This may be a bumb newbee question but what is wrong with running a dana 18 t-case and a rear axle with a center dif. Ive heard this is a bad idea. just trying to find out why. Help me out <IMG SRC="smilies/usa.gif" border="0">

to hard on the u-joints, especially on short wheel base rigs.
Actually on loger rides its not a big deal - Depending on how radical the articulation/flex is. Wagoneers came for several years w/ centered transfer cases and offset rears. The added length allowed this. I'd recomend a CV joint at the tcase to be safe and not try unless your wheel base is 102+.

I will shortly be running a 6" offset rear Dana 60 diff behind a set of dual Toyota Tcases... Mine is trail only though, and with a fairly long driveshaft as well - so I expect little/no problems out of it.

It is really up to how long your driveline is. The driveline doesn't know the difference between drop and offset so if the angle is ok the run it.

Back in the mid 60's Land Cruisers came with centered rear diffs and right hand output transfer cases. It worked, but you are right, it is an uneccessary angle on the ujoint. As said before, the longer the driveshaft, the less this matters.

I know a guy that clocked his D18 verticle and built his front and rear axle with the diff in the middle!

why not just swap in a D20?

Originally posted by Mud_Lite:
<STRONG>why not just swap in a D20?</STRONG>With the 18 gears.

Originally posted by 66CJdean:
<STRONG>It is really up to how long your driveline is. The driveline doesn't know the difference between drop and offset so if the angle is ok the run it.</STRONG>

Excellent point.

On another note, most vehicles have a small amount of horizontal offset from output to axle. This is done to make the needle bearings in the u-joints work their way around the caps so they wear evenly and distribute grease.

A friend of mine has a 49 willy with an 18 and centered 9' he is soa and has to change the u joints almost every time he changes the oil but it works.

you're friends a knuckle head, get a 20 case and use the guts from the 18, done.

I got the same dilemma, my options are get the OTT adapter and go ahead and run a toy tcase or go with an offset rear. Of course yea I could swap to a 20 as well, going with a land cruiser offset rear for now though

(it is a width upgrade over the narrow track stuff I have now!)

thanks for all the info guys. <IMG SRC="smilies/usa.gif" border="0">

if there is a horizontal offset you don't want to run a CV. The reason is with a CV you are supposed to put the pinion pointing right at the driveshaft and you cant do that if the driveshaft has to run at a diagonal. Works fine wiothout the CV though.

I might have an extra 20 case lying around. Let me know if you are interested.

Joe <IMG SRC="smilies/smokin.gif" border="0">

JdJanda: Thanks for the offer,if I decide to do the d20 swap I wil let you know.
I am trying to decide what I want to do because I am currently running a warn over drive. highway travel is slow when your running 5.38. I know that my over drive wont work with the d20 are there any other options? Also is there anyone local that you guys would suggest to do the gear swap. Great info, keep in coming
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[ 09-28-2001: Message edited by: Weezer ]