Atlas Budget

[sirhk100]

I'm at a stage in my life where I'm juggling a couple projects and a couple opportunities. No matter what happens with a couple other things I've got going on, an Atlas ii is on my to do list for my expo. It could be as soon as later this summer/early fall or it might not be till late 2014 depending on a couple other things. I know it's a couple grand... But realisitically, all said and done, what's the conversion set you back on a 91-94 platform? I've got the 5 speed manual and would want to go minimum 4:1 if not lower.

What all is really needed? Obviously the box itself. Front and rear shafts? Linkage or mounts or is that stuff that is fabbed up during install?

Am I looking at like $3000? $3500? $4000? Just looking for a rough ballpark figure so I can mentally adjust budgets as I get other deciding factors in life figured out.

(Other factors are if I can sell my current other dirt toy and end up buying a race truck project or if I miss out on that deal and keep my current toy. If I keep the current toy, this will likely be a late summer project, if I buy the race truck project, that atlas likely gets kicked to late 2014... LOL Decisions!!! Actually it's not even a decision of mine, it's 100% on if my current toy sells in time or not...)

 

[RangerX]

Why not a doubler? That way you have high, low, and lower.

 

[sirhk100]

Isn't there a ton of custom machining in doing a doubler or is it fairly straight forward with these? Is there a kit on the market? I thought you'd have to literally fab/machine something to secure the two together. I hadn't even looked into the details cause I assumed it would be more then I wanted to deal with.

 

[RangerX]

D+D seems to be the best and only kit on the market. RockRanger has one, as well as a couple other guys here that I can't think of right now.

 

[sirhk100]

Thanks for the lead, will do some research into that. This is still a ways out as I'm completely up in the air on another project. Basically all my plans right now are on hold until I know if my other dirt toy sells and is getting replaced with a new project or if I'm missing out on the deal and just moving forward. If I miss out on the deal and move forward then my explorer T-case situation will be dealt with sooner then later for sure!

 

[RockRanger]

I have one of the first ranger d and d doubler. The doubler and lockers are the two best mods i have done. The main issue on the doublers seems to be keeping them from leaking. His customer service isn't very good but overall I am happy with the product.

 

[Scott B.]

Is he still building the kits? I thought he stopped a while back...

 

[Tbars4]

...He is still making them...Getting ahold of him has been and still is a problem..

...and it still takes 6 months or longer after payment to receive a doubler...I would have bought the set up a long time ago but I'm a little short on patience..

..I know he was building a new house a while back but I think that is already done..

EDIT:

...As for an Atlas Budget, figure 1500-2000 for a used one if you get lucky to find one and if you don't get the output parking brake add-on, figure another 400 for new..

 

[4x4junkie]

I have a 4.3:1 Atlas II under my Ranger... My BII has the D. D. Machine doubler.

The Atlas required shortening the front driveshaft about 2½ inches IIRC. The Atlas rear output is within about ½ inch of the 1354's dimension, so the rear driveshaft didn't need any alteration.
The doubler setup will require both driveshafts be altered.

Of the two setups, I prefer the doubled cases. All too often the Atlas' low is either way too low, or on occasion not low enough (both trucks having manual transmissions). The doubler OTOH has a nice 6.15:1 double-low (crawls anything at an idle, giving you both feet to work the brake & clutch together with), yet I still have the stock low range to use for milder stuff (which probably 90% or more of the time it's in stock-low when offroad. It's only when the going gets really rocky does it ever see double-low).

The D.D. Machine kit consists of two plates that bolt together (one completes the doubler case itself, the other attaches your t-case to it), along with two block-off plates to close up the end of the case after cutting it. It also comes with a new one-piece coupling shaft that goes in between the two cases, and a new (shorter) shift fork rod for the doubler unit.

It did take several tries to get the unit to stay sealed. In my case it was the five allen head bolts holding the rear case to the star-shaped adapter plate that wouldn't stay tight.
I drilled & tapped the holes through and put long enough bolts in to where I could then put nuts on the backside to keep things together. Since then I haven't had any problems.

 

[sirhk100]

Well, took it out sat night for it's maiden voyage and as I was worried, the stock low range just isn't going to cut it for some of the stuff I want to do. Between smoking a clutch to climb a waterfall and then just having too much speed in the big rocks to keep it smooth and none bouncy I can clearly see my want for lower low being real.

I remember my old CJ7 growing up, I was running a 33" tire and had a final ratio of around 60:1 with a manual transmission and for the most part it was awesome!!! Crawled rubicon, fordyce, dusy ersim, etc all pretty much problem free as far as gear ratios go.

Doing the math, it looks like if I were to swap in something with a 4:1ish low in the t-case box that would get me into that same range which would be really nice.

I guess I need to start doing the research on exactly which atlas box would work best for me and which spline setups I need. The doubler seems cool but I'm actually hoping to keep just a single stick inside the cab. I'm not turning this into the craziest crawler in the world or anything. In fact the suspension and everything at this point is probably what it's always going to be. If I can just get some lower low range I'll be golden!!!

