Quote:
Originally Posted by cikmontanan
I'm the newbe, and glad i found you. Does anyone have experience with the timken/rockwell 221 transfer case? I'm specifically interested in strength. I'm planning on puting a built 406 small block in an original 63 4x4 suburban. I want to keep mostly stock, but still have the rodder in me. Thanks for any input.
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My experience with the Rockwell 221 t-case is that it won't hold up to a lot of power or heavy loads.
The problem is that it's a "drop box" and as such has an idler shaft. While that in and of itself is not a bad idea, in the case of the 221, the gears are helical gears (for quieter operation) and therein lies the main problem. The helical gears create thrust loading and forces that try to angle the sliding gear on it's shaft.
The more power/greater load placed on the unit, the greater the thrust forces become and it will eat bearings, develope more heat, and the sliding gear (splined to it's shaft) will start to excessively wear it's own internal spline and the splines on it's shaft. In the mid 80's, I tore one apart (a 1965 model) to repair the damage and found that only about 1/3rd the hard parts were still available new. I replaced what I could find along with all the bearings, but in my application it did not last long.
I replaced it with a New Process 205 out of an early 70's International 3/4 ton truck. That NP205 is still in service in the same truck.
As the wear increases, it gets noisier and starts to chew itself up with the metal introduced in the oil.