I am rebuilding a dana 300 and am getting ready to put a 4:1 gear set in. But who's? TeraLow or LoMAX.

I called each and asked "Why should I buy your product?" They each gave the expected answer. Ours is the better/stronger/faster/quieter product.

I have not been able to find any information on either failing. I have called a few tranny shops and spoke at length with Novak. Both seem solid. Novak currently carries TeraLow but were carring LoMAX. Said both are good, they switched because of availability issues in the past.

Each company says they do not have any breakage failures. However they told me the other co. customers are switching to them. I thought this was a strange thing to tell me. Said it was because of breakage failures.

The big obvious difference is LoMAX goes for a big tooth size and TeraLow goes for tooth quantity. This is an old debate and is still going on all over the place. I am not bringing this issue here. If you like one over the other just say so and leave it at that.

Is this a '6 in one, 1/2 dozen in the other' thing?
Are there any real advantages with one over the other?
Why did you choose 'name here'?

LOMAX all the way.

LOMAX all the way.


But WHY? What makes Lomax the better buy?

Tera welds two gears together to form one piece while Lomax is one gear. Lomax is stronger!!

IMHO
From what I can see, Lo_Max markets their "gears manufacture" technique was better/stronger. But like you said I've never seen a Tera Low failure due to the way the gears were manufactured.
Anyway, I went with Tera Low because Lo-Max did not make a kit for my Scout Dana 300 (maybe they do now?) I do recommend that while you have it all apart, upgrade at least the rear out put shaft (front shaft isn't as prone to failure).

I heard they both tend to "pop out of low range" when a twin stick is installed (mine does), even with the "spring fix".

Good luck

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=646201&highlight=lomax

A couple people in our club (including myself) have managed to break Terralow gearsets. All of the failures have been chipped teeth.

Popping out of gear is more likely related to the shift rails not being correct. After I cut and re-welded mine the poping out of gear was cured. The shift rails were not 90 degrees to the shaft

joel77, thanks for the link.
Interesting thread and pics of TeraLow gears chiped.

Lomax is the only gear set i will EVER run in my dana 300's


See my thread
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=710321&highlight=lomax

My terra gears saw little abuse and stripped out while descending a simple rock ledge in a cj 7. if i could have afforded it i would have done an atlas but that would have brought on a host of other headaches. drivelines, exhaust, skid plate and frame clearance things i didnt want to deal with cost wise at that time.

the lomax gears have worked smoothly and haven't broke and since doing the install i have put them through the ropes more so than i ever did to the terra gears

LoMAX all the way for the reasons stated above.

Lomax

Bought em, installed em, rocked em. Never heard of a case of bad ones, heard quite a few cases of bad Tera gears.

one more vote for lomax. they're machined from one solid piece and are larger/beefier than the tera gears.

I have chosen LoMAX.
Why?
Gears? I personally like bigger gears. In my book bigger means stronger.

Design? The one piece design means I don't have to be concerned with how Teralow friction welds their two piece gears if that’s what they’re doing. I know that friction weld does not mean weaker. When done correctly it is great and can meet the strength requirements of the one piece.

Sound? I have not heard anyone mention noise issues with the LoMAX. Whatever it is, I will deal with it, and it can't be all that bad if you guys haven't said anything. Besides, I’ll just turn the music up.

Material? I don’t know what steel either Co. is using. However if either Co. did not build them with appropriate steel/s and hardness then we would not be having this comparison. I have heard about and now seen some of the broken teeth on Teralow gears. It is hard to say if the cause of failure is a material or size issue.

Price? What’s in your wallet?

And the number one reason…..
The name LoMAX is so much cooler.:smokin:

Can someone point me in a direction to where the best price can be found?
There is not a lot in my wallet these days.

Thanks