Atlas transfer case in Cummins powered '68 Ford CrewCab thoughts/opinions needed

[rube bonet]

I have never dealt with behemoth, but i have dealt with Off Road Designs. Excellent product, nicely made by good people, who I've personally known to be dedicated to their product. They were more than willing to work with my odd combination, great support, and everything fit the way it should. Granted, i haven't actually USED my 203/205 combo yet...but I didn't see any way to improve on their setup with that combination. If I was building with a concern to weight, or just wanted ultimate strength I would run the atlas. (keep in mind the atlas is not unbreakable either, although pretty damn close, especially in your application.)

Honestly, I would be seriously looking at the zf combo with 2.72ish tcase if that fit your needs and could be done "reasonably". It seems like you would gain a lot of drive ability with plenty of low gear ratio for that rig's use ylsmoke: by the way). Are you currently running single speed tcase (dana 24?). Unless you are doing serious rock crawling, you will be wasting your time with the 4 speed case, and probably better appreciate the better transmission in the long run.

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[bfdiesel]

After reading that about bohemath, I would avoid them like the plague. There is also the zf5 and the Borg Warner t case.

 

[Rot Box]

If you go the 205 route I would consider taking the time to do the twin stick conversion while you have it apart. The 2WD LOW option is well worth it.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-4x4-discussion/572617-how-np-205-twin-stick-cheap.html

 

[eggman918]

Don't do it!...Looks like Bohemoth has screwed a lot of customers.....


http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/bad-sellers-disputes-etc/1079839-behemoth-drivetrain.html

Will the Blackbox from NWF work for you?

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

Thanks for the intel on him,he sounded on the level on the phone but I cant afford to get screwed on this or wait for 6 months or more. As I'm a machinist I could design and probably build it myself in that length of time.
Rube you may be right on the ZF combo but I think I would need a diesel zf and I just really dont want to buy a new adapter and flywheel but I'm not 100% sure the M5ODR2 will hold up in the long run so
I may have to go that route there are 2 at one of the local boneyards and they are having a half price sale this weekend so I could pick one up for $125.00.the dana 24 is a 2 speed case with a 1.86-1 low range.
The ZF's I found are 2WD so I would still need a 4WD tail housing to run a 2.72 T case. My truck is not a rock crawler at 7,500lb and 131" wheel base that would be asking for trouble, but lower gears are needed
for a lot of the places we go.
Rot box I agree with you on the twin stick I did that to my Dana24 when I rebuilt it a couple of years ago and I use 2 low quite a bit.
BF the frame rails on the '68 are close to 4" narrower than the Fords with the BW T-case, I'm not positive that it wont fit without mods to frame but I will follow up on that.
Thanks all for the help and keeping me from making a mistake.

Well I guess it's back to the drawing board

 

[bfdiesel]

If you need the width of a diesel zf5 and tcase I can get it for you tonight, I have my spare sitting in the back yard.

 

[eggman918]

If you need the width of a diesel zf5 and tcase I can get it for you tonight, I have my spare sitting in the back yard.

Thanks that would be helpful the distance from the center line of the rear yolk to to the outside edge of T case on the drivers side should let me know
if it will fit or how much the frame needs to be notched.

 

[bfdiesel]

k. I'll get a picture with a tape measure and post it tonight or tomorrow.

 

[bftank]

if you want to keep the m5od convert to 4x4, and do 1354 doubler from duffys. about $500.

zf5 ord's black box and np 205 will get you there as well with twinstick shifters

then there is the nv4500 and np205 combo

the nv4500 203 205 combo

the zf5 203 205 combo

the zf6 205 combo

the zf6 203 205 combo

the 9,10,13,15,18 speed and divorced 205 combo

take your pick it is all possible

and the 1356 and nv 271 fit but the bottom flat part of the c channel needs notch and reinforced from what i remember.

 

[bfdiesel]

I vote 10 speed RTO

 

[eggman918]

With what that weighs I could go back to the T-19 and add a 3 speed brownie and keep it old school plus it would serve as a anti theft system.

 

[bftank]

thats a lot of drive shaft. i vote keep it simple using common parts.


i like the zf6 np205 the best.

 

[bfdiesel]

K.I.S.S. keep it simple. Four ujoints or eight. Three shifters two that need constant use. Coffee, traffic and a phone call oh crap I just smashed a Prius.

 

[eggman918]

Yes I think your right I was playing with http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html and the ZF6 2nd to 6th ratios are very close to my M5ODR2
with the addition of a granny 1st.and would serve my needs well.The 205 looks good the 271 looks better but I would rather not notch the frame but if it in a small notch I could consider it.
the 4BT is very happy on the road with the M5OD and keeping the factory 205 is desirable and i can probably switch out transmissions over the space of a week or so.
I've been at this project for three years and driving it for a year and would like to be able to call it finished at least as finished as a 45 year old truck can ever be,building them is fun
but driving them is more fun. I guess if this was easy everyone would build their truck.

 

[eggman918]

K.I.S.S. keep it simple. Four ujoints or eight. Three shifters two that need constant use. Coffee, traffic and a phone call oh crap I just smashed a Prius.

I hate having to extract those from my undercarriage...not to mention the paperwork

 

[bftank]

lol

just keep in mind there were a couple different bellhousings for the zf6.

one of the reasons i liked the zf6 was because it reverse right over low gear, or the other way i cant remember. awful handy though.

edit; if you still wanted lower gears you can do a 203 205 doubler behind the zf6.

the nice thing about doubler set ups over an atlas is you can buy the pieces a bit at a time rather than $3500 at once or whatever it is.