Memphis Equipment REB Shift Kit deuce and a half info?

[Monster Man]

I'm looking for any and all info I can find on this kit- Mainly, how you can tell if it's been installed. Dave popped off the cover of that case and found gears that looked just like the standard sprag, but it has a manua; shifter making me more confused. Are there any visual differences between the two sets of gears? I know it was mentioned that this is a "gear correction kit", what does that entail? I talked over the phone with Memphis Equipment, and it was hard to understand without pictures what is replaced and what is kept. He kept saying you just take off the "nose" and replace the sprag and all the gears with their kit.


Is the stack of gears located in the t-case front wheel output cover the entire sprag assembly, or does that extend inside the main case itself?



What does the new shifter actually shift, and how does it mount to the case?



Anybody got a GOOD drawing of the whole t-case exploded? I have the TM but it's horrible trying to tell the differences between the two using only out of proportion drawings. If anybody had a photo of the t-case with an REB kit installed, or has a photo of the t-case with the front output cover off showing the Memphis gears, that would be a godsend!



thanks

 

[spicergear]

Here's a couple for ya bud. None with the cover off though, just linkage at case, at tranny, and through floor.

 

[Monster Man]

THANKS A BUNCH! :hop:


I think I'm starting to get the sprag a little more- just pissin' around in the shop and cleaning up my output, allowing me to play with the sprag.



So is there a quick rundown of exactly how this sprag works- namely, how does it sense slippage, thus applying the front axle? I know it has to do with the linkage to the tranny, and the spring that's mounted on the linkage between the two, but I'm still stumped.



I have a few main questions- I can take the shifter rod, the one that goes into the output, and push it in and it will lock the gear to the shaft. Normally, the large gear on that stack of gears in the output, rides freely on the splined shaft that goes into the t-case. Now, I get that that is the sprag, and that the rod pushing in pulls down a collar that locks the two together, BUT, when it's locked it's only in one direction, I can spin it the other way? What's up with that? Does that mean it will only have 6 wheel drive in one direction, or can it not be fully tested on the bench? I remember something about reverse to first, so is that something that needs to be in sequence? Like, lock it in in reverse, then when you go forward it will eventually lock up the other way?



Which leads me to my second question- if I were to have a shifter mounted solidly to that shaft, rather than the springed linkage, would that eliminate the maladjusted sprag, thus making it much more reliable, and with a lockout much safer?



I assume from talking with Memphis Equipment that their gears replace the sliding collar and freewheeling gear/shaft with solid gears, no free wheeling at all, but will just adding a solid shifter eliminate the problems of the sprag?



If not I'm inclined to start all over with a new REB kit, forget any more mods

 

[rdixiemiller]

According to the manual, the transfer case has a forward and reverse sprag. There is a shifting arrangement in the transfer case that shifts the from the forward to the reverse sprag as the tranny is shifted. The sprag unit works like the overrunning clutch on an old tractor PTO. It only locks up in one direction, and lets it freewheel in the other. The sprag transfer case underdrives the front driveshaft slightly, about .98 the speed of the rear shaft. Until the rear wheels start to slip, the front shaft is slipping on the sprag. The theory seems to have been that it would only apply power when it was needed. I can understand the theory, but I would imagine it required a decent amount of maintenance. The air shift transfer case was a more conventional approach, although I am curious as to why they did not use a shift lever, it would have been simpler. Now, if someone made a set of automatic locking hubs for a deuce, you would have a really nice setup. TM 9-2520-246-34-1 is the best manual I have found, although the pictures they drew are not as clear as they could be.
Hope that helps some
Regards
Robert Miller

 

[rdixiemiller]

According to the manual, the transfer case has a forward and reverse sprag. There is a shifting arrangement in the transfer case that shifts the from the forward to the reverse sprag as the tranny is shifted. The sprag unit works like the overrunning clutch on an old tractor PTO. It only locks up in one direction, and lets it freewheel in the other. The sprag transfer case underdrives the front driveshaft slightly, about .98 the speed of the rear shaft. Until the rear wheels start to slip, the front shaft is slipping on the sprag. The theory seems to have been that it would only apply power when it was needed. I can understand the theory, but I would imagine it required a decent amount of maintenance. The air shift transfer case was a more conventional approach, although I am curious as to why they did not use a shift lever, it would have been simpler. Now, if someone made a set of automatic locking hubs for a deuce, you would have a really nice setup. TM 9-2520-246-34-1 is the best manual I have found, although the pictures they drew are not as clear as they could be.
Hope that helps some
Regards
Robert Miller

 

[spicergear]

Thank you Robert, Robert. Monster Man, see that little shaft sticking out of back of the transmission...upper right rear, if I recall. Shift the tranny into 1st/granny gear...now go look at the position of the shaft. Now plop it in neutral...and look at the shaft, then go to reverse and look at the shaft position. From what's been explained, that rod and it's associated gear is what selects the direction for the sprag. The other thing, on my truck...factory sprag jobbie, there was like a small pressurized cylinder in the linkage, to me, looked like it hold pressure on linkage to the T-case.

I just like having the choice of flip and push...front axle in. Pull and flip...front axle out.

OH, from what I understand...you can't run a sprag case with lockouts as it senses the front shaft not moving and drives it all the time.

 

[Monster Man]

According to the manual, the transfer case has a forward and reverse sprag. There is a shifting arrangement in the transfer case that shifts the from the forward to the reverse sprag as the tranny is shifted.

thanks guys- so then my question is-


If I add a shifter lever to this shifter rod that is on my output, much like the one shown in the pictures, and I engage that rather than waiting for the questionable linkage from the tranny to the t-case (the one that has the cylinder that I believe contains a spring), locking the collar down around the main gear, then there's something in the case that senses if the tranny is in reverse or first and thus applies the correct sprag?



