DIY forward shift conversion

[YotaAtieToo]

Ok, I serched and could not find anything on this.
Is there any way to convert a forward shift case to top shift, without new rails or the marlin kit? I was thinking I could cut the ends off the rails and mill in a spot for the shifter in the top shift location and then bolt the shifter on Is there any thing Im missing?
It would be for the crawl box so I would only have to do one rail, I think.
Anyways, what do you guys think, been done before, impossible.......

[Haggar]

Just get the rails out and compare them. I don't see why it wouldn't work. You might need to weld on some material as well, but no biggie.

[CHAD PEZZLE]

I think it could be done, but why not just spend the $40 bucks and order it from Marlin.

There shouldn't be any milling needed. There is already a spot to bolt the shifter, the thing is that your forward shifting shifter won't mount on the top shift case (different bolt pattern) so you'll need to find a top shift base and put your shifter in it. Like I said above you can get the shift rail and fork from Marlin for $40 and that's all you'll need.

Chad

[YotaAtieToo]

Ya its only $40 but oncew you get tax and shipping, and I gotta send my old rails back to him, its not as easy. That sucks the shifter wont bolt up. that could kill my idea right there

[MT4Runner]

Cut off the hi-lo shift fork so it doesn't protrude out the front of the case when you're in lo.

When you ordinarily weld a small bar to the topshift fork to retain the shifter, you will need to weld a small u-shaped piece to the frontshift fork, as it doesn't have the notch the topshift has.

Topshift looks like this, plus the bar welded on:


_L_L_ __
| __| | |
| |__ | |
|___| |_|
F F


Frontshift looks like this, so you have to weld on the "notch"

_L_L ____
| | |__ |
| | __| |
|_| |___|
F F


Escuze the bad ASCII art. The L L and the F F are the shift rail sticking out the front and back of the shifter fork.

[ErikB]

yep, its VERY easy to convert. Just cut off the rail and weld some steel on to retain the shifter tip, like MT4runner said.

IMO, it would be silly to buy a kit just for that...

[inmyownsummerami]

I converted a forward shift to top shift for my crawl box, it was pretty easy. Here's how I did it. Forward shift to Top shift
The only thing you have to be very accurate with is where you weld the "Shifter slot" to the shift fork. I screwed up a little and had to slightly clearance the case for the shifter.

[MT4Runner]

First picture is stock topshift hi-lo fork

Second picture is frontshift hi-lo fork with a u-shaped piece welded on. You do have to do a little grinding to make sure the weld clears a 2.28 gear...not as much as to clear a 4.7 gear.

It would be a biaotch to try to convert the rear case to topshift. Shift rails are extremely hard steel, and it wouldn't be easy to drill the sucker to make room for the lug that pins to the right rail that shifts the 2wd-4wd. (This is integral to the shift rail on front shift cases).

[YotaAtieToo]

awsome, exactly what I was looking for!

for future searchers

forward shift to top shift
top shift conversion
forward shift conversion

[MT4Runner]

Glad it helped.

Since it'll get searched, here's another good thread my friend posted about "twin-sticking" a single case, using a combination of front and top shift rails:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=482798

[full-throttle]

why would you pay for something that is so esasy to do your self

[MT4Runner]

Same reason there are prefab SAS kits, Chebby spring mounting kits, prefab bumpers, prefab skidplates, front spring hanger crossmembers, rear disc kits, chevy mcyl adapters, etc.

Some people have time and skills, some people have money.

Myself, I try to find my own happy medium.

[Albin]

Originally Posted by CHAD PEZZLE

I think it could be done, but why not just spend the $40 bucks and order it from Marlin.

There shouldn't be any milling needed. There is already a spot to bolt the shifter, the thing is that your forward shifting shifter won't mount on the top shift case (different bolt pattern) so you'll need to find a top shift base and put your shifter in it. Like I said above you can get the shift rail and fork from Marlin for $40 and that's all you'll need.

Chad

I'm looking on the Marlin site and don't see it. Got a part number?

Thanks,

Al

[MT4Runner]

Weld a u-shaped piece of steel onto the hi-lo shifter fork, and cut the fork so it doesn't stick out past the face of the range box:



You would have to weld the little tab onto the hi-lo fork from a topshift case, anyway. You don't need the kit.

Marlin will gladly take your money, and for some great parts; just spend your $40 on a different part you can't make yourself.

