Electric Hybrid Conversion Using Transfer Case?

[NoRdO]

Hey Everyone,

I know this isn't related to 4 wheeling but...

I currently have a 99' Ranger 2wd with a 3.0L engine. I use this truck as my DD but I have modified it somewhat.

As you all may know, this truck doesn't get the best mileage.

As the truck is 2wd and a transfer case is used on 4wd vehicles, Could I install a transfer case on my transmission and input power through it?

I was looking around at transfer cases and I think the one for my year uses a chain internally. Is there any problem inputting power through the front drive part of the transfer case?

The truck has the regular manual transmission. I would think it would be best to use a manual transfer case, would an automatic transfer case work as well?

I have a TIG welder, plasma cutter, and other fabrication equipment so It wouldn't be too difficult for me to fabricate brackets for an electric motor. I can always have parts machined at a shop.

I would have an independent throttle for the electric motor. The motor would be used at low speeds and the gas engine would be used at highway speeds.

I would just put the car in neutral when using the electric drive and engage the transfer case in 4wd low or high based on what speed I was traveling. Depending on the rpm of the electric motor, I might need to fabricate some sort of reduction or overdrive gearing to make the motor work properly.

I have a high output alternator that I could use for partially charging the batteries. I have a truck box which I could fill with batteries. I could always have a separate charger for utility power 120/240vac. kind of like a plug in hybrid.

I only drive 5 miles each way to get to work, in traffic. I usually don't reach above 45mph the whole drive. If I could drive all the way to work using battery power with the engine running for P/S, A/C, brakes, etc... I figure I'd save a lot of gas.

Just an idea I had in my head. What do you guys think?

 

[James86]

For what you'll spend on batteries, parts, and fabrication, you could buy a LOT of gas....

 

[whale]

Seems spam-like to me to triple post the same exact text in three forums.

Will

 

[NoRdO]

Maybe I should find another forum?

 

[whale]

Maybe I should find another forum?

maybe.

 

[Snoranger]

Maybe I should find another forum?

Maybe you should go back and delete the repetitive posts and only start 1 thread on a subject.

Your idea seems like it would work. The biggest problem would be that you would be running all the power through the chain. That would be the weak link.

If you did this, I would run an electric shift t-case and rewire it to turn on and off 4wd with the electric motor.

 

[NoRdO]

That sounds easier than dealing with the installation of another shifter. I wouldn't need to modify my shift boot and console at all. I could just run a switch to shift between off, low and high.

I figure if I go easy on the electric motor it wouldn't stress the chain too much. Does the output for the front drive shaft turn faster than the one for the rear? I think I read somewhere that the front wheels of a 4wd vehicle need to turn faster than those in the rear in order for the vehicle to be able to turn properly. I don't know if this is true or not.

My apologies for the triple post, I felt this was relevant to all three forums.

 

[Snoranger]

I figure if I go easy on the electric motor it wouldn't stress the chain too much. Does the output for the front drive shaft turn faster than the one for the rear? I think I read somewhere that the front wheels of a 4wd vehicle need to turn faster than those in the rear in order for the vehicle to be able to turn properly. I don't know if this is true or not.

My apologies for the triple post, I felt this was relevant to all three forums.

No, same speed. The wheel speed differences usually comes from the gearing in the axles.

 

[NoRdO]

Do you guys know if the extension housing for the automatic trans is different than the one for the manual trans?

 

[--weezl--]

i don't believe it is, but i could be wrong...

your shifting of 4hi and 4 low won't make a lick of difference, if you're powering the vehicle through the front driveshaft, as snoranger said, the front and rear driveshafts turn the exact same speed... it only changes the engine speed in relation to the d-shafts...

this sounds like an interesting project... i wouldn't undertake it for the purposes of saving money, but it would be cool to have a 1 off truck like this...

btw, your 2wd tranny i don't believe will fit onto a transfercase, it's got a different tailshaft... however i believe the bronco II's (some or all, not sure) had a fake "dummy" transfercase in them, so they could use the same rear driveshafts and transmissions... i had a 2wd bronco II with a transfercase, but from what i was told there was nothing inside of it, fluid included... so you might be able to get a donor transmission out of that... mine was manual also...


though my BII didn't technically exist, as the motor i had in it was never available in north america... 2.3L v6, but that's a different discussion

 

[NoRdO]

So will this fit on my standard transmission?

From a 97' explorer with an automatic trans

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Transmission-Extension-Housing-Transfer-Case-Adapter-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQfitsZModelQ3aExplorerQQhashZitem3a61402265QQitemZ250739696229QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_519wt_939

 

[Snoranger]

So will this fit on my standard transmission?

From a 97' explorer with an automatic trans

]

No, they are totally different.