Thanks!
Soo until recently the plan was just to LS and one-ton axle swap this truck and make it run and drive. Ideally i'd like it to do anything and everything my 2010 silverado does from DD to trip hauling my other toys. HOWEVER! Every vehicle i own genuinely has a defined purpose - this one kinda doesn't. I DD a 2014 Caprice spring-summer-fall, 2010 silverado also DD and hauls anything i need moved in a pickup bed or on a trailer. I have an 87 Comanche that is my getting rowdy rig - check that build thread, Then there's my 98 Cherokee that is my milder family wagon rig for camping trips and also "lighter" wheeling trips - build thread for that one also. As far as this Jtruck i have come to terms with it needing a better purpose than just an eventual cool truck that drives SO i've set my sights on this truck being an Ultimate Adventure rig. If your not aware of what that is just youtube Petersons Offroad The Ultimate Adventure. When i say i want this to be an ultimate adventure rig i don't necessarily mean it HAS to make the event, i do however intend on this truck fulfilling the parameters for attending which are basically a reliable DD rig that can also wheel aggressively. Steep parameters in my book for a wheeling rig.

 

Tcase got pulled back out tonight, i gotta say though - from the flat of a floor creeper trying to wiggle this unit off the back of the trans 2 feet off your chest - its a chunky sob! Then you get it down after nearly crashing the thing into your face and dump it to the floor next to you only to get up on your feet and haul it over to the bench - its actually a "light" tcase afterall.




I havent yet figured out what size u-joints i want to run and/or if i want to run cardan yoke's or companion flanges. Also going to be looking into finding a shorter front output shaft. Because of these reasons i decided to only get this case split open and the sye partially installed. Im also going to look into a wider chain - if there is one available.

 

After i called it quits for the night on the tcase i shifted back to the 14b axle. Slipped the hubs off without issue, knocked the old rotors off adn backing plates. Then slapped the new 13Bolt cover from Motobilt on the axle and gathered up some sawzall blades.





I changed out between a couple milwaukee brand blades but settled on some IRWIN blades that really had this cutting thing figured out!



More to come on this axle's setup

Tomorrow morning i'll be pulling the "new" donor motor from its vehicle and then will come some drivetrain progress! Absolutely gonna try to keep this progression rolling!

 

So what i'v learned over the last couple days...

To upgrade my 241C's chain which is only a 1.25" chain there is one option (atleast this is the one i found). Find yourself a 241DHD tcase which is from a mid-late 90's Dodge diesel, These units have a 1.5" chain but the trick here is that you'll need basically everything besides the m/s, planetary, mode fork and case's. If you were to break this thing all apart it will seem like your robbing about half the parts from this unit. ALSO worth noting that the factory front output and flange yoke is the same fitment as the 241c's setup but its actually about 1.5" shorter in length. Which is better for my setup because i get a little more length on my F-driveshaft and also There should be less deflection with the shorter output shaft.

Soo below here are 3 different Front output shafts. The top shaft is a Dodge output shaft for the 1.25" chain - ignore the yoke as I thought it was a 1350 cardan yoke but it turns out its actually some oddball 1330 yoke that im not gonna use. The middle shaft is the chevy output - long sucker! The bottom shaft is the DHD output shaft - kinda hard to tell but its got about 1/8" longer splines on the backside for the bigger sprocket.


As mentioned - the shorter dodge front output and also factory companion flange.


I'll be collecting all my necessary parts and potentially assembling this case this weekend - may just setup a technical thread on a 241C-HD build with Some step by steps and size comparison pics

 

So here's a little story about a lot of ambition followed by just a little disappointment...

Lets start off with the comparisons. Stock 241C parts vs the HD parts


the HD mode gear and fork (left side) are YUGE!


SYE mainshaft assembled, fork lined up, front output and gear wrapped in the big chain and it all drops in!


