392 Atlas transfer case install

[Singh392]

I wasn’t even pushing the vehicle.This is expensive vehicle so I like to take it easy, Nothing that I haven’t done before with my jk with stock transfer case. I have beat up on that thing for many years. I have done all the hard trails in moab with stock transfer case in 392 also. I just wanted to get but more lower ratio and make it stronger. But this isn’t it. Definitely don’t recommend this to anyone until atlas finds solution to this.
This happened on the first off-roading trip with atlas installed. This shaft is the weak spot. It’s so thin and all the power from the engine has to go through this to the transfer case. I don’t think it’s even chromoly.
I am gonna send the adapter back to atlas. They want to look at it for defects. But the long term solution has to be bigger diameter shaft from atlas,
At least make it same diameter as factory transmission output shaft.
We have now trip planned for rubicon and fordyce in july. Hopefully it won’t break again.

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[1996cc]

What size tires, Atlas ratio, and axle gearing do you have?

I will mention, the comparison to a Dana 30 isn’t really apples to apples since the axles shafts are way further downstream where torque is more multiplied.

 

[beckbuilt]

@Singh392 I’m also very interested in @1996cc questions.
What Atlas ratio, Axle gearing and tire size?

I’ve got an Atlas waiting to go into my 392 with 3.0 Atlas, 5.38 axle, 39” tire combo.

 

[Singh392]

I have 40 inch tires with 4.88 ratio in the axles dana 60 and 14 bolt rear. Atlas I got was 3.8.
I am definitely sure people are gonna start breaking these shafts with V8 torque if you do hard trails. Why would they make it any thinner then factory one . I am gonna take more pictures to compare it to factory output shaft.
And you break it on trail, you are completely dead in the water..there is no trail fix for this..you have be pulled all the way. Those were some long days lol.

 

[beckbuilt]

Breaking the adapter is a scary thought. If you had a spare shaft, how hard would it be to swap out after the atlas has been dropped?

 

[Singh392]

You start with taking the skid plates, then both drive shafts. Remove electrical sensor wiring. you can then take the atlas out with removing the shift cables, if you have something to hold it and then remove the adapter, remove the c clips holding the adapter, then push out the adapter shaft.
If this ever happens, you won’t get any power to the wheels. No reverse, no drive not even park would work. Your vehicle will always be in neutral.
Brakes would work.

 

[1996cc]

It would be an absolute bitch to change on the trail, but may be the best option depending. You’d need a large snap ring pliers to get the shaft/bearing out of the adapter (bigger than anyone would normally have in trail tools) Maybe I should start carrying my spare adapter and shaft?!?

I’m also on 40”s, but 3.0 Atlas, & 5.13 gears. I’ve put close to 20,000 miles on my Atlas. When I’m not off-road, that’s all in 2wd and I’m not afraid of the skinny pedal. Not sure what counts as hard trails, but I was on Fordyce last week

 

[Singh392]

I am gonna be more mindful of it now on and take it easy. If you have a spare one, I would just carry the just the shaft, it’s pretty small. The whole housing is gonna be too big to carry with you. And may be carry a heavy hammer to push it out of the housing incase.
it’s gonna be long trail fix if that ever happens. But pulling these heavy vehicles out is very hard. We had to make daisy chain with 2 more jeeps to get out.

 

[beckbuilt]

Thanks guys. This is good to know. Glad a press isn’t needed. I’m going to round up the right snap ring pliers and a spare shaft. I’d rather spend hours wrenching than hours yanking on it if it’s way back in.

 

[Singh392]

Just installed the new adapter shaft. Now there’s new codes for the transfer case. The Jeep isn’t reading the signal from the transfer case. Forgot to take pictures before disassembly. Does anyone have the picture of the wiring to the 2 sensors. The yellow with black and red with black. Which one goes to which side?
thanks

 

[1996cc]

I can’t remember which wire is which, but double check your ground and fuse. When I swapped mine between jeeps I forgot to connect the ground and it took a bit to figure that out. Advance Adapters has some good basic troubleshooting tips in the instructions that tipped me off to the ground issue.

 

[Kreepin1]

I have 40 inch tires with 4.88 ratio in the axles dana 60 and 14 bolt rear. Atlas I got was 3.8.
I am definitely sure people are gonna start breaking these shafts with V8 torque if you do hard trails. Why would they make it any thinner then factory one . I am gonna take more pictures to compare it to factory output shaft.
And you break it on trail, you are completely dead in the water..there is no trail fix for this..you have be pulled all the way. Those were some long days lol.

Last year we were in South Dakota and my buddy with a similar 392 (Dana 60's, 4.88's, 40's, coil overs and full cage) came down on a rock and twisted his rear driveshaft. We pulled the driveshaft and figured to drive out with tow straps and front wheel drive. Wrong. The computer wouldn't put any power to the ground without some resistance from the rear driveshaft. It was a long night pulling him off the trail. So, the OEM transfer case can leave you stranded too. (He has an Atlas now)

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