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Advance Adapters 4-Speed

Atlas Transfer Case
By Bill "BillaVista" Ansell
Photography: Bill Ansell
Copyright 2007 - Bill Ansell
(click any pic to enlarge)

Introduction
After trying for far too long to get my old Dana 20 transfer case
to live behind a healthy V8 driving a 203 doubler and spinning
42" TSL's I finally gave up. The little box served me well for
many years, but lately, as both the trails I do and my driving
style have been getting more extreme, it became obvious it
was no longer up to the task. The first time it exploded was
during my first competition - not a good start! After a re-build it
let me down again during an annual trek to Paragon -
Hillside Tire Auto frustrating and disappointing! It was time for a serious
Repair upgrade.
Minor/Major Car
Repair Service With
12 Mo/12,000 I really liked the old doubler setup for both it's extreme compound-low and also for the number of gear
Warranty. 5 SLC selections available. Downsides were it's weight and length. I didn't want to switch to just a single case as I
Shops. would lose gear-selection flexibility (particularly important for the wide variety of terrain I wheel). I also wanted
Hill id Ti
Pep Boys Brake to retain a super-low crawl ratio. And if I could save a few pounds and gain some driveshaft length in the
Service bargain that would be awesome. It was a tall order but the recently released 4-speed Atlas (Atlas-4SP) looked
Limited Time Only - like it might just be the perfect solution to my needs.
10% Off Brake
Service. Visit Pep
Boys Today!
www.PepBoys.com/Brakes

20W-50 Racing
Motor Oil
Get High Zinc
Protection with VR1. First case explosion. So much for my first competition!
Save $15 - Limited
Time Only!
valvolinevr1racingoil.com/Save

Accuracy
Automotive Utah
Honda Brake Repair
Experts
801-266-3609 in SLC
www.accuracyautosales.com

$70 Off Brake

Repairs
Get $70 Off Standard And again, the result of a hard climb. The little straight-cut
Brake Services at
Firestone. Offer Ends spur gears on the Dana20 low-range and intermediate gears
8/31! just aren't up to the task of pushing a 5000lb buggy on 42"
FirestoneCompleteAutoCare.co tires up near-vertical rocky climbs!

About the Atlas-4SP

The Atlas-4SP was designed so that users could have ultra-low gearing for rock crawling, a low gear for trail
use, and mid- and high-ranges for sand, mud, and street, all in a single, short, light, top-quality,
custom-made, brand-new package. Sweet! That's exactly what I wanted.

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Here's a look at the basic data:

CASE:
Material ....................356-T6 Heat Treated Aluminum
Weight.......................125 lbs. (dry)

INTERNAL COMPONENTS:
Gears .........................Helical Cut
Planetary Gears .......6 Gears Helical Cut
Bearings ....................Needle & Taper Rollers
Synchronizers ...........Borg Warner
Available Input Shaft Splines: 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 32, 34
Tail Shaft ..................H.D., 32 Spline,
Front Output ............32 Spline

RATIOS:
Low Range ................2.0:1, 2.72:1, & 5.44:1 or 2.72:1, 3.8:1, & 10.34:1
High Range............... 1 : 1

LUBRICATION:
Preferred: Torco GL-4 Professional Series MTF (Manual Transmission Fluid)
Optional: Castrol Syntec 5w-50, Valvoline Synthetic 20w-50 or Mobil 1 Synthetic 15w-50.
Quarts .......................Liters
2.5 ..............................2.36

LENGTH COMPARISON:
Atlas Short tail - 15”
NP 231 - 20.5"
Atlas Long tail - 17”
NP241 Rock Trac T/C - 15-1/4"
Dana 300 - 12"

The Atlas-4SP is essentially two parts cleverly combined in a single compact package - like a doubler all in
one. The first part is the planetary reduction assembly which is mated directly to the main case.

