TJ: Faithy's TJ with Patrol diffs and dual transfers...
 

Thought I’d share my build. Been lurking on here for a few years, mostly abusing the 4-sale section without really contributing anything…

Anyway, bought an ’03 TJ a few years back from some fella called Will that frequents this forum. Nice rig that came with 125,000kms, 3.5” RE lift, 33” KM2’s, 4.11’s with ARB’s f&r, some ugly HID’s and some Tupac in the CD player 
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4zq7elot.jpg

Drove her up to Fraser Island a couple months later and hydraulic locked the engine on Eli Creek. Worst part is it was only about 400mm deep – I’d just removed the airbox snorkel that people talk about removing and hit the creek a bit fast trying to make camp before it got dark. Bit of shit luck that any water got in. After a $1,200 tow back to Rainbow Beach, AAMI insurance decided to write it off.

After an 18 month shit right with AAMI through the FOS (useless) and the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, then the local court, I finally beat those SOB’s and got the TJ back, threw a new engine in (and an ’06 NVG370), got a blue slip and rego and had $7k left over thanks to AAMI’s incompetence. Thanks dickheads.

Dropped it down to a 40mm lift with Bilstein shocks and swapped the KM2’s for some 33” AT’s. Drove heaps better with flatter LCA’s and flatter panhard rods..
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...psj1ngzcib.jpg

Wheeled it like this for a little while but kept getting hung up on the factory belly pan..
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...psemdcplu5.jpg

Then bent the tie rod…
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...ps10i4dwfb.jpg

Decided to build a HPD30 for the front and push it forward 2”. Also swapped f&r gears for 4.88, got a Currie Antirock for the front and threw in a 1” BL and 1” MML and flat bellied it…
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...pse4qac3fm.jpg

Front stretch:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...pskt3qmxsf.jpg

Cross member for flat belly:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3jd1zuky.jpg

Flat belly:
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...psyushk5jm.jpg
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...psitiou1ok.jpg

Grabbed some WG/WJ knuckles and brakes for the front and did a quick write-up: http://www.ausjeepforum.com.au/forum...d.php?t=144422

Put some 11” RS9000XL’s in the front and went for a 600km boys trip. Went great but ripped part of the exhaust off and smashed both rear Bilsteins. It was a wild 300km ride home without rear shocks and half an exhaust..
http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/...ps404oahin.jpg

Bought a Dana 300 transfer case from the US. For those that don’t know, the D300 was put in ’80-’86 Jeep’s. It’s a cast iron case, all gear driven transfer with 2.64:1 gearing in low. It can be twin sticked standard, giving the ability to put it in rear low or do front digs. 4:1 gearsets are available for them as well as 32 spline HD front and rear output shafts. It’s what people say AA modelled the Atlas after.

I decided to run dual transfers over lower gearing in a single case so I can still wheel in sand and mud if I’m feeling particularly redneck. I decided on NWF’s Ecobox-I – it’s a billet case that you put the planetary gear reduction from the NP231/242 etc into and it fits between the gearbox and D300. It’s only 5.3” long too giving my dual case setup less length than a stock NP231. It’ll have 1:1, 2.64:1, 2.72:1 and 7.18:1 transfer gearing - http://www.northwestfab.com/NWF-EcoB...ic_p_2666.html. With the NVG370 6-speed and 4.11 Patrol diffs (see next post), it’ll give me a 135:1 crawl ratio. Got a sweet cable shifter from JB Custom Fab in the US.

The potential issue with having a D300 is it has a driver’s side front output shaft. They can be flipped but I’m not a fan of the idea and apparently they leak a shit-tonne.

Seen some GQ Patrol diffs come up in good condition and at a good price so jumped on them. GQ/GU Patrol and 80/105 Cruisers have a driver’s side front diff which will work nicely with the D300 transfer case so it seemed like an obvious choice..

Let's get this out of the way first... why Patrol diffs over Danas:
-Price - $400 for a pair of GQ diffs in great condition;
-Strength - Patrol front gears are stronger than a D30 and D44; Patrol king pins are stronger than D30 and D44 ball-joints. However, a D60 front and/or rear is stronger in almost every regard;
-Availability in Australia;
-High pinion rear is easily/cheaply possible for Patrols. Helps with rear shaft angle when running a flat belly and dual transfers!! Not as strong being run on the coast side of the gear but they've survived on V8's running 37's for a couple of years; and
-More easily shaved for better ground clearance.

That’s my reasoning anyway and I’m sticking to it! I had a HPD44 and rear D60 but flogged them off. I know most US-fanboys get a hard on for them but, for my needs, the Patrol diffs seemed hard to go past. I’ve got some chromoly front axles, a front locker and a .7mm shim for the rear LSD ready to go.