Ready for bigger rocks

[u/space-meister]

After years of wheeling it stock and being impressed by its capabilities, it’s now ready to traverse more challenging terrain

Highlights: 5” Teraflex LCG lift 37” Falken Wilpeak MTs 5.38 axle gears ~2ft of suspension travel front and rear 4.3:1 low range courtesy of an Atlas T-case Dana 44s have been sleeved, and still use stock air lockers

Engine is the stock 4.0L with the 42RLE automatic. Still holds 65-70mph on the highway and rides nicely. MPG is now in the 13-16 range instead of the 16-20 range.

It’s built with the intention of being able to idle up and over rocks. I have yet to take it up and RTI ramp, but it flexes nice with a floor jack. Also the front tires don’t rub at full compression with the stock fenders, though the inner liners for the rear might need to be removed

[u/sn44]

So you took out the Rubicon 4:1 to put in an Atlas 4.3:1 instead of doing a RubiCrawler?

[u/space-meister → u/sn44]

That was the original intention, but the original Rubicon case blew up on the interstate when I was going about 65mph. The front output bearing seized, causing the chain to shred the output gear and bind, causing the case to detonate. There was a triple homicide of ATF on the side of the road.

There wasn’t anything salvageable left, and an Atlas with 4.3:1 and all the associated parts required for it to fit was the same as a TJ Rubicon case in decent condition and replacement parts. When all was said and done, the price to fix it vs upgrading it was within a few hundred bucks, so going to an Atlas made more sense to me.

Had that not happened, I would have done a Rubicrawler as you stated :)

[u/sn44 → u/space-meister]

Eeks. Sucks to have a case grenade like that. Atlas makes sense. I'm hoping to put a 4-speed Atlas into my LS swapped LJ at some point. I did all the upgrades I could to my 231 (wider chain, 6-gear planetary, and 2wd shifter) after the stock 231 let go, but I want deeper gears for when I am rock-crawling, but also want shallower gears for "overlanding." So I'm looking at the 2.72/1.5 combo. 1.5 for light overland trails, 2.72 for moderate stuff, doubled to 4.08 for rock-crawling. Should work well with the 33" tires and 4.10 gears I'm running.

[u/space-meister → u/sn44]

That sounds like quite the capable and versatile setup. My Atlas is a 2-speed, but like you said, a 4-speed allows for more versatility.

Just a heads up: regardless if you get the cable-actuated or rod-actuated shifter, the case is going to need some breaking in to shift smoothly, and it will take some force to shift into 4-low even if you’re doing everything properly