welding the open diff carrier in a BW4485 AWD T-case??
12-29-2018, 10:39 PM
#1
welding the open diff carrier in a BW4485 AWD T-case??
Despite a bunch of people bitching about the capability of the 07 Denali AWD system, it actually works extremely well offroad.... IF you don't break a u-joint, CV joint, front diff, etc. Having an open diff transfer case without the ability to lock it front:back makes for a very unreliable vehicle. So far, I've been really impressed with its ability to crawl in and out of washed out sandy creeks and up goat trails I don't even want to walk up in West Texas, but a broken CV left me stranded in the middle of town after a hairy launch.
Without giving the stabilitrac a hissy fit, would it be logical to cleanly weld up the carrier, like you would for spider gears, and install a selectable front diff on a manual actuator switch just to help with MPG and keep from wearing out tires on turns? It makes enough torque to not need low range, and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than downgrading to an SLT 4wd and swapping in a 6.2. Like i said, it does well off road, but I'm always concerned about being immediately stranded if i smoke a CV joint again or a U-joint. I'm about to freshen up the T-case anyway since it's starting to make noise at 200k miles.
These vids are pretty lame, but the hill in the background has a trail i climbed a few times with minimal wheelspin
Without giving the stabilitrac a hissy fit, would it be logical to cleanly weld up the carrier, like you would for spider gears, and install a selectable front diff on a manual actuator switch just to help with MPG and keep from wearing out tires on turns? It makes enough torque to not need low range, and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper and easier than downgrading to an SLT 4wd and swapping in a 6.2. Like i said, it does well off road, but I'm always concerned about being immediately stranded if i smoke a CV joint again or a U-joint. I'm about to freshen up the T-case anyway since it's starting to make noise at 200k miles.
These vids are pretty lame, but the hill in the background has a trail i climbed a few times with minimal wheelspin
Last edited by rumblebox; 12-30-2018 at 11:05 AM. Reason: spelling
12-30-2018, 11:03 AM
#3
The tires are 305 AT's. If they were more aggressive, i would dig down in the sand and have a hard time. I'm simply not changing the bumpers, because it's daily driven, and the gas mileage is terrible enough.
Last edited by rumblebox; 12-30-2018 at 11:11 AM.
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Sharty_McQueef (03-20-2021)
12-30-2018, 12:44 PM
#6
Why don't you just do it then and do a write up on how it works? I doubt anyone else will have any real input as it is safe to say you will be the first person to ever do it. What's the worst case.... you have to rebuild or replace the t case if it's a fail.
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12-30-2018, 12:48 PM
#8
From your own post:
A) it's not a trail rig aka 99% street
B) fuel mileage sucks (so why make it worse?)
C) you're not willing to put real tires or bumpers on it
D) a 32 spline 241 swap is "too hard"
E) it's not a trail rig
F) make it street rig or a trail rig. Don't half *** one for the other
G) you have already broken it, on the street
be mad at me all you want man, I'm not the enemy here. The only one of us lacking logic is you. And before you come at me with this that and the other, that arroyo you were in is child's play and you already had problems and drug the front bumper.
I have a locked and leafed Toyota on 35s, a K10 with 1tons and 38s and I have a mildly built Tahoe with an H2 rear and some other goodies built for getting me where I wanna go. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to off road stuff. Plus, you yourself said your Yukon is not a trail rig, so why make it one? Great logic.
A) it's not a trail rig aka 99% street
B) fuel mileage sucks (so why make it worse?)
C) you're not willing to put real tires or bumpers on it
D) a 32 spline 241 swap is "too hard"
E) it's not a trail rig
F) make it street rig or a trail rig. Don't half *** one for the other
G) you have already broken it, on the street
be mad at me all you want man, I'm not the enemy here. The only one of us lacking logic is you. And before you come at me with this that and the other, that arroyo you were in is child's play and you already had problems and drug the front bumper.
I have a locked and leafed Toyota on 35s, a K10 with 1tons and 38s and I have a mildly built Tahoe with an H2 rear and some other goodies built for getting me where I wanna go. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to off road stuff. Plus, you yourself said your Yukon is not a trail rig, so why make it one? Great logic.
12-30-2018, 01:02 PM
#9
From your own post:
A) it's not a trail rig aka 99% street
B) fuel mileage sucks (so why make it worse?)
C) you're not willing to put real tires or bumpers on it
D) a 32 spline 241 swap is "too hard"
E) it's not a trail rig
F) make it street rig or a trail rig. Don't half *** one for the other
G) you have already broken it, on the street
be mad at me all you want man, I'm not the enemy here. The only one of us lacking logic is you. And before you come at me with this that and the other, that arroyo you were in is child's play and you already had problems and drug the front bumper.
I have a locked and leafed Toyota on 35s, a K10 with 1tons and 38s and I have a mildly built Tahoe with an H2 rear and some other goodies built for getting me where I wanna go. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to off road stuff. Plus, you yourself said your Yukon is not a trail rig, so why make it one? Great logic.
A) it's not a trail rig aka 99% street
B) fuel mileage sucks (so why make it worse?)
C) you're not willing to put real tires or bumpers on it
D) a 32 spline 241 swap is "too hard"
E) it's not a trail rig
F) make it street rig or a trail rig. Don't half *** one for the other
G) you have already broken it, on the street
be mad at me all you want man, I'm not the enemy here. The only one of us lacking logic is you. And before you come at me with this that and the other, that arroyo you were in is child's play and you already had problems and drug the front bumper.
I have a locked and leafed Toyota on 35s, a K10 with 1tons and 38s and I have a mildly built Tahoe with an H2 rear and some other goodies built for getting me where I wanna go. I know what I'm talking about when it comes to off road stuff. Plus, you yourself said your Yukon is not a trail rig, so why make it one? Great logic.
B. being able to disconnect the front diff would only make it better on gas mileage.
D. Not "too hard". Too expensive to make an electric one work like factory, and I'm not willing to get rid of the center console for a 241...... Like i said before, i dont need it anyway since the 6.2 makes enough torque and the trans never gets hot.
G. The point isn't to make it not break. The point is to avoid being stranded when it does break.
12-30-2018, 01:10 PM
#10
I have a 241, with a console, with the oem shift handle and bezel. Honestly making it fit was (in my opinion) far easier than pulling apart a t case and welding a diff that may or may not even have spiders to weld up.
Where there's a will, there's a way. Your will and way is not what I would suggest, my will and way wasn't what you wanted to hear.
Carry on soldier, best of luck to you.
Where there's a will, there's a way. Your will and way is not what I would suggest, my will and way wasn't what you wanted to hear.
Carry on soldier, best of luck to you.