BIG BALLS

Submitted: Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 16:40

ThreadID: 5606 Views:1729 Replies:5 FollowUps:11

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desert

Anybody out there help me with some feed back regarding ultra-low range gears as produced by Big Balls or Marks 4x4. Specifically wanting info on gears as fitted to GQ-GU Patrol and likely gear noise in Low-range??

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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 16:49

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 16:49

Bazzle on patrol list just had Marks gears put in. To say he is happy, is an understatement, $1200 for the gears, but I think you can get Rockhoppers for $950 now if you ask, not sure, but someone mentioned that. Im hanging to get some work even just $1000 of work!!!!

Bazzles car TD42 Maverick with Safari IC and Turbo, 35 BFG MT's 4.3 diffs and its a manual.

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Had a set fitted last Friday by "Cheesy" in Montrose melb last Friday.

Install went well. Tried them out on Sunday, boy do they hold back.
Went from 40:1 to 74:1

1st low 74:1, 2nd low 43:1, 3rd low 25:1, 4th low 16.4:1.

This makes everything about one gear lower. Reverse went from 37:1 to 70:1.

Using them in reverse makes it so much more controllable.

Diffs 4.375, tyres 35 Muds manual, 4.2
Bazzle
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AnswerID: 23296

Reply By: Kev - (Cairns,QLD) - Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 16:57

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 16:57

Why don't they make them for the Land Cruiser ?

Are the Patrol factory low gear not low enough ?

AnswerID: 23298

Follow Up By: Member - DOZER- Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 17:18

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 17:18

Kev, they are coming brother, our cruisers have lower gearing than the patrols, butwith these low gears in, they should crawl up anything. When Marks get their act together, i will be buying a set for my autogomagic 80. Will need to mod the main tank aswell as lift the body 50mm to get it in and it runs on compressed air aswell, so you can start to get things sorted while we wait
Andrewwheredayathinkwer mike?

FollowupID: 15480

Follow Up By: desert - Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 20:02

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 20:02

Yes Kev, the Patrols archilles heel is the low-range(or rather, lack -of low gearing) for serious steep terrain work. It gets by in outback scenarios and desert trips, but is seriously lacking in steep mountain country.

FollowupID: 15496

Reply By: Kev - (Cairns,QLD) - Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 18:38

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 18:38

I kind of figured that (never driven a Patrol) the gears wernt as low at the Cruiser.

Rock hopper only do the Hilux as far as i know. Apparently the rockhopper 3rd gear low is the same as the factory 1st low............i wan't one !

AnswerID: 23304

Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 23:03

Monday, Jun 23, 2003 at 23:03

They are made for some Suzukis too.

"...Apparently the rockhopper 3rd gear low is the same as the factory 1st low...."
One problem is the opposite end of the equation, very poor progress due to having too low a gearing in 4th or 5th low, and having to stop to up/down change the tfer case every couple of minutes. A "workable" overlap in the range of tfer gearing/overall gearing ratios is actually a desirable attribute.

The idea of a third gearset between the gearbox and tfer case has its advantages.

FollowupID: 15511

Reply By: Steve from Armidale - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 08:46

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 08:46

I've looked at the Marks gears and thought about them for the Troopy. However, I too think that it may end up a pain changing in and out of low range to "keep up with the group" and having to crawl all the time you want low. The idea of a 2nd Transfer case (also marketed by Marks I think) would be nicer for me.

When the going gets tough......just grab the 3rd stick :)

AnswerID: 23341

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 10:36

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 10:36

What do you need lower than low 1st in a troopy!!!!

I dream of a low 1st that low!!!

The other option is dual transfer cases, you dont lose anything you have now, but you gain another 2 levels of gears.

let me see if I get this right. You end up with

High High
Low High
High Low
LOW LOW!

Then if you want more, put Marks in the second transfer case and crawl up the Empire state building.

FollowupID: 15533

Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 15:58

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 15:58

Almost, but not quite. The high/low and low/high give the overall same ratio reduction (ie 1 x 3 = 3 = 3 x 1). You end up with High, Medium (achieved in one of two ways) or Low. Medium would be equal to your present Low, assuming a 1:1 high range on both tfer cases.

Next question, is the remainder of your driveline up to the task??

FollowupID: 15544

Reply By: Steve from Armidale - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 13:03

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 13:03

Truckset,

What you said is right!

High High - 1 to one ratio so just like current high range
Low High - same as low range
High Low - same as low range (you would probably only use one of these)
LOW LOW! - for those time when you've just gotta get up that slope :)

Steve
2001 RV Troopy
with LOTS of extra bits

AnswerID: 23363

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 16:07

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 16:07

Low High - same as low range
High Low - same as low range (you would probably only use one of these)

not with rockhoppers in one of em! ;)~

FollowupID: 15546

Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 16:23

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003 at 16:23

Make sure the rockhopper goes in the last one in line, otherwise you are putting some serious torque through the second tfer case.

FollowupID: 15549

Follow Up By: desert - Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 13:26

Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 13:26

All very well, but, where does the third stick fit? Does the existaing transfer have to be moved (and in a troopy there is a cross member immediately behind it)? Or does the geartrain and engine have to be shoved forward into the radiator? Or are you talking about the 2-speed splitter box that was once marketed and fitted between the existing gearbox and the bellhousing. Would work on a V8 conversion, but the long factory six engine would still shove into the radiator. Either way, you are talking some very serious driveline modifications, as opposed to simply exchanging the low-range gears in the standard transfer! All said and done, it's not really a hassle changing from Low to High is it? Just got to practice that double clutch some more, eh>

FollowupID: 15665

Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 15:20

Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 15:20

Two speed splitter wedged between the gearbox output and original tfer case input shaft. Much easier in Zooks due to the divorced tfer case.

FollowupID: 15677

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 18:19

Wednesday, Jun 25, 2003 at 18:19

You use air shift on the rear gearbox, and just any switch really, as gary says you can use the good old split shifter one off an old acco if need be!

FollowupID: 15697