Outer Limits 4x4 Board

car is a MQ patrol. this is a pic of the drive gear ( on the gearbox input shaft) of the transfer case. the gear is cut down allowing the PTO drive gear to be attached to the rear of the gear. its a Thomas PTO drive.

you can see in the pic there is 3 dowels joining then together, even though there is still a castle nut holding them together. The spline thickness of the pto drive gear is 10mm.

My question is do i really need the 3 locating dowels? i have just had the gear in my new T/case cut down but havent yet tried to get these holes drilled. I figure it should be fine without them, but dont really know.

Not planning on any serious winch abuse. not going in any comps,etc. By my rough guesstimates, the shear pins should let go before the splines shear off.

opinons please. once its back in the car it'll be a pita to sort out.

Cheers

Someone designed it that way, and probably for a good reason.

What is your issue with putting them in?

If it overly complicates the installation I could undestand not doing it, but for the sake of the few minutes it would take to press the dowels in I wouldn't hesitate to use the dowels.

My guess is it would potentially be a lot more dangerous to leave them out if you were winching and the whole thing let go.

the only issue i have is trying to get some one to drill into the new gear and not fark it up. the one place i know of would charge like a wounded bull on heat. worse still is the time to take it there.

The dowels arent even a tight press fit on the orig gear( pictured one) its the splines that hold it all in tight. they are a snug fit on the PTO drive gear though.

as for safety,etc. PTO winches somehow use the worm drive arrangement as a brake. and if it damages the splines without the dowells i wouldnt loose use of the transfer case, allowing me to keep driving but never to PTO winch again.

pongo wrote:the only issue i have is trying to get some one to drill into the new gear and not fark it up. the one place i know of would charge like a wounded bull on heat. worse still is the time to take it there.

couldnt be too hard to do em on a drill press could they?

im only guessing here but with a good drill press n shit its prob better done than chuckin em in and having probs when yah need not too!

pongo wrote:the only issue i have is trying to get some one to drill into the new gear and not fark it up. the one place i know of would charge like a wounded bull on heat. worse still is the time to take it there.

The dowels arent even a tight press fit on the orig gear( pictured one) its the splines that hold it all in tight. they are a snug fit on the PTO drive gear though.

as for safety,etc. PTO winches somehow use the worm drive arrangement as a brake. and if it damages the splines without the dowells i wouldnt loose use of the transfer case, allowing me to keep driving but never to PTO winch again.

I agree with family bus.

measure 20-30 times, then check your measurements, grab your centre punch and pop some marks, check the measurements again, then grab some lube, a sharp drill bit the right size, and go slow. They couldnt be that hard to drill.

i got a drill press here if yah want to give it a go!
its up to you

Drop them in an express post box and ship them up to winch industries (read: the original manufacturer) in Archerfield, Qld?

They're meant to be quite good in terms of after sales support.

Mine had no dowels, the pto dog gear had no holes either, i don't think it'd matter too much, it ain't gonna be a safety issue if it 'did' break, the worm won't let the cable unspool.
The splines should handle the power used by the winch easily, i'd almost rather not be drilling into the transfer drive gear, its integrity is more important.