The planetary reduction assembly is a New Process Gear design - the same used in the NP241-HD transfer
case. This assembly has been rated to withstand 5,555 ft./lbs. of torque, and up to 11,000 lbs. gross vehicle
weight. It has been used in many heavy-duty vehicles including the original H1 Military Hummer and one-ton
Dodge trucks. The planetary is shifted separately from the transfer case via a cable or electronic shifter and
has a low range of 2.72:1 and a high range of 1:1. The six-planetary design makes it quiet, strong, and easy
to shift. However, the planetary is not a synchronized shift-on-the-fly design and must be operated when the
vehicle is stopped.

The main case of the 4SP is similar to the 2-speed Atlas but it does have some differences. All of the gears,
with the exception of the input gear, are the same. The front output uses all of the same parts. The rear output
shaft is different in the 4SP and different bearings are used in some spots. Both front and rear outputs are
32-spline standard. The main case of the 4SP is the same raw casting as the 2SP, but has some machining
differences to make it into a 4SP. The main case functions independently from the planetary reduction
assembly and retains all of the normal Atlas features such as: front and rear outputs controlled independently,
the “front only” option, and synchronized shift-on-the-fly design. The main case can be shifted via standard
twin-sticks or by the new cable shifters. It is available in either 2.0:1 or 3.8:1 low-range options. Combined with
the planetary reduction assembly's 2.72:1 low range the available 4SP rations are 1:1, 2.0:1, 2.72:1, & 5.44:1
or 1:1, 2.72:1, 3.8:1, & 10.34:1.

The 4SP mates directly to 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 32 and 34 spline transmission outputs. It has a circular bolt

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pattern on the front, identical to the one found in Jeep vehicles. Advance Adapters has a variety of different
adapters available to retrofit the 4SP into nearly any application. I used a combination of AA parts to fit mine
neatly behind my old 10-spline SM465 4-speed manual transmission.

The 4SP can also be custom-ordered with a dizzying array of options/configurations: CV or non-CV outputs,
yokes or flanges, speedometer or VSS tail housings, ultra-short competition tail housing, left- or right-hand
front output, cable, electric, or lever shift - the list is endless and each case is a custom unit built to your
specifications. Rather than try to list each possible option or configuration I refer you instead to the Atlas
Transfer Case Installation Guide that contains a wealth of information on everything from gear ratio options to
custom rotations to input spline configurations and adapter selection.

My Atlas-4SP
To fit my application I ordered the following:

Atlas-4SP with 1:1, 2.72:1, 3.8:1, & 10.34:1 ratios - because I wanted the lowest possible crawl ratio and
felt the 1 - 2.7 - 3.8 - and 10 to 1 ratios give the best possible range of available ratios. Think of it like this
- 1:1 for high-speed work, 2.7:1 (like a stock Jeep) for mild trails, 3.8:1 (like a normal aftermarket
low-range) for tough trails and 10:1 for crazy rock crawling!
Right-hand-side front drop to match my Chevy D60 front axle.
1350 non-CV yokes - because this is the option that comes with the correct output seal diameter to work
with High Angle Driveline's 1350 CV shafts that come with their own custom flanges.
Cable shift option - for maximum shifter-mounting flexibility, not only in this rig but in any possible future
rig. I also wanted to try the cable shifters having rowed manual-shift levers for many years.
10-spline SM465 to 23-spline Jeep transfer case adapter, originally intended for swapping an SM465 into
a Jeep - to mate the Atlas 4SP to my old 10-spline SM465.
23-spline input - to match the output of the adapter kit.

Here's what I got:

Two boxes arrived on the holiest of holy days! The large one
on the right holds the Atlas-4SP and the smaller on the left
has two more boxes inside with all the other bits in them.

Everything was well packed and well protected.

One of the smaller boxes contains the twin-stick cable shifters

and the MTF (oil) for the case.

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The other was equally well packed...

... and held the tranny to T-case adapter and the cable shifter
for the planetary reduction box.

No chances are taken with the Atlas itself - it comes

completely packed in foam.

I had to cut the box apart to get it out. Nice!

And then suddenly there it is!

View from the back. Note engraving showing that it's a

right-hand drop 4-speed Atlas.

