Phase 2 - New Transmission, Transfer Case and Drive Shafts Installed

 

We modified the original shifter cover to accept the 4 speed and the twin transfer case shifters, then re-dipped the cover in orange snake skin.

New transfer case towards the rear.

Transmission and transfer case shifter linkages.

New, custom made drive shafts, CV joint for the rear and standard u-joint type for the front.

New Transmission and Transfer Case

The new NP435 4 speed transmission and rebuilt Dana 20 transfer case have arrived!

Phase 2

After our adventures in Moab, we learned that our gearing needs to be lowered in order to increase our ability to "crawl" more up and over rocks, ledges, slick rock, etc. Especially with the manual transmission. So, time to start Phase 2. We are going to upgrade to a 4 speed transmission from the 3 speed and upgrade the transfer case.

We are using Novak Conversions (Logan, UT) to get the upgraded Ford NP 435 4 speed transmission from and to build our Dana 20 transfer case. The combination will take an already impressive off-road Jeep and make it even better (at least if you are in the drivers seat).

Everything has been removed and ready for the upgrades and transfer case has been shipped to Novak.

Transmission and Transfer Case Removed, not as clean as they were before the Moab trip!

Original T150 Transmission. It's for sale $$, fresh rebuild!

Dana 20 Transfer case, ready for shipment to Novak.

Home from Moab

We had a great time and didn't break anything!. We must have done a great job building the Jeep, navigating the trails we chose and avoiding the trails we were not ready for quite yet!

Jeep back home and all cleaned up!

A picture of Christopher's RC Rock Crawling truck, mini "Orange Crush"

Moab Trails

We complete all or a portion of these trails, in some cases, we did them more than once:

• Sand Flats Road
• Bartlett Wash Road
• Hurrah Pass
• Hidden Canyon
• Gemini Bridges
• Long Canyon
• Chicken Corners
• Hidden Canyon Overlook
• Bull Canyon
• Fins & Things
• Elephant Hill
• Hell Roaring Canyon Rim Trail

It rained some on Saturday, then quite a bit Saturday night, then off-on on Sunday and is raining off-on today. Has made the trails quite muddy, washed out some and made "slick rock" off limits at this point.

Fins & Things North Side Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo-gXFU8xcA&feature=em-upload_owner

Scenery

For those that have been asking for some scenery pictures, here you go. For the Jeepster pictures, see next post :).

Laundry, Rain and Mud!

We needed to do some laundry so we took an afternoon to get caught up. Then it rained most of the night and for obvious reasons, we got the Jeep good and muddy today!

Here is a link to another "edited" video of Elephant Hill, going up the front side and down the back on our way to the back country. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVCBCGGNL-E&feature=youtu.be

Here is a link to an edited video for "Fins & Things" South Side, which is the shorter side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9ElqNeA7c&feature=youtu.be

We have returned from the back country!

Christopher and I spent the night at "Devil's Kitchen" a remote 4x4 camping spot only accessible by going over the infamous "Elephant Hill". It was a 70 mile drive to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Then we entered the park and Elephant Hill starts at a paved parking lot. Many people come to just watch the 4x4's try to make it up and over the hill. We had to climb the hill, then cross the top of the mesa then down the other side, neither of which are easy going.

Our only issue is having a manual, 3 speed transmission with all stock gearing. Several times the Jeep would stall trying to "jump" up over a tall ledge or obstacle but we made it, both directions!

Here is an un-edited 18 minute video coming up the back side. (fast forward through the stopped parts): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5YvG1WqmeY&feature=em-upload_owner

Starting up Elephant Hill

At the top of Elephant Hill

Starting down the back side of Elephant Hill

At our camp site in Devil's Kitchen

Christopher prowling on Devil's Lane

In the morning, before packing and heading out!