03-07 Transfer case support bracket.

[Wild and Free]

Going through Genos latest Magazine I came across something I had never seen nor had I ever read of this issue before.

Has anyone seen or heard of a t-case housing that cracked due to lack of support?

https://www.genosgarage.com/product/adapt-a-case-transfer-case-support-bracket-tc48reac/transfer-case

 

[dripley]

I dont read up on the third gens that much, but are they that much different than my 02 in that respect?

[Wild and Free]

They do have a larger heavier drivetrain overall as well as a stouter frame versus the 2nd gens. My 05 shot box and my 02 long box scaled up very close to the same weight set up very similar. The 05 was a bit heavier by a couple hundred lbs if I recall.

Edited July 26, 2017 by Wild and Free

[JAG1]

'Shot Box'?

 

What do you do use it for target practice?

Edited July 26, 2017 by JAG1

[dripley]

I feel so light duty now. 

[AH64ID]

Interesting that it's just for the 48RE. The stress is enough lower on the 48RE trucks that they got a smaller u-joint than a manual trans truck. 

[TFaoro]

AFAIK the aluminum tail housing on the 48RE is much thinner than the G56 / NV5600 and as such they need support to keep it from flexing. It's not to help the transfer case, but rather the trans.

[Wild and Free]

In the description it says nothing about the tranny cracking. I am not sure mounting it to the light skidplate mount is a good idea. My skid plate mount bracket is bent up quite a bit so that would not do good things for the housings either or the entire drive line angle all the way to the engine fan. I think it would be ok if it came with a more stout mounting place.

 

Description

4WD transfer case housings on 2003 to 2007 trucks with 48RE transmissions often crack and this is typically due to the lack of support of the heavy 80 lb. transfer case. This kit has been designed to solve this problem and is easy to install. 

Edited July 26, 2017 by Wild and Free

[TFaoro]

2 hours ago, Wild and Free said:

In the description it says nothing about the tranny cracking. I am not sure mounting it to the light skidplate mount is a good idea. My skid plate mount bracket is bent up quite a bit so that would not do good things for the housings either or the entire drive line angle all the way to the engine fan. I think it would be ok if it came with a more stout mounting place.

 

Description

4WD transfer case housings on 2003 to 2007 trucks with 48RE transmissions often crack and this is typically due to the lack of support of the heavy 80 lb. transfer case. This kit has been designed to solve this problem and is easy to install. 

Weird - if that was the issue, you'd then they would need it on all trucks. The description seems inaccurate.

I thought about putting one on mine, but like you said the flimsy skid plate doesn't seem like the best place to mount it.

[Wild and Free]

OK Tyler I crawled under mine to check it out closer and you would be correct, it would be more likely to break the mounting ears off the rear of trans than anything on the t-case breaking. Full weight of the t-case and both drive lines hang off 6 studs. The cross member that the brace would mount to is the heavier one of the two so that wouldn't be an issue after looking at how the skid plate is mounted.

All in all wouldn't be a bad upgrade just for piece of mind especially if one is running in rough conditions a lot.

[Dieselfuture]

I think skid plate would be fine, it's added support, not the main one. 

[TFaoro]

2 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

I think skid plate would be fine, it's added support, not the main one. 

I would be more scared of the skid plate getting bent up and cracking the housing. I'm not sure how it mounts on a 3rd gen so I can't say for sure though. I'll have to grab a picture of how my NP271 sits

[BBHD]

This is what I ran on my Dmax. Different design for the same purpose. http://www.merchant-automotive.com/10186-Transmission-Rear-Housing-Support-Brace.aspx#productTabs1

I haven't seen any design like this for the 48RE

Edited July 27, 2017 by BBHD

[Wild and Free]

Looked it over closer and it does definitely mount to the skid plate itself. Took some pics you can see there are only 4 studs mounting t-case to trans and you can see where it could break the ears off. The mount you see is under the rear of the tranny.

 

 

[TFaoro]

21 minutes ago, Wild and Free said:

Looked it over closer and it does definitely mount to the skid plate itself. Took some pics you can see there are only 4 studs mounting t-case to trans and you can see where it could break the ears off. The mount you see is under the rear of the tranny.

 

 

There should be 6 bolts. I think there are 2 above where you can't see. Manual and auto are interchangeable (other then input shaft on T case) and mine had 6. If you plan on dragging your truck over stuff, I definitely wouldn't. If you don't off-road it hard it sure can't hurt!

Edited July 27, 2017 by TFaoro

[Wild and Free]

I thought it should have 6 as that's what they always used to have but didn't reach up to feel the top side.

 

[Killer223]

there is a bolt on the top, the 48're are known to crack the OD housing. this is designed to help eliminate that. but my early 04 with 250K still hasn't cracked, and it's worked wood cutting, towing, no jumping though.

 

[dorkweed]

Seems like an answer to a question/problem that's never been asked or arisen!!!

[Dynamic]

They break the OD housing where it bolts to the main case, not back where the transfer case attaches. I see it probably 9 or 10 times a year. Matter of fact, I have one in the shop right now that I suspect of a cracked OD housing.

 

It happens on the 3rd Gens because of the much larger 271 transfer case hanging off of it. It won't happen under normal use, typically, but if you ever lose a u-joint or carrier bearing, it will shake the back of the transfer case hard enough that the OD housing will crack, break, or even break an attaching bolt or two in some cases.

 

I don't bother with that flimsy mount thing that someone came up with. I bought one once, but was quite unimpressed. I sent it back. Good u-joint maintenance is your friend...

On 7/27/2017 at 2:29 PM, Wild and Free said:

Looked it over closer and it does definitely mount to the skid plate itself. Took some pics you can see there are only 4 studs mounting t-case to trans and you can see where it could break the ears off. The mount you see is under the rear of the tranny.

 

 

There are actually 6 studs holding the transfer case to the OD housing, but it won't break there. In fact most 3rd Gens have the transfer case corroded on there so badly, they can be quite difficult to separate. The break point is further forward, where the OD housing bolts to the case.

[Wild and Free]

Good to know will definitely keep an eye on things.