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The green tag affixed to the rear output yoke warns the user
that the case is shipped dry and must be filled with lube
before operation.

All the threaded holes and openings are covered with or

plugged by red stoppers that keep debris out of the case
during shipping and handling.

It's really quite a work of art - even with all these pictures it's
hard to appreciate the compactness or light weight until you
see one up-close and in-person.

View from the front.

The underside of the unit showing the access cover and

blue-anodized drain plug.

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Atlas-4SP dimensions.

Atlas-4SP length with short tail housing (no speedometer)

and 32-spline 1350 non-CV yoke.

Atlas-4SP length with short tail housing (no speedometer)

and 32-spline High Angle Driveline 1350 CV flange.

The Parts

Twin-stick Cable Shifters

This is a layout of all the parts for the twin-stick cable shifters
(for shifting the main case) plus the lubricant-level sight tube
and the studs and nuts to mount the case to the transmission
adapter.

All the parts here, along with the supplied lubricant, Torco
MTF, form the kit: part no. 303009. This kit is sold with the
Atlas-4SP (included in the price) if you specify "cable shift" as
an option.

The parts key is below:

Key:

No. Quantity Part No. Description

1 1 302051 Twin-stick base mount
2 1 302060 Twin-stick shift boot
3 1 302061 Front shift knob
4 1 302062 Rear shift knob
5 1 302075 1/2" inside star washer
6 1 302080 1/2"-NC13 x 7" all-thread
7 1 303120 1/2"-NC13 serrated locknut

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8 3 303121 1/2"-NC13 jam nut

9 1 303301 Shifter body
10 1 303302 Shifter body bottom cover plate
11 1 303303 Barrel retainer plate
12 2 303304 Shifter handle
13 2 303305 Cable barrel
14 2 303306 Shift rail adapter
15 1 303307 Extension tube bracket
16 1 303308 Extension tube - 4.85" long
17 2 303309 Shifter cable - 48" long
18 1 303310 5/16" x 2-1/2" pivot shoulder bolt
19 4 303312 Shifter handle pivot bushing
20 2 303313 1/4" female Heim joint
1/4"-NC20 x 5/8" button head cap
21 3 FJ4544
screw
22 1 722523 1/4" flat washer
23 4 722542 #10 x 1/2" self-drilling screw
24 1 723141 5/16"-NC18 locknut
25 3 723731 3/8"-NC16 x 1" socket head cap screw
26 3 920026 Handle cotter pin
a1 1 301600 Sight tube kit
a2 6 302069 Atlas stud
a3 6 302071 3/8"-NF24 nut

This is the transfer case lubricant that is recommended for the

Atlas 4-SP and is supplied with unit. You're supposed to get 2
quarts if you order a regular 2-speed Atlas (capacity 2 qts)
and 3 quarts if you order a 4-speed Atlas (capacity 2.5 qts).
For some reason I only received 2 quarts with my Atlas-4SP.

The complete kit, part number 303009.

Close-up of the shift knobs.

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Close-up, parts of kit 303009.

Close-up , parts of kit 303009.

Reduction Box Cable Shifter

This shows all the parts of the cable-shift mechanism for the
planetary reduction box.

This kit, for right-hand drop cases, is sold as part no.

344020R. It is sold separately from the Atlas-4SP, presumably
because a differently priced electronic-shift kit is optionally
available.

Parts key below.

Key:

No. Quantity Part No. Description

1 1 303305 Cable barrel
2 1 303309 Shifter cable - 48" long
3 1 303121 1/2"-NC13 jam nut
4 1 303313 1/4"-NF28 female Heim joint
5 1 340517-R Cable shifter bracket
6 1 340600 Shifter housing
7 1 340601 Shifter housing mount plate
8 1 340602 Single stick boot ring
9 1 340605 Single stick boot
10 1 340607 Shift knob
11 1 340610 Barrel retainer
12 1 340611 Cable shifter handle
13 2 340612 Handle pivot bushing
14 1 340613 1/4"-NF28 ball joint
15 1 340614 Clevis pin
16 3 340615 1/4"-NC20 x 5/8" button head cap screw
17 1 340616 Cotter pin
18 3 720015 3/8" flat washer

