Full Pricing and Alternatives for an Inchworm "Lefty"

[Hilux Max]

Fella's,

Ive chased up the pricing on the "lefty" that some of you know about and would cream your underpants if fitted to the hilux, myself included, and I shall paste below what LocktUp 4x4 replied to me in regards to the price of the Lefty in Australian Dollars, both purchasing it and getting it here aswell as the alternative to save a few bucks....that being to use some components from the states and build your own version with local components re: geared transfercase.

Still a few bux as you can see below-

Hey mate, we have dealt with Jim at Inchrowm before and his stuff is top notch.

The variable cost is the freight depending on how quick you want to get it here.

To give you an idea. (Based on interbank rate of 0.63c USD/AUD)

Door to Door Airfreight

Lefty Transfer Case $3708AUD (including transmission adaptor)
Freight, Customs Clearance, Airline Handling etc $917.48AUD
GST $462.58

Total Landed $5088.06

So that would be the worst case scenario based on 7 day turn around to your door.

If you are prepared to wait we can consolidate it on to one of our sea freight shipments.

The other option would be to just get the Lefty adaptor and build your own lefty down here, the adaptor wouldn't be much bigger than a dual case adaptor and will send through the post for around $200AUD.

So for example to build it to a similar spec to the lefty case

Adaptor $1490
Longfield Chromo output shaft $466
V6 Adaptor $599
4.7:1 Gearset $679

$3234 to your door inc GST

Hope that helps

Cheers

Chris

So there you have it for those that have been wondering.....$5,088 bux delievered to your door or build your own for $3,234

Personally, as much as I would love it.....I think I'll hold off for now and spend the cash on something else in the meantime.

Thoughts?

[McSumWay]

Ouch...........wish I'd seen these before the arse fell out of the world.

[Hilux Max]

Ouch exactly......wont be getting one in a hurry....unfortunately

[Bull]

Why not use the old style tranfer case with aftermarket gearset of your choice?
Or won't it bolt up to the new donk?

[McSumWay]

Old tfr case outputs to the right of the gearbox and ours outputs to the left. Hence the lefty - converts an old style tfr to output to the left

[Hilux Max]

Right on McSumway.....

I did see on a Icelandic Truck video they were replacing the gear and chain drive on their hilux but when I enquired to them, they didnt want to explain themselves too much other than say, Yes, we replaced it....didnt say where they got it from or anything.

it was the first and only sign of the chain drive and gears being replaced on a hilux I had ever herad of.

the problem is with out hilux's, that not only would you need to relace the gears, well, only one really, the output one, but you need someone to make a new chain that fits the new gear.....no ones come to the party yet.

[McSumWay]

Lefty is really only a steel plate that turns the tfr case. Someone with a milling machine and some time could turn one out easily.





Anyone?????

[Bull]

I spoke to Marks 4WD about reduction gearing for the current Hilux and was told they didn't even have it on their agenda. This surprises me for the biggest selling 4WD in Aust. I have used their lower low range gearing before and it's definately a good thing.

So, we have a chain driven t-case while the previous models and land cruiser are gear driven?
The chain drive can't be the problem though. Patrols are chain driven and Marks has reduction gears for them.

Refering to the info from LocktUp 4x4 to build your own "Lefty";
Adaptor $1490
Longfield Chromo output shaft $466
V6 Adaptor $599
4.7:1 Gearset $679

I understand the adapter and the apparant need for a new output shaft but why the other adapter?
Is that everything or do you need a gear driven transfer case on top of all that?

[Hilux Max]

You need the gear driven transfer case on top of that.

The triton guys over at the dark said have found a melbourne company that has made reduction gears for the chain driven pajero's that supposedly fit the current triton.

thats really what it would take....to get a group of people interested and with down payments for this mob to manufacture a different output shaft gear with a matching chain to suit....now let me mention, this chain is not like a bike chain, it is similar but like a belt of say 6 to 8 bikechains wide if that makes sense.....will try and post some diagrams up for you blokes tomorrow.

[Hilux Max]

Heres a pic of the setup of our Hilux Transfer case gears -->



Ive labelled a couple items for you guys to understand abit better, You can see where the output shaft is, the transfer case chain drive, and the Transfer (chain)Drive assembly sprocket.

In a perfect world, we would change this last one and make a chain to suit it.

This would provide the same drive at a slower speed out to both the rear and front tailshafts and diffs when selected into lowrange.

Hope that helps

[rodw]

Anyone thinking of importing these bits could be in for a rude surprise at customs. Once you spend over $1K on imported stuff, you get hit with duties and GST which adds 20% or so to the price quoted above. So the full kit could set you back about $6k. I know you don't want to hear this, but you need to do your research and confirm the freight forwarding charges etc included taxes at this end.

Just be aware these transfer case changeovers are not a straight bolt in fitment. I think from memory, you also need to fit a body lift or modify the floor pan to getthe lefty to fit.

The other way to go (which I like) is to fit the Klune underdrive http://www.high-impact.net/transmission ... ochure.htm and I understand the cost of this will wok out similar to the lefty, maybe a bit more. Going this way, you end up keeping your factroy transfer case and have the super low gears of the Klune when you need it. The big advantage of the Klune when compared with a dual T/case setup is that it has a cable driven shifter which makes it real easy to fit in and the cylindrical case makes it easier to mate up and solves the clocking clearance issues. You still need an adapater plate or the Hilux/Tacoma. Of course you will need to lengthen the front drive shaft and shorten the rear one to fit this in... but you would need to do that anyway in any full dual t/case setup.

Max, I would be interested in more details of the custom gearing option including the name of the manufacturer so keep on the case.

