCS event (1st place finish):
<img src="http://www.4x44u.com/events4u/CALROCS2001/Mikeshaffer1stplace.jpg">