Looking for a good t-case

[Clem]

I have a four cylinder yj. I am looking for either a sm-420 or a 465. I already have a front dana 44 with a drivers side drop. I am not wanting to flip a 300. An atlas is out of my price range (ie I am a cheap bastard). Any ideas on a good drivers side drop junkyard t-case that can handle the torque of the granny and 5.89's in the axles? I am kind of leaning toward an eb dana-20.
tia

[Grapehead]

where you at?

i have an np205 drivers drop, chevy 350 adapter

[CRAWLTHIS]

np205 or the Dana300. I also have the adapter for sm465 to np205

[Clem]

I am not interesested in a 205. It would be overkill for my project. It wouldn't have enough gearing out of the box for what I need. The idea of what I am doing is ultra-simplicity. I should have asked this in a better way. Anyone have war stories about an eb dana-20? Stengths,weakness... etc? I am leaning towards it right now since it has the proper drop for what I have under my jeep already.

[Hvy_Chevy]

just flip a 300
axle gear don't directly effect the strength of the xcase

[stadlerm]

Use a 435 and an EB dana 20
mike

[Clem]

Use a 435 and an EB dana 20
mike

I haven't seen any jy swap stuff with ford trannys behind the four yet...I have been looking. It is just a matter of time before someone figures it out.

[ddestruel]

look to the chain drives, NP208 maybe.

[Clem]

look to the chain drives, NP208 maybe.

I am leaning towards a gear drive t-case. I have been lurking here for a while. I am trying to make sure I get the torque load evened out over several pieces instead of one. The gear drives seam to have a bit better time handling greater amounts of torque. Chain drives tend to stretch and wear out. That being said, I don't know of many low range options available for most chain drives beyond a 231 or 241. I am trying to consider all my options before I hassle with adapting something to a transmission. I am definately going with the 420 or 465, which ever I find first. I am getting my homework out of the way first...

Either way I go, 300 or 20 I will have to upgrade the output. I am guessing there is a junkyard way to flip a 300? I am not wanting to spend the money on a flip kit. Also will have the cost of an adapter to the t-case. I can junkyard the stuff to get tthe 465 or 420 to the engine. Twin sticks are priced similarly on either one... Anything I am not seeing here?

[Clem]

Oh yeah, I remember 9/11 everytime I drive my jeep. Texas has a specialized plate that I am running on my jeep and my grocery getter.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/images/spplates/orgs/ftterr.jpg

I love cutting people off with my jeep that have John Kerry stickers on their cars... :D

[Clem]

I have been doing a bit of digging. It seems that I might have stumbled onto a way to get the 435/20 combo in behind the four cylinder... I am waiting for a couple of replies. Should be Monday and I will know more.

[kwrangln]

Are you building a trail only rig or something you might drive on road semi regularly? Just wonderin because the wide ratio jumps of the granny 4 speed are gonna suck with the limited powerband of the 4 banger if you drive it to work on occasion. Search for posts by YJ4rox about the 3500 5 speed with crawler and flipped 300 case. It'll give you alot more useful gear ratios for driving and the option of a couple low ranges and twin sticks. It can be done fairly cheap with a used bell housing, used tranny, Staz works doubler, and Tass did a writeup on the board here about flipping the 300 case for $20.

Just some things to think about.

[Clem]

I have read those threads you mentioned which is what has got me thinking about all this. It will be pretty much a trailer queen at the point I do this swap. Right now, it is a dd even with 5.89's. It spins 3,000 rpm on the highway at 60 mph on 35's. I don't really need to go much faster than that anyways with no track bars or sway bars. (it is sua still) I am soon to be on 37's. I did the math on the wide range trannies and I would be right at 3,200 rpm should the need arise to drive it on the highway at 60 mph. (37 inch tires and 1/1 4th gear) If I am looking at this right (which I there is prolly some loophole that I have forgotten) I see a way to get a Ford 435 in behind the four banger. I am still in the investigation stages and will know more monday...
My original plan is a 465 with a 203 doubled to a bronco dana 20 to get the drop on the side I need. I think this will be the easiest way to go. Should not need an adapter if I go early 465 (4wd 10 spline output) I can jy the bellhousing. The only real cost is mating the 203/20 combo. I already have a nine swapped under the ass end of the jeep and have recently finished the 44 swap up front. (1 ton/high steer on an sua jeep.)

[kwrangln]

Sure you've figured out the rpm at speed in top gear, my point was the rpm drop between gears. With a stock tranny and 5.38's, I'm turning 3K at 60 (paced with a car talking to the driver on the phone to check) but between gears, like 3-4, I can take it to 3500 in third, shift to 4th and drop to 2K. With a wide ratio tranny its going to drop even lower. Its not a matter of just top speed, but how much is the engine going to bog between gears. The 4 banger likes to rev and thus needs a close ratio tranny to keep the rpm drop managable. The granny 4 speed is great for a torque engine, but not a rev happy lil power plant. Your swap looks good on paper with the final drive and craw ratio numbers, but I think the in between is gonna be a bit of a dissapointment for ya.