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19 1 722523 1/4" flat washer

20 2 722542 #10 self-drilling screw
21 3 722543 1/4"-NF28 x 1" shifter housing bolt
22 3 723720 3/8"-NC16 x 3/4" bracket mounting bolt

Close-up of 4-speed reduction box shift knob, part number

340607

Adapter

This picture shows the complete adapter kit part no. 50-9808.
This kit is sold as "GM Truck 4WD 4SP Model SM465 10
Spline to Jeep NP231 23 Spline Transfer Case (short design)"

As you can tell from the name - it was originally designed to

retrofit the SM465 4-speed tranny into a Jeep.

Recall that the Atlas-4SP is only available in input splines 21,

23, 27, 29, 31, 32 and 34 - essentially NVG input spline
counts because of the NVG 6-planetary design reduction box
on the front of the Atlas 4-SP.

That's why this SM465 to Jeep 23 Spline transfer case

adapter kit is the ideal kit to fit the Atlas-4SP behind my 10-spline SM465 and is also why I ordered the
Atlas-4SP with 23-spline input.

Because I'm using it to fit an Atlas-4SP behind an SM465 as opposed to using it to fit an SM465 into a Jeep
there are a few parts I didn't use. These are identified in the parts key below.

The kit also includes a number of gaskets that aren't strictly needed (un-numbered in the pic at left) - a full
set for overhauling the SM465 - but they're nice to have in case you're rebuilding your tranny at the same
time.

Key:

No. Quantity Part No. Description

1 1 51-0404 Spacer Adapter
2 1 51-9808 Adapter casting - 5.250" long
Spud shaft 10-spline internal x 23-spline
3 1 52-9700
external
4 1 716515 Gasket (Adapter to Atlas)
5 1 716517 Gasket (SM465 to Adapter)
6 1 716729 National Seal (NOT USED)
7 1 723701 3/8"-NC16 hex nut
8 14 723704 3/8" lock washer (only 8 used)
9 1 723711 3/8"-NC16 x 2" stud

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3/8"-NC16 x 1-1/2" hex head cap screw

10 12 723723
(only 7 used)
3/8"-NC16 x 1-1/2" socket head cap screw
11 1 723740
(NOT USED)

Now, just to confuse things ever-so-slightly. This is a pic of

the spacer adapter that I used instead of the one that came
with kit 50-9808.

The spacer adapter goes between the Atlas-4SP and the

tranny-to-Atlas adapter, for reasons we shall cover shortly.
The point to be made here is that you could use the spacer
adapter that comes with the kit (part no. 51-0404, identified as
item #2 in the preceding picture).

Or, as I discovered (with the help of Vic at Advance Adapters!)

you can substitute the spacer adapter pictured at left. It is
part no. 51-8603 which normally comes with the

"Jeep AX15 5 Speed to Jeep Dana 300 Transfer Case" adapter kit (kit part no. 50-8603).

The advantages of using 51-8603 (left) instead of 51-0404 (above) is that it is 1/4" shorter and, more
importantly, has five (5) different bolt patterns drilled in it. Since this goes between the tranny adapter and the
Atlas it provides a number of different clocking options that wouldn't otherwise be available.

This picture shows the side that mates to the tranny adapter...

... and this is the side that mates to the front of the Atlas-4SP.

Close-up of part no. 52-9700, the 10-spline internal x

23-spline external spud shaft that connects the SM465's
10-spline output to the 23-spline input of the Atlas-4SP.

It is a "floating" design, mounting between transmission and

transfer case within the transmission to Atlas adapter casting.

The next four pics show the transmission-to-Atlas adapter,

part number 51-9808.

It is cast aluminum, machine finished, and measures 5.25"

long.

In this pic the the transmission would mount on the right, and
the Atlas transfer case on the left.

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Transmission side of the adapter - clearly showing the Chevy

SM465 "figure-8" bolt pattern.

Atlas side of the adapter.

