Starting my 1350 doubler this weekend

[sbsrlewis]

Hopefully tomorrow or Sunday I will tear my 1350 down to get it cleaned up to turn into my doubler. I purchased a DD double about a year ago and am just now getting around to messing with it.

Well for the ones that have done this before me is there anything special I should be aware of? Any tips?

Other than that wish me luck.

Steve

 

[CopyKat]

The 1" body lift will help in clearance under a B2.

 

[slammer67]

good luck

get a long allen wrench for those allen bolts, one that clears the housing.

Someone somewhere had a tip to drill a hole in the shift arm for the allen bolt that's under there, cause it's a pain to get at.

got any ideas for shifter setup yet?

 

[sbsrlewis]

Just got it all apart and it looks to be easier than I antisipated. Hopefully one night this week I will be able to get it over to a buddies house where I can get him to help cut the one housing and then I'll get him weld the plate on.

He is also a welder so once I have it complete then I am going to ask him to help fab up a shifter. I would like to have dual shifters right next to each other. I have a few ideals and will run them by him and get his thoughts on it. He's a machinist by trade and I'm sure he'll be able to come up with something.

I'll let you know what we come up with.

Steve

 

[RangerSVT]

Ask your buddy if he can make the intermediate shaft that goes between the tcases and if so, how much. There are a few people, myself included, that are in need of them.
SVT

 

[sbsrlewis]

Will do.

Steve

 

[sbsrlewis]

I asked and he is thinking about it. He mentioned that it would involve a lot of labor so if he does make them they're not going to be cheap.

Got my case split and used the plate as a guide to cut off what wasn't needed for the doubler. We didn't get around to welding it but should later this week.

Also why is this post not showing on the front page with the other recent post?

Steve

 

[MikeWild]

how about some pictures? I'm planning on making one, and pics of your progress would really help myself and I'm sure others.

 

[slammer67]

I had some problems with my doubler popping out of gear. you can read about it here if you want to check out rrorc
http://www.rrorc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38533

My probs weren't due to the d&d stuff, I think I just had excess wear in the planetary/shifter setup. I ended up replacing the planetary and shift fork assy with a 93-later 1354 setup.

also on that site, I have a pic where I moved my vent up higher to get more fluid in it - most people will say to fill it at least to where it comes out where the stock vent hole is. I wanted to put the vent on the top of the doubler, but I didn't think I had room for the vent hose when in the truck, so I put the vent up on the side.
I also added a sight tube to mine.

and is this gonna work with your stock gas tank with the extra length? I know the guys with explorers are having to do some creative gas tank setups to get the doubler in.

 

[sbsrlewis]

I haven't forgot you guys just been busy.

I did get around to taking a couple of pictures today of my the mods I have had to make under the truck to get it to fit and will post later this week. I installed both cases today to make sure I had enough clearance and looks like I still have a little cutting to so back on the workbench. I believe that I'm going to be able to clock the back case where it will be up above the frame rails. Once I get it installed again I will take the pics and then post (if I can figure out how).

I can say that you are going to have to have at least a 1" body lift to fit the doubler and do some cutting to the braces under the floor. 2" should give you the room you need without mods by my guess.

I have my gas tank out of the truck right now but in the BII it is mounted behind the rear end so I don't see where it is going to be a problem. The tank on the explorer runs along the left frame rail so it would be in the way.

Can someone that has already done this tell me if my speed-o cable is going to work? I didn't think to look until after I removed the cases today. If not what type of cable do I need to get?

Until next time.
Steve

 

[4x4junkie]

The speedo cable will be too short.

I've heard a couple reports the cable from an Aerostar van will reach no problem.

On mine, I cut the cable housing, and spliced in a length of 1/4" brass pipe (the cable is almost a perfect fit into the pipe), and then sealed it up with some RTV and a piece of large shrink tubing (the inner speedo cable itself I replaced with one of those universal-fit ones you cut to length).

