DIVORCED TRANSFER CASE
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Senior User
Joined: May 2010
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From: ROCKVILLE, CT.
DIVORCED TRANSFER CASE
Okay. I now know what a Highboy is. What exactly is a divorced transfer case?
Are there children involved? Are there annulled transfer cases too?
Is there alimony involved?
Seriously, I can kind of guess the general idea but what and why is it seperated from the tranny? What was the purpose?
Are there children involved? Are there annulled transfer cases too?
Is there alimony involved?
Seriously, I can kind of guess the general idea but what and why is it seperated from the tranny? What was the purpose?
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
divorced transfer case:
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 280
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From: ROCKVILLE, CT.
Thank you hasteranger
divorced transfer case:
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
Makes sense.
Question. What were the high pinion axles used on? Were the high pinion axles used on both front and rear on any of the 4x4 of this era?
Just curious because I heard here that the high pinion D60's were the best.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
divorced transfer case:
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
instead of being bolted directly to the back of the transmission, it is mounted securly to a crossmember below the cab, and a short driveshaft or jackshaft goes between the transmission and the transfer case.
Why was it seperated? I'm not 100% sure. My guesses would be things like these:
1) the highboy it was used on normally had low pinion axles, so to get the front driveshaft at the proper angle, the front driveshaft had to be lengthened, which necessitates moving the Tcase back.
2) It allowed ford to use the same transmissions and housings for 2wd and 4wd models.
Good job with the high pinion and low pinion reply. Rep given.
Ford used the low pinion axle which required the use of a "remote" mount transfer case. 1/2 ton trucks of this era used a "direct" mount transfer case, and a high pinion front axle.
Unfortunately the 2wd transmissions and 4wd transmissions of this era were different, so the idea behind interchangeability is not quite correct, but a decent concept anyway. This is a slip joint VS slip joint deal.
In any event the high pinion VS low pinion deal is also interesting. You wont find a high pinion front axle in a truck with a divorced transfer case unless the axle was upgraded.
This upgrade often occurs when an owner decides to update an earlier truck with a later model axle for strength purposes, or to obtain disc brakes or both.
High pinion axles are considered to be stronger than the low pinion axles, because the high pinion axles permit the ring and pinion tooth engagement to occur at the drive side of the gear and not the coast side. The drive side of the gear is stronger.
Rear axles are not considered high pinion.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
High pinion also raises the driveshaft which is considered a plus for trail and rocks as it keeps the shaft further up and out of potential harms way! Worth pointing out.
I didn't know the transmissions were different- someone told me you could add a divorced T case to a 2wd transmission so I assumed they were the same.
I didn't know the transmissions were different- someone told me you could add a divorced T case to a 2wd transmission so I assumed they were the same.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
High pinion also raises the driveshaft which is considered a plus for trail and rocks as it keeps the shaft further up and out of potential harms way! Worth pointing out.
I didn't know the transmissions were different- someone told me you could add a divorced T case to a 2wd transmission so I assumed they were the same.
I didn't know the transmissions were different- someone told me you could add a divorced T case to a 2wd transmission so I assumed they were the same.
Well you can add the remote mount case behind a 2wd trans, but the difference is in the yoke. Most 4wd transmissions that use a remote mount transfer case use a fixed yoke so this means that the slip joint has to be placed in the short driveshaft. In the 2wd, the slip is in the yoke itself. hence the slip yoke. This means that you can have a solid shaft with just a slip yoke, but the factory did not make them this way.
You do also make a very valid point with regards to the driveshaft clearance issue.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 11
From: West Virginia
I get what you're saying, I never really thought about that part of it. I've never had a high boy, just read about them a lot. Try to know whats out there for parts scavenging purposes.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,808
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From: Meigs County Ohio
Well when you get into a divorced transfer case, you get into alimony and the cost of court, and she gets the gold mine, and you get the shafts... in this case all 3 =)
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