Marlin makes Crawler Box for Chain Driven Transfer Cases likes ours!

[Hilux Max]

G'day fellow members,

I have just come across a product and some information that has the potential to change the nature of offroading for current shape Hilux's and the 98-05 model hilux's with the chain driven transfer cases.

If you didnt know, our transfer cases are chain driven, around the gears, which makes you unable to fit crawler gears because you would need to make a brand new chain to suit and would costs way too much.

Ive spoken to Marks Adaptors several times over the past year or so about the potential to make a product such as this and they havent really been interested.
All they said was that they could sell me an adaptor to run the older generation gear driven transfer cases on my current hilux that pre-98 vehicles had fitted. then you could fit any crawler gear you wanted.
Setup was way too expensive, as you need a new transfer case, adaptor and new gears, plus the older transfer would hang lower than our current one.

Anyway, I just came across Marlin Crawler in the states for the new tacoma's. The Taco's are also chain driven and the Marlin crawler utilisez 2 hilux gears into a small unit that fits between the gearbox and the transfer case and give you an extra gear lever that is UP for not selected or DOWN for selected, allowing you to have the benefit of a low range transfer crawler gear without having to change your current transfer.

Link - http://www.marlincrawler.com/htm/transfercase/taco_box.htm

you do however have to modify the tailshaft lengths and possibly the transfer crossmember to accomadate its new position.

But think fo the potential, we could run larger tyres offroad, with a greater torque multiplication, much slower and more controlled. It'd be awesome.

I emailed Marks Adaptors just before to ask them if they new about this product and what would be the chances of them developing or bringing in these units for hilux owners?

will wait for a reply Monday arvo.

What do you guys think?

[TOMUCH]

mmmmm interesting.... but think I will wait for some one else to do it first...hehehehe... then learn from their mistakes.... is that bad of me???? Cheers TOMUCH

[Doug67]

I second your thoughts TOMUCH

[9W6VX]

Very interesting.

I'd be very interested and ultimately the cost factor would play a big part.

As I've said before, our crawl ratio really sucks and with this our crawl ratio would be very respectable!

So, I'll third tomuch's comments. No, I know there's no third ................

[GreenHilux Guy]

Id love a push button overdrive for my manual, like you used to be able to get for jeeps and f trucks from the states. I think Marks used to do them for 80's and GQ's but my memory could be rusty.

[Hilux Max]

this crawler case looks awesome from the design and practicality of it. I dont know how much it'd cost thou. I have found an aussie 4x4 parts supplier who specialises in USA toyota parts into australia. might give him a call and enquire bout it.

would a crawler box be more beneficial than lockers?

would love your opinions on this one.

[Doug67]

mmaaxx
No, lockers offer more benefit, if you lift a wheel you go no where without lockers.

[9W6VX]

Roger that Doug.

Crawler box would be beneficial in downhills and also going uphills in very rocky situations such as rock ledges etc where you need precise control over your throttle.

So, diff locks is still the ultimate traction device.

[Hilux Max]

Hey fella's,

Been in contact through emails with Dave, the owner of Locktup4x4 Internationa,

http://www.locktup4x4.com.au/Default.aspx

the mob, bringing in these bits here to australia, and he quoted me the following -

"......Price wise I will need to get weights from Marlin to work out freight last time I looked for myself it was a lot but I get freight a lot cheaper now, but first lets work out what you have and I can make sure the application will fit.

With having the chain case at the rear it would be good as you will retain the shift on the fly feature you will also benefit with the gear drive in the front giving you 2wd low range which comes in very handy when you get in the heavy shit.

For you I would recommend putting 4.7-1 in the front case this with the auto is awsome going to the standard 2.28 may not be low enough for you if you ever went to bigger tires still.

The adapting of it to your auto will be fairly easy it just bolts up with the coupler the only mods will be cutting a hole in the floor to accommodate the extra gear lever. And adding the sensor extension or cutting and splicing your original electric sensor wires.

I will get the weights and work out freight costs with all the GST and imports for you the cost of the unit itself will be dependant on the setup you want and the dollar at the time at the moment these would be the prices from Marlin on the crawl box and adaptor fitted ready for you to bolt in this is the way I would recommend rather than buying in parts and doing it yourself.

Taco Box MC-14570 Aus dollar $1700 that's allowing a bit for conversion fee which is 2%

Taco supreme 4.7 crawl box MC-14571 $2200.

On top of these prices there is the freight, import duties and GST.

Hope this has been of some help to you. "

Also told me that if I ever wanted to fit a live front axle to my hilux, then he wouldnt recommend me getting this mod as it would interfer, and that an 80series front diff would fit to our hilux's

[Doug67]

Next time you speak to him ask what would be recommended if you put in the 80 series front end. I'm trying to work out how it would make a difference. If I where to go the soild axal front end I would also want the crawler gears. Any want to buy a front diff set up with an air locker???????? Maybe in the future.

[Hilux Max]

Doug, the following I just received from him and is quoted by Dave -

"Yep mate you could convert yours to an 80 front like the one you saw in the magazine but rather than go thru all the BS with flipping the diff etc you just grab it and fit it exactly the same way it sits on the cruiser, That said that is if you wanted to convert your Tcase which if you spend all the money on a SAS you would be crazy not to convert to duals at the same time hence using the driver drop adaptor and making it easier to do the SAS.

Doesn't matter whether its a new model or old model ifs or even a old solid axle truck there is the pretty much same amount of work to convert all 3 to a link system, even if you went leafs on a old hilux with standard steering the amount of work to convert to hi steer etc works out pretty much the same as doing a IFS to SAS conversion.

Cost wise you would be looking at the same as before. I don't know anyone who has legally converted yet a lot are engineered but not DOT approved from what I have been told? You are from Melbourne so I am pretty sure you can get it approved but I would enquire before you even ring someone like cheezy etc to do it for you a lot say it can but in reality they can get engineering approval but then they get rejected at the inspection by DOT. "

very helpful and knowledgable bloke.