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atlas 4 speed

ruger81

ruger81

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Battle Ground WA
want to know if anyone has any pics of an install, where you put the planetary shifter, what shifters you went with cable or standard?
what ratio you bought and how it works with your auto or manual.
 
Sorry, but I think an Atlas 4 speed is a waste of money and effort for most wheelers. Unless you have a stick and really want a 10-1 ratio and the choice of a couple low range ratios. With an automatic there just is no point. Not trying to be negative, but I have this conversation with people all the time, even for rock buggies.

Now, I will tell you that for my rock buggy I want an Atlas 4 speed, but for a different reason. I want the 2-1 ratio in the gears and the normal 2.72-1 ratio in the planetary. The reason is that I would use the 2-1 as a high range and never use 1-1, but I'd have to regear to 4.56. With 40" sticky tires I can't go fast enough to use most of 3rd and any of 4th in high range, but in 2-1 I could use all 4 gears and have much better acceleration, throttle response and gear choices for going fast through the desert. Some of the Ultra4 drivers use 2-1 for the entire King of the Hammers race.

I don't know what vehicle you have, or what your goals are, but this is what comes up in every Atlas 4 speed conversation I get into, and I sell Atlas t-cases in my shop. Thankfully, in an XJ there is enough room to get one in and still have a good length on the rear driveshaft. I've seen guys squeeze them into Wranglers and then hate life because they really don't need the extra gearing.

Ahh, I see you have an auto. Just get a 3.8 or 4.3 and be done with it.
 
He already got the atlas on order.. Good job kicking him in the pants:laugh:
 
Goatman said:
Sorry, but I think an Atlas 4 speed is a waste of money and effort for most wheelers. Unless you have a stick and really want a 10-1 ratio and the choice of a couple low range ratios. With an automatic there just is no point. Not trying to be negative, but I have this conversation with people all the time, even for rock buggies.

Now, I will tell you that for my rock buggy I want an Atlas 4 speed, but for a different reason. I want the 2-1 ratio in the gears and the normal 2.72-1 ratio in the planetary. The reason is that I would use the 2-1 as a high range and never use 1-1, but I'd have to regear to 4.56. With 40" sticky tires I can't go fast enough to use most of 3rd and any of 4th in high range, but in 2-1 I could use all 4 gears and have much better acceleration, throttle response and gear choices for going fast through the desert. Some of the Ultra4 drivers use 2-1 for the entire King of the Hammers race.

I don't know what vehicle you have, or what your goals are, but this is what comes up in every Atlas 4 speed conversation I get into, and I sell Atlas t-cases in my shop. Thankfully, in an XJ there is enough room to get one in and still have a good length on the rear driveshaft. I've seen guys squeeze them into Wranglers and then hate life because they really don't need the extra gearing.

Ahh, I see you have an auto. Just get a 3.8 or 4.3 and be done with it.
Click to expand...

well since u seen I had the auto I would of figured u would of seen I wasn't asking for you to try and talk me out of it. but thanks thats your opinion . I'm buying this case because I liked the 2.72.1 when it was stock and just recently bought a terablow 4.0.1 I liked it to . I don't think I will ever use the 10.34.1 but it there if I want it and the driveline lengths will be perfect for me to run same length shafts front and rear. thank you anyways.

I personally could careless about the KOH yeah it's fun to watch but I'm into the sand and snow.
did you wanna give me a good deal on one? so to keep it back on topic I'm fishing for where and what style shifters anyone has used.
 
I believe Tim aka (knucklehead) has one in his giant red heep.
 
Sorry, didn't mean to be critical. You did ask about what gearing and how they worked with stick or auto. I just have so many conversations with people that want them just because, with no good reason for it. Sorry again for the knee jerk reaction. Thankfully, there's enough room in an XJ to run one.
 
Goatman said:
Sorry, didn't mean to be critical. You did ask about what gearing and how they worked with stick or auto. I just have so many conversations with people that want them just because, with no good reason for it. Sorry again for the knee jerk reaction. Thankfully, there's enough room in an XJ to run one.
Click to expand...

no worries. I should get it by the 17th so hopefully I made the right selection on the shifters. p
 
I've thought about this a lot. I always liked the idea of keeping the 2.7 low and having the 3.8 or 4.3 there for the harder stuff, I already don't use 1:1. In theory this is the selling point for me.

The 10.? would be cool in the snow but I know I would hardly use it, if anything in fear of breaking.