Namely I'm confused about whetehr I can get it to lock the gear in either direction, if that's something the case will do automatically when the collar is locked down around the gear (because I manually shifted it there)

 

[rdixiemiller]

I don't think that will work As far as I know, on the forward sprag it will only drive the diff to go forward. On the reverse sprag, it will only drive backwards. If you disconnect the shift rod from the trans. to the t-case, you lose the ability to have the correct sprag engaged automatically. As a matter of fact, I believe if you have the transfer case on the wrong sprag clutch for the direction you are going, you can cause some serious damage. I would leave the sprag system alone unless you are going to put in the REB system. Or, you can put on an airshift transfer case and air lines and be done with it.
Regards To All
Robert Miller

 

[Monster Man]

well, in thinking about it more, I believe one of the two sprags is destroyed, it must have taken some abuse before, but that's why it isn't working. I notice that I can completely lock the gear to the shaft in one direction, then by manipulating the shifter rod position that moves the collar up or down, it will sometimes, and only sometimes, make the other direction hard to spin, or it will chatter, and sometimes it's almost locked but I can still move it by hand. So to me it seems like one of the two sprags is stripped or something. Now, if I were to throw a shifter on there I bet I could get it to drive one of two directions, only problem would be I'm not sure which direction (I guess one is better than none), I'd have to make a lockout. of the stock positons- like, is the shifter rod fully out all the time, and then it pushes it fully in when the trans is shifted? Or is there numerous positions, like all the way out, 1/2 in that they're both disengaged, and all the way in where one is engaged? Hard to test on the bench, but I do know I need to get that back on there NOW, I'm having Deuce withdrawls having not driven it in 6 days!!!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Lance, the problem with your idea is that everytime you back up, you will need to manipulate both shifters. Then once you go fwd you will have to do the 2 shifters again. Should you forget you will bind and wind the suspension up tight as a frogs butt. I would throw it back together to satisfy your withdrawal and pick up an air shift case or another sprag case as a hold over. Of course if money is no matter, have that REB kit shipped right over. Transfer cases are a pretty easy install and when it's on the ground, gives you the opportunity to finely adjust that parking brake. Just my opinion!

 

[Monster Man]

I had considered getting the entire airshift case- I could install that at my old place but doubt I could at the new place. Both because the driveway is very sloped and I have a hard enough time on a creeper, plus the neighbors would run my ass out. It's all well and good that my truck is parked in the driveway, as long as it's mobile and as long as they get to use it for their home improvement projects, but I have a feeling I couldn't swap anything major there! I got some dirty looks climbing under the back to install the parking brake though :nono:

 

[Monster Man]

Lance, the problem with your idea is that everytime you back up, you will need to manipulate both shifters. Then once you go fwd you will have to do the 2 shifters again. Should you forget you will bind and wind the suspension up tight as a frogs butt. I would throw it back together to satisfy your withdrawal and pick up an air shift case or another sprag case as a hold over. Of course if money is no matter, have that REB kit shipped right over. Transfer cases are a pretty easy install and when it's on the ground, gives you the opportunity to finely adjust that parking brake. Just my opinion!

that is a good point- what i got to thinking though, is it is locked in one direction, then it freewheels the other, if I have it engaged, wouldn't it just slip when I changed from reverse to first, then lock up when I went back to first (or vice versa, I'm not sure which direction it will lock up in). On the bench I can freewheel it easy one way but it's locked the other, I don't get any bind. Though I doubt I want to break anything more than is already broken :blush:

 

[Recovry4x4]

With a fair amount preparation and thought, the transfer case swap is probably a 2 hour deal. Some of the preparations can be done without the neighbors knowing. For example, climb in the truck and close the door. Inside you can remove the floor pans, shifter, jack shaft and speedo cable. I have the military trans hoist that goes on the floor but before that I used a come-a-long and a 4x4 between the open windshield and the back of the cab. It's really not hard at all. One of my buddies in OH did one in the parking lot at Walmart.

 

[spicergear]

You know Ken, that's probably a better idea for him...no seriously. MM, take that truck and the tools to Walmart parking lot and do it there. If questioned, you can claim that something broke and bound up making it not able to be towed OR dragged onto a rollback so you have to suck it up and do it right there. I think it'll work.

My starter died at the bank one day in my 3000GT. I got a new one and was changing there (luckily they're an easy one to pop out) and some lady from the bank came over and asked me to get my car towed to a place to work on it. I said, "If you can do something for $30 or $300, which would you choose?" "well, $30?" "Exactly. This is $30, I'll be outta here in 10 minutes, thanks for checking to see what I was doing." And remember to thank them sincerely.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Tom, check your PMs. I've got your stuff at the house!

 

[Monster Man]

thanks guys- you know, that's not a bad idea- the only problem I see is the crane part, but if I have one mounted in my bed, I'm set! They openly wlecome people parking their RV's there, so why not a deuce?

I got my case half back on, no 6x6 but it's driving. Gotta get me the Memphis kit I think. Airshift would be cool, BUT, then I have to rig up the airlines as well. Dave at Eastern was really nice about the whole thing, so he's refunding my money. Too bad it didn't work out as easy as I thought, that 6x6 won't be so handy come summer. My bro and I (well, it was me, my bro told me not to show off), were climbing a big huge snow pile from the plowing, got stuck. But, with a growing crowd of onlookers we were able to power out of it in 4wd !

oh, and on a side note, my strategic titling of the thread returned a search result on "Memphis Equipment REB shift Kit" within 1 week. Very cool