[Albin]

Originally Posted by MT4Runner

Weld a u-shaped piece of steel onto the hi-lo shifter fork, and cut the fork so it doesn't stick out past the face of the range box:



You would have to weld the little tab onto the hi-lo fork from a topshift case, anyway. You don't need the kit.

Marlin will gladly take your money, and for some great parts; just spend your $40 on a different part you can't make yourself.

Thanks, it doesn't look hard.

I'm more worried about the fact that I can't find something this simple on Marlin's site: makes me wonder if I should be trusted with monkeying around with xfer cases.....

[MT4Runner]

Originally Posted by MT4Runner

Same reason there are prefab SAS kits, Chebby spring mounting kits, prefab bumpers, prefab skidplates, front spring hanger crossmembers, rear disc kits, chevy mcyl adapters, etc.

Some people have time and skills, some people have money.

Myself, I try to find my own happy medium.

Go for it.

Same response as I made to the original poster!

[Albin]

Does anybody have a link to the Marlin kit? I've looked on their site and didn't find it. I want to see the parts necessary so I can compare to what I have on hand.

Thanks,

Al

[MT4Runner]

It's not shown anymore on the T-Case accessories page, but here is a cache:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=2&gl=us

MC-14233 - Crawl Box Shift Fork and Rail - $40

[Albin]

Originally Posted by MT4Runner

It's not shown anymore on the T-Case accessories page, but here is a cache:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:...lnk&cd=2&gl=us

MC-14233 - Crawl Box Shift Fork and Rail - $40

Thanks.

So, I have a top shift xfer case now; I'm getting a forward shift xfer case tomorrow with 4.70 gears. All I need to do is get the rail and shifter from the top shift and install them on the forward shift and I'll have a 4.7 xfer case that will mate with my current tranny?

And when I go duals, I'll need these same parts to get my current case back to top shift so it can be the front crawl box.

Did I miss anything?

Thanks,

Al

[MT4Runner]

You've got it! Like I said in PM, you have everything you need, parts-wise for your donor cases. You only need the dual adapter.

[Slapahoe]

Originally Posted by Albin

Does anybody have a link to the Marlin kit? I've looked on their site and didn't find it. I want to see the parts necessary so I can compare to what I have on hand.

Thanks,

Al

In a previous thread a while back, someone from Marlin on here said that they discontinues the conversion kits as it wasn't practicle for them to tear apart cases and sell the shafts out of them.

[b2dude]

Originally Posted by Albin

Thanks.

So, I have a top shift xfer case now; I'm getting a forward shift xfer case tomorrow with 4.70 gears. All I need to do is get the rail and shifter from the top shift and install them on the forward shift and I'll have a 4.7 xfer case that will mate with my current tranny?

And when I go duals, I'll need these same parts to get my current case back to top shift so it can be the front crawl box.

Did I miss anything?

Thanks,

Al

i think you're missing something. i'm in the EXACT same boat as you...here's what i'm gonna do:

1.) cut the rail with the shift fork on it so it doesn't stick out
2.)weld two tabs onto that fork so it matches a stock top shift (not a complete "u" shape)
3.)get a high/low shift rail from another top shift case(from someone who has duals) to stab into the forward shift case
DONE without touching your top shift case.

[Albin]

Originally Posted by b2dude

i think you're missing something. i'm in the EXACT same boat as you...here's what i'm gonna do:

1.) cut the rail with the shift fork on it so it doesn't stick out
2.)weld two tabs onto that fork so it matches a stock top shift (not a complete "u" shape)
3.)get a high/low shift rail from another top shift case(from someone who has duals) to stab into the forward shift case
DONE without touching your top shift case.

Yep, that's a better plan than taking the top shift parts; all that does is bow-wave the problem when I finally do go to duals. This way, once I get an adapter, I'm down to the install plus rear driveshaft mod (I'll do the front).

Thanks,

Al

[MT4Runner]

You still need to take your topshift apart when you go duals to weld the tab onto the topshift hi-lo fork.

You're not doing any more or less work; you're just doing less now. Right?

[b2dude]

BUT you're not wasting a top shift case if you took both shift rails out of another top shift case to fix your forward shift...that's one less top shifter in the world. my way uses an un needed shift rail from a top shifter that's already being put to good use (in someone elses doubled setup), and puts it into a forward shift case......making an additional top shift case