After exploring the theory I then wonder if I would ever use the extra gearing, I'm sure a 4.3 would do 90% of what I want. The only other real advantage is keeping the drive line lengths the same and saving the coin of new drive shafts, or lengthening and shortening them. Still the cost seem like they end up about the same. Right?

Sorry I can't contribute anything useful here but this has been going through my head for a while. OP please post up once you have an opinion of your own, I would love to hear.
 
XJensen said:
I've thought about this a lot. I always liked the idea of keeping the 2.7 low and having the 3.8 or 4.3 there for the harder stuff, I already don't use 1:1. In theory this is the selling point for me.

The 10.? would be cool in the snow but I know I would hardly use it, if anything in fear of breaking.

After exploring the theory I then wonder if I would ever use the extra gearing, I'm sure a 4.3 would do 90% of what I want. The only other real advantage is keeping the drive line lengths the same and saving the coin of new drive shafts, or lengthening and shortening them. Still the cost seem like they end up about the same. Right?

Sorry I can't contribute anything useful here but this has been going through my head for a while. OP please post up once you have an opinion of your own, I would love to hear.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
XJensen said:
I've thought about this a lot. I always liked the idea of keeping the 2.7 low and having the 3.8 or 4.3 there for the harder stuff, I already don't use 1:1. In theory this is the selling point for me.

The 10.? would be cool in the snow but I know I would hardly use it, if anything in fear of breaking.

After exploring the theory I then wonder if I would ever use the extra gearing, I'm sure a 4.3 would do 90% of what I want. The only other real advantage is keeping the drive line lengths the same and saving the coin of new drive shafts, or lengthening and shortening them. Still the cost seem like they end up about the same. Right?

Sorry I can't contribute anything useful here but this has been going through my head for a while. OP please post up once you have an opinion of your own, I would love to hear.
Click to expand...

To me the benifits of have more gear selection is better, right now I'm 95% sure the drive shafts will need no modification for anyone thats is wondering im running stock auto shafts front and rear with dana 44's this is perfect. cheap replacements and carry one spare for emergency's.

So for the 4 speed i went 2.72 3.8 and 10.34. I know i will use stock low range (2.72) in some situations the main gear im after is 3.8 the reason why is i had the Tera low 4.0.1 this ratio in what i do was perfect with 4.88 and 33's with an auto.

The only two major draw backs with the Tera low are the fact that they say no high gear well i can argue the fact that 2nd gear is too high because i never ran my case in any gear higher than 2nd and it didnt even last me two complete trips. The second is the fact of the chain.
 
XJensen said:
The 10.? would be cool in the snow but I know I would hardly use it, if anything in fear of breaking.
.
Click to expand...

why the hell would you use a 10-1 low range in the snow, wheel spin is key for 90% of snow wheeling
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
why the hell would you use a 10-1 low range in the snow, wheel spin is key for 90% of snow wheeling
Click to expand...

True but it can do some amazing things in the deeper stuff to pack it down without digging down.

It would be nice to have another option to drop into once stuck. I guess I was referring to the other 10% of snow wheeling.
 
how come all the dual cased yotas with 5.29s and 40s are always getting so far in the deep stuff then? 4.7*2.28 =10.71, and thats crazy common in all the yotas I see on the trail, I think the 11:1 would be pretty rad for the super gnarly deep powder.
 
blondejoncherokee said:
how come all the dual cased yotas with 5.29s and 40s are always getting so far in the deep stuff then? 4.7*2.28 =10.71, and thats crazy common in all the yotas I see on the trail, I think the 11:1 would be pretty rad for the super gnarly deep powder.
Click to expand...

Most of them have 4 cylinders making under 100 hp. We have twice the usable power with a 4.0.

Any deep snow I've been in has required wheel speed every time. You have to "ram" the next section of unbroken snow in order to create tracks.
 
I don't spin my tires in snow, and I've always out driven everyone else who does. Sure, I see the guys spinning, then I cruise up and pass them by modulating the throttle carefully and not spinning at all. The Toy guys have very little power, which helps. The Toy guys also have stick shifts, and I learned it's good to have a stick in the snow since you can feel the tires breaking loose and can pick a little higher gear and let the engine lug to keep from breaking the tires loose.

I know we have different experiences, and live in different places. My personal experience is higher gears and less throttle works wonders in the snow. Keeping the tracks shallower and dragging your diffs less is important, spinning a lot just digs the tracks deeper and drags the diffs more. If breaking new trail, use some momentum but stop as soon as you feel much tire slip to keep from digging the tracks too deep. I've pushed snow breaking trail piled over the top of my bumper and spun the tires as little as possible.
 
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