[weedkilla]

I'm looking to build a small, low geared work ute, and I've landed myself a 93 Maruti Ute (NT). Completely new to Suzukis, what do I need to know about my transfer case before I order reduction gears/rebuild kit? Are there any differences between cases, input and output shafts that I should know?
I've had it out to play enough to realise low 1st is good enough for normal bush track use, but as soon as I get onto unused tracks and the weeds are up over the bullbar and I'm driving by Braille - I'm just running into stuff too hard!

I'm not planning on fitting anything bigger than a 30" tyre, so I'm thinking 4.16 gears will do what I want. I'm guessing an 85% reduction in Low range will feel pretty huge. In a Landcruiser I've never needed a lower low ratio first gear, am I on the right track with 4.16's?
Oh, and I plan on it spending a fair bit of time with about 400kgs on its back! So I'm sure I will be looking at diff, axle, cv joint and gearbox strength along the way. Hoping to run the least engine I can get away with to help the rest of the drivetrain live, but I'mpretty sure it will end up a 1.6l.

For anyone who thinks this is a bit extreme for a work bus - the only other choice is a John Deere Gator, and thats $30,000 and needs to be floated to jobs (its road registerable, but only does about 45kmh).

Thanks.

[J--A--C--K]

Hey mate'
There is not a huge amount of difference in the transfer case's as far as i know all the 1.3L's are basicly identical, The 1L's have lower gearing and different flange's not quite low enough for 30's to work perfectly but not bad. If you do have a 1L case the gears are too different to use 4.16's or 4.9's but the 6.5s will work as they replace all of the gears rather then just some,
I currently run 30x9.5 maxxis treps and 4.9 transfer gears and so far i couldn't fault them.
as for a bigger engine if you doing alot of highway k's then the 1.6 will be more than worth it , but with the gearing its not so important off road , my little 1.3 is a little worse for wear at the moment and doesn't like to get above 90kph but once im off road i rarely notice unless i forget to change from low 4th up a decent hill.

I hope this helps , im sure there are some other guys on hear that will correct anything i have said that may be wrong im still only new to the world of zooks also.

[mrw82]

Being a maruti I assume it's a 1 litre, Which means you will already have a 1 litre ratio transfer case.

4.16 gears have the same high range ratio as 1 litre, but a lower low range ratio. Which is quite drivable on 30" tyres, but if you want to lower your high range gearing to improve on road drivability for 30" tyres then get 4.9 gears (they will reduce high range by 4%) don't even consider 5.12 or 6.5 gears as they will be too low for 30" tyres.
As for what jack says about not having all the gears you need in a 1 litre case, it'd be quite easy to find the gears you need from someone that has fitted 5.12 or 6.5 gears and has the stock gears sitting in the shed doing nothing. You need the 1.3 low range output gear.
The other option would be to buy a 1.3 transfer case to put your gears in then sell off the 1 litre case.

[weedkilla]

Great, thanks for that. So I guess I'm on the hunt for a 1.3 transfer case. Is there a way to identify them from the outside? Or is it a split and see thing?
So I can assume that input and out put flanges will be different, so will I need some 1.3 driveshafts to rob flanges and split my uni joints and make a hybrid? Again, how do I identify the differences - is it bolt size?

[J--A--C--K]

Not quite , As mrw82 has said you may find it easy'er and cheaper to find some one on here who has put 5.14 or 6.5 gears in there 1.3l case and get the stock gears from them. I dear say they would be close to free. as for the flange's i think its just a matter of removing the flange's from your 1l case and putting them on the 1.3 if you do go down that path.

[Fatzook]

weedkilla wrote:

Great, thanks for that. So I guess I'm on the hunt for a 1.3 transfer case. Is there a way to identify them from the outside? Or is it a split and see thing?
So I can assume that input and out put flanges will be different, so will I need some 1.3 driveshafts to rob flanges and split my uni joints and make a hybrid? Again, how do I identify the differences - is it bolt size?

Why do you want a 1.3 case?

Answer some questions for me.

Do you want lower gearing for high range?
Do you want lower gearing for low range?

If you answered yes to either or both of these questions, then buy a 4.9:1 gearset from the USA, and fit them to YOUR case.

I'm not sure why mrw82 is recommending you buy a 1.3L case, as the late model 1L case, and ALL 1.3L leafy cases are identicle ( save for gearing )

And J--A--C--K, power is NOT a substitute for gearing.

[weedkilla]

The thought of buying another case was so I could rebuild it while my ute is still running around with the transfer case its got. Buying a 1.3 made sense if I need some 1.3 gears.

[Fatzook]

weedkilla wrote:

The thought of buying another case was so I could rebuild it while my ute is still running around with the transfer case its got. Buying a 1.3 made sense if I need some 1.3 gears.

Ok, I understand why you want another case. But why do you need 1.3L gears? They are worse for your application than the gears you currently have.

[zukmeista]

From what I understand you need some 1.3L gears when installing 4.16 aftermarket gears?

[Fatzook]

zukmeista wrote:

From what I understand you need some 1.3L gears when installing 4.16 aftermarket gears?

True. But that gearset will not alter his high range gearing ......

[zukmeista]

Doesn't sound like he needs it? Just a lower low range?

[Fatzook]

zukmeista wrote:

Doesn't sound like he needs it? Just a lower low range?

Well if he plans on having 4ookgs on the back all the time, he'd want to correct his high range gearing for the 30's or it will go nowhere.

[weedkilla]

Ok, I obviously need to go over the ratio change in the different gearsets for mysellf, and to have a look at the gearing in a 5 speed box. But if anyone can confirm - it is only the 6.5 gearset that replaces all the gears?
Actually, I'd better just email LROR myself.

And at some point work out which transfer case I have - another look shows that all 3 transfer case flanges have been re-drilled, so its anyones guess what has been fitted. Its nearly 20 years old, that anything is standard is the surprise!

[Jazzor]

Fatzook wrote:

zukmeista wrote:

From what I understand you need some 1.3L gears when installing 4.16 aftermarket gears?

True. But that gearset will not alter his high range gearing ......

4.16s do alter high range gearing fyi. I have them and they made a difference, and the chart LRO have had for a while is great:
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.ph ... -case.html

I'm sure that all sierra transfer-case gear reductions kits affect high and low range.

Any pics of the transfer case, flanges etc could help someone on the net identify it for you.

[zukmeista]

They would for a 1.3L, but this suzuki should have a 1.0L t-case, so the high range is the same.

[Jazzor]

I see what you were getting at then .

[mrw82]

Fatzook wrote:

I'm not sure why mrw82 is recommending you buy a 1.3L case,

I probably should have gone into more detail. I suggested that so he can pick up a cheap 1.3 case (say $50) put a set of reduction gears and new bearings in it. then install it into his car (swapping flanges at the time) minimising time off the road. and then enabling him to sell his (more highly sought after 1 litre case. for $150 - $200 if in good condition) making a few dollars in the process.

weedkilla does your zook have the 4 speed or 5 speed gearbox. (if its the 4 speed it'll be a type 3,which can be converted to a 5 speed using a 1.3's 5 speed gearset).

[weedkilla]

4 speed, looks identical to a 99 Maruti I just crawled under, which I'm sure is standard. After a drive in it I'm pretty sure mine has the 1.0L transfer case gearset, guess I'll know when its open!