Also, I have a 2" bodylift and still had to modify the floor a good bit. I would think a 3" is minimum for it to clear entirely (my rear case is clocked up one notch, although where it hit was closer toward the top-center of the case rather than out where the front output is).

 

[sbsrlewis]

Junkie I had mine hanging on the back of the trans last night to make sure everything cleared and its looking good. I believe my front drive shaft will clear also now that I have the JD extended arms and trans crossmember along with clocking the box.

I also have my back box clocked up (almost flat) and was looking at it last night and there isn't much difference between the fill and drain plug (doesn't look like there will be very much fluid in it). Did you add a new fill for it or are you running it low on fluid?

And yes the speed-o cable is about 2-3 inches short. Thanks for the ideals.

Steve

 

[4x4junkie]

I parked the truck on an angle so the fill plug would be up a little higher. It's been fine (IIRC, the case takes 1.5 qts, if you can get that amount into it, it should be good).

The doubler unit however, the fill plug was far too low on the adapter plate. I remounted the breather vent to the top of the doubler case, and used the old hole where the breather was as the fill hole. This should put the planetary gearset about 1/3 submerged in fluid. No problems, although a little fluid occasionally tries to burp out the breather on cold mornings (a splash baffle inside there might help with this).


Also, now that I think of it, it was 1/4" pipe I used, not 1/8 (I edited my above post).

 

[slammer67]

Check your driveshaft clearence.

on mine, I could only clock the rear case one hole before my driveshaft would hit the doubler. I have a c-v driveshaft, if you have a standard joint d/s you might be able to clock it two holes, but I don't see anyone getting more than that, there just isn't room.

I saw that about the fill/drain holes also, i had mine clocked, but put it back to normal for that reason, but on my supercab, normal position is just barely below the frame.

x2 on 4x4junkie's fill method - you'll definitely want to move the vent up. 'cept I used the 4x4 sensor hole to fill it from up top (in the cab) when I did mine 'cause it was a pain to do it from underneath. but I did what I heard others say which was to fill it 'till the fluid runs out where the original vent was. you gotta keep those gears dipped in oil since there's no oil pump in the doubler.

I've also heard that about the aerostar speedo cable.

Also, IMO you need some kind of rear mount for the back case to keep it from twisting the drivetrain. Some may say it's not important, but on other doubler setups I've seen, there is almost always some kind of mount in the back of the case. I've heard of people haveing to replace motor/tranny mounts after a doubler install. there is considerable twist/leverage on the drivetrain with a doubler.

Mine is a simple setup, which uses the mount for the balancer on the back of the case (the big round black thing), I even used the rubber bushing that's there between the black balancer things and I just made a tab onto my skid plate that I can bolt to the rear trans case. I can find a pic if you need to see it. Maybe it's not the strongest mount, but it will help keep the drivetrain from twisting.

 

[sbsrlewis]

Currently mine is clocked one or two holes up. Installed the back case is within 1/8" of the frame rails. I like Junkies method of filling the rear case(parked the truck on an angle so the fill plug would be up a little higher). Still debating whether or not I leave it along or move it back. Decisions, decisions. My front d/s has standard u-joints and looks like it is going to clear the doubler and transmission crossmember no problem. Time will tell.

Yes I am going to be moving the vent on the doubler. I will also be using the sensor hole to fill as it looks to be the best way. Plan to put plug in orginal vent hole and will fill until it runs out of there.

Guess I need to start checking around for an aerostar speedo cable.

I agree with the rear mount. I have been following these doubler builds for a couple of years now and do believe one is needed. Once I have everything finished and installed I will come up with some type of mount. I have been thinking of maybe one similar to what some toyota's use on their marlin crawlers. They have a plate that attaches to either the front or the back of the case using the housing bolts. Don't know if having a solid mount on the back of the rear case would cause any problems or not. Still debating this. What do you guys think?

Steve