I got a bead of Grey silicon laid down and lined up the rear case and dropped it on. Gave it a few taps with a rubber mallet - checked the spin and all was looking good. Started a bolt at either end of the case alternating bolts with a couple turns at a time. Just about got the cases mated and POP! I definitely was surprised for about 2 seconds then i kicked myself for not being more critical of the HD output dimensions as its clearly just a little too tall for this case.



From here you can see the chain on the left side/front output is slightly raised up compared to the right side/mainshaft.



Got some things to figure out if im gonna make this HD chain setup actually work.

 

So breaking down my options that i see to remedy the fitment issue i have for this HD setup

The pilot bearing depth for the front output on the HD is 1.175" while the factory pilot is only 1.100". This is simple - machine off the .075 difference


Here we have the overall internal length on the HD at 2.625" while the stock one is only 2.445". This is not as simple as the other dimension issue above... Not sure if i should thin out the material from just one end - or both ends equally?



The last thing which might be a secondary option for the overall length issue is to shave down the inside of the HD gear so i can install it on the original output shaft.




I could potentially machine out the clearance needed from one side of maybe even both. If i did only one side it could give me a flip option on chain alignment as well...



Decisions - Decisions
Im gonna chat with my machinish friend and see what he thinks would be the best play. Im not giving up on this HD setup just yet but its definitely testing my creative patience.

 

So, as long as you are not committed, compare the 231C stuff with what you have. I know it has a wider chain then the 231J

 

Soo if i remember right the 231J is only a 1" chain. When i built my 231HD for my MJ project i went to 1.25" chain. This 241C chain is 1.25" factory and 1.5" for this HD setup so its the same "amount" upgrade across both units. My 231 HD has served me very well thus far dealing with a fresh rebuilt and cammed 4.0 - 5.13 gears locked F/R and 39.5" sticky IROKS. This J truck will have a lot of the same but with a little more power and weight to play with on bigger tires and likely a heavier rig to boot. With that in mind i kinda believe its a necessary upgrade.

I could very well box up this wide chain setup and revisit it another day but id much rather see this through and explore the options to make this a repeatable upgrade.

 

SUCCESS! Decided to shave the HD gear to fit the small chain front output shaft. I was told this gear is pretty effin hard btw Below i have an untouched HD gear on the left and the clearanced HD on the right.



Got it all laced back togethor and dropped it in the front half the case with the HD gear oriented with the cutout down (gear sits lower on the output shaft) the chain is looking even enough. If i had more patience i would spec this alignment out and get a bit more critical about how much material should be removed but I struggle with the focus from time to time so we're gonna let this one ride.


Dry fit without bolts - looking much better than the first try. For reference i dropped the 1310 cv yoke that came with the SYE kit in there.



Now for the modified companion flange for the rear output shaft. Original NP205 companion flange on the right and the newly modified companion flange on the left.



All i did was referenced a few spots on the 1310 cardan yoke and then cut away excess material to match. So the spline depth/length of spline engagement, oil seal surface diameter and also the seal surface length/height.



Looking just like the 1310 cardan yoke fitment But Better! With that i noticed the gap in spline engagement, the output shaft will suck up into the yoke a little bit as the nut gets snugged down but it also has me thinking a little about flipping that HD gear over to maybe compensate for the output shaft shifting towards the rear of the case.



Its soo pretty!



So here we go again - gonna see about a few measurements with that chain alignment and output shaft movement but then im hoping to seal this up and be done with this upgrade once and for all. Might even get to that technical thread on the HD build afterall.

 

I always like this kind of outside of the box stuff

 

Nice resolution. I had a similar issue with the intermittent shaft in my d300/np231 doubler, had to shave off literally 1cm to make the two cases meet right. Keep it up.

 

I think longer term i'll be going the doubler route in some combo for this rig and potentially my MJ build as well. I'd definitely like to have the front dig option.

 

I have that option. It is fun, but you have to make sure your front end will take it and survive

 

Dana 30 on 37s and 4.56 gears, aussie locker. I see no issue with 7:1 and front digs!

 

I understand. However I think you are pushing the limits