[Hilux Max]

Rod,

this is the link to the mob maing the custom transfer gears for the pajero which suits the triton.

http://www.hardmanbros.com.au/

I cant afford to spend on a transfer case setup at the moment but when ready Ill be contacting these boys to get their opinion on it all.

[Hilux Max]

Heres the other option thou I dont have pricing yet.....

It is to fit a single geared transfer infront of the standard transfer case to allow you to run a Low-Low 4x4.

it fits inbetween your engine and current transfer case...I dont know if you need a new crossmember, I imagine you would and you'd need a shorter rear tailshaft and a longer front tailshaft......

it "may" workout cheaper, i cant imagine it costing more than the lefty-



http://www.marlincrawler.com/transfer-case/line-ups/dual-t/cases/tacoma-chain-drive-left-hand-front-output-dual-transfer-case

you'd probably loose your centre console, or have to modify it to allow a second lever/shifter. I can live with that?

[rodw]

Max, I thought the marlincrawler was the one which did not fit as once it was clocked to fit in there was no way to shift the tcase. That is the advantage of the Klune as the second shifter can go anywhere as clocking is not a problem due to the cable shifter.

Retubing drive shafts is (relatively) cheap at about $150-$200 per shaft. I had one I bent redone and it was pretty reasonable at a place handy to me. I bought a second hand replacement the wrong length (off a manual not an auto) and they retubed it to make it the right length overnight for me so I could bolt i tin the net morning.

[Hilux Max]

Rod, talk to me more about this klune thingy?

not only costs, but operation, and practical application in regard to our hilux setup if you can?

[rodw]

Max,

Forget about the Lefty for a moment and think about what you want to achieve, with some reduction gears. Once you put in a low rang gear set in a T/case your low range may be too low in some situations so you can’t get the momentum up (eg maybe on a slippery muddy road).

Some people put in a second transfer case that gives them two sets of low range selectors in the drive chain. This gives them a bigger range of reduction gear sets so Low-Low will give you double the low gearing and High-Low will give you the same gearing as stock. Have a look at this picture and look at the available gearing options that something like the KLUNE gives you (3 low ranges!)



The purpose of the Lefty is to allow us to use an older gearbox on our trucks and swap the output shaft over to the left hand side. Why do we want to do that? Because then we can put in a low range gear set from the old Hilux and optionally mate up with another set of reduction gears (so we have the dual transfer, twin stick setup).

For my mind, I like the idea of the dual transfer case setup as that means you can leave the low range gearing as stock until you really want to crawl over big obstacles.

The Klune is a much simpler way to deal with the dual transfer case setup and there are no issues with clocking the case or the shaft on the wrong side. As it has a cylindrical case and a cable shifter, it is much simpler to mate up between the gearbox and the existing transfer case.

Yes; you still need to deal with altering drive shaft lengths and relocating the cross member. The link below shows the price of a Klune kist as being $2,695 which is highly competitive with the Lefty. Note that the Klune is also sold mated to an Atlas T/case which is regarded as the best solution on the market.

Here is one of the links I found when I researched this previously which quotes a price for the Klune.
http://128.83.80.200/TACO/whycrawl.html

There was also a bit of a shootout in technical terms on TTORA I read between Inchworm Gear and Marlin Crawler I think which indicated the reduction was occurring at different places in the drive chain due to th edifferent way bits of other gera boxes are bolted together to solve the problem.. One of them multiplied torque loads in a bad place and broke stuff because of it. I can’t remember which one it was. But in any case Klune was not doing this as the reduction all happened in a strong set of planetary gears in front of the t/case. I'll try and find it.

Here is another link for you
http://www.high-impact.net/dual_transfer_cases.htm

[Hilux Max]

thanks for that rod.....makes me really want one more now, especially after that readup from those links, but im confused which option would be best and most affordable....

locktup 4x4 is yet to get back to me on the dual transfer setup with the stock transfer and marlin crawler have removed pricing off their webpage so ill try and email them too.

[tgibbo]

i saw one of these in a resent 4wor atricale for a jeep bolts straight behind of the gear box has strong planatry gears and leaves you with a factory low range as well as super low gears this would be alot more practical than a lefy for our trucks as your not just paying 5g to fit 1 or 2 older trensfer cases but you keep everything and just ad this 1 houseing.

i would probly rather put the money towards 305's and asoiated lifts,diff locks and ratios,solid axil,befor ne reduction gears as it dosent mater how slow your going if you dont have traction

[Skog07]

Mmaaxx.
I do work from time to time for TSUBAKI Chain company. Changing chain ratio would be fairly simple as the chains can be bought in what ever width and length that you want. And they can also be supplied as an endless chain as well. NO LINK. Sprockets can be bought as well as an off the shelf part as a blank. And the centre machined to suit the output shaft for the front diff. I really cant see this as an option though because the chain drive is 1:1 as the front tailshaft has to spin the at same speed at the rear tailshaft. And in the same direction. The inchworm uses double set gears to get the shafts spinning in the same direction and would also have to be 1:1 ratio. Otherwise the diffs would wind up.
I have seen the vid on the artic truck as well where they change the chain an my thoughts on that are that they use a large reduction on the rear diff and keep the front diff as a stock ratio and keep the ratio the same by lowering the chain gearing. It had me baffled for a while why they would do such a thing but if you were to put those huge 38's on that front diff and use small cut teeth the front diff would be pretty weak.
If the front diff could be reversed so that the pumpkin is on the right hand side it would certainly give us a few more options..... Might be easier to do as well???
Cheers.
Skog

[Bull]

Until such time as I do a SAS (which will more than likely be a chassis swap) I would be content with a gear swap in the current transfer case. Toyota list the low range ratio as 2.5:1 which is pretty good for a factory ratio. I'm swapping to 4.88 R&P straight away and then I'll have to see how it drives (runs away!) before I make any further changes.