 

[4x4junkie]

The doubler seems cool but I'm actually hoping to keep just a single stick inside the cab.

No luck there... The Atlas has two shifters too (one shifts the front axle, the other the rear).

 

[sirhk100]

Yeah, I found that out after reading around a bit more.

Well, is there anyway of getting lower gears without going twin stick? I'm not really that interested in hacking up the interior of my expo to slap a 2nd shifter in there. It's really one of the main reasons I went with the expo platform... I like the interior 100% stock.

I know I can search but has anyone done like a Dana300 conversion with a 4:1 or a NP231 conversion with a terralow 4:1 kit?

 

[4x4junkie]

Not really... The 5-bolt t-case mount pattern & input spline size is unique to RBVs, and no one I'm aware of makes a lower gearset for the 1354.

How about a doubler and you keep your electric-shifted case (assuming that's what you have)? Then use a stock-type manual shifter to shift the doubler case. No custom interior stuff... the only visible clue something's odd would be the presence of both the Touch-Drive buttons on the dash and a manual shifter on the floor.


FWIW, here's my setup:

One little hole in the floor is all I needed (put a small bellows or boot around it so warm air can't enter).
Stock manual t-case shifter works the rear case like stock, the knob is for the doubler (push-down/pull-up).
Yes, some linkage fab was needed to reconnect the stock shifter to the rear case though.

 

[sirhk100]

That 2nd shifter isn't nearly as intrusive as I imagined it. Is that your bronco or the ranger in your signature? I have the exact same setup factory wise as you have shown there though, 5 speed manual with the manual t-case. Mine isn't push button. (It took me 6 months to find this stock expo, I was being REALLY picky with what I wanted)

Maybe I need to look into this doubler thing a bit more before I blow it off... I'm hoping at the truckhaven event there will be at least a rig or two there with an atlas and also one or two with doublers to see first hand what's involved.


I guess I also need to figure out what shaft size and spline count info I need to know in order to price an atlas. I'm not ready to pull the trigger but I'd like to figure out what's going to get me what I want the best and then I can budget appropriately from there.

 

[4x4junkie]

BII (those are links to my rig pages in my sig, if you click on them There's more pics of it there).

Cool find on your Ex.
Yeah I dropped in at TH a few years back once and met RockRanger there (nice guy) along with a few others, but never got the chance to do any runs with anyone. There were plenty of well-built rigs there I would think someone would have something for you to look at for sure.


RBV input is 25 spline.

 

[sirhk100]

Thanks for the reply and info! It's appreciated. I hopped on AA's webpage and found some ford explorer specific info and have a call into them. I snooped the links on your signature and figured out which was which. Both rigs look really fun!

This is what I'm looking to gear down. The stock low range with 35's and 4.56's in the axle just aren't cutting it in the rocks and my clutch occasionally pays the price! LOL

I remember my old CJ7 on 33's had a final crawl of 60:1 and I never had any complaints with it being manual so I'm thinking shooting for something in the 66:1 (atlas 4.3 low) - 77:1 (atlas 5:1).

 

[sirhk100]

For anyone interested, here's feedback I got from advanced adaptor...

Atlas43 is $2520.85 plus freight. Comes with shifters and yokes I have 1310CV yokes on your quote specify what size yokes you would like.

The Atlas is a direct bolt up to your transmission

 

[DriveshaftJoe]

Have you looked at the North West Fab Black Box. Might be the ticket.

http://www.northwestfab.com/NWF-BlackBox-Underdrive-Unit_c_13.html

 

[yostyexplorer94]

According to the blackbox website they do not offer a blackbox in 25 spline rbv input, so it will not work.

 

[Rick]

I wonder who wrote this review on the Advance Adapters site:

In August of 2005 I purchased an Atlas 2 4.3 to 1 Ratio Transfer Case It arrived in Feburary of 2006 and was installed in my 1998 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4 Eddie Bauer Edition. This vehicle is my daily driver and I use it when I do trail guiding and off-road driving instruction at the BVORR. I haven't had any problems with the Atlas 2 it has performed flawlessly. Their isn't anythihg I haven't been able to do with this vehicle. I do hill climbing here at the ranch and we have up to 60% inclines on some of our trails. I been rock crawling and trail running at several of the OHV parks here in Texas. I drive the vehicle there and wheel and drive it home. I have only spent a total of about $11,000.00 on this vehicle including what I paid for it and the Atlas 2 was over a quarter of the investment. Thanks to the many choices you provide in the manufacturing process I was able to have the Atlas 2 built to meet the upgrades I needed in the driveline system. Because of this I have never had a driveline failure. Thank you for manufacturing such a quality product. P.S. IF you need a product tester I'm available. I could write a thorough review.

Khris, are they offering the Atlas 4 for the 25 spline trans now?