The adapter includes a machined-flat bottom for mounting

along with a threaded hole (red arrow) that can be used for a
"torque control arm" (more on this later).

As you can see in this picture, the adapter's flat bottom has
four pre-drilled and threaded holes - doubtless useful for
mounting in stock vehicles for which the part was originally
designed - i.e. for when it is used to swap an SM465 into a
Jeep.

The holes are 3/8"-NC16. One pair are approximately 4.25"

apart and the other 4-7/16" apart.

I ended up not using either and fabricated a different mount

system as we shall see a little later.

A first look at the main case's twin-stick shifters

New vs. Old

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This next series of four pics shows a comparison between the

new Atlas-4SP and my old NP203/Dana 20 doubler.

The new Atlas-4SP is about 4" shorter, 70 lbs lighter, and

provides a lowest gear ratio of 10.34:1 vice 4:1 for the doubler.

The Atlas weighs 128 lbs as pictured, the old doubler setup
198 lbs!!!

It's shinier too!

Despite being shorter and lighter, comparing the relative sizes

of the main cases gives some indication of how much
stronger the Atlas will be. Not to mention that the Atlas gears
are all helical-cut as opposed to those accursed spur-cut
gears in the Dana 20.

Installing the Adapter

With the old stock Chevy adapter removed, the back of the
SM465 looks like this.

Make sure to give the mounting surface a good cleaning.

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The 10 x 23 spud shaft just slips on the SM465 output shaft.

The instructions from AA don't mention it, but I smeared a

good coating of lubricant inside the female splines before
slipping the spud shaft in place. I used good old Permatex
anti-seize - the gray"high temp" grease. I just feel that any dry
metal-to-metal contact should be avoided if possible and
there isn't a good technical reason to exclude lubricant.

The spud shaft in place on the transmission output shaft.

The adapter is held in place with seven of the twelve

3/8"-NC16 x 1-1/2" hex head cap screws (bolts) (pn 723723)
and the 3/8"-NC16 x 2" stud (pn 723711) with the 3/8"-NC16
hex nut (pn 723701).

Eight 3/8" lock washers are also used (pn 723704)

This pic illustrates why the stud is used. Due to the shape of
the adapter, the top-most hole (the one at "12 'o'clock"
doesn't have sufficient clearance for a bolt to be inserted.

Instead, the stud is inserted into the top-most hole first,

before the adapter is fitted in place. I used some blue Loctite
thread-locker on the stud before installation, as well as on all
the bolt threads.

Before fitting the adapter in place I also "glued" the gasket to

the transmission using Permatex spray-a-gasket sealant.

This is the stuff. It's just a fancy spray adhesive for holding
gaskets in place.

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Alternatively you could glue the gasket to the adapter before

installation.

Fit the adapter in place and secure with the remaining 7 bolts
and lock-washers. Use blue Loctite on the bolt threads and
tighten to approx. 30 ft/lbs.

Don't forget to install the nut on the stud, use a little Loctite
on the threads, and also tighten it to 30 ft/lbs.

The installed adapter looks like this.

This picture illustrates why the spacer adapter is required

between the adapter and the Atlas.

You can see that the tip of the spud shaft protrudes just a
fraction beyond the mounting face of the adapter. The
Atlas-4SP CAN NOT accept any kind of positive "stick-out"
like this. Installing the Atlas-4SP to any output shaft with
positive stick-out will cause the shaft to bottom out in the
Atlas input and damage the transfer case.

Many other transmissions and/or adapters also have positive

stick-out and, in most cases, any required spacer adapter can
be obtained free from AA when the Atlas is purchased.

Preparing the Atlas-4SP for installation

The Atlas-4SP is not shipped completely ready to be installed. You must Sources: complete final assembly on the
bench , and also fill it with lubricant before installing it. It's also a good idea to test and adjust the shifters
before installation too. Advance Adapters
(805) 238-7000 / (800) 350-2223
The supplied instructions are quite good in that they are thorough and cover everything. That said, they could
http://www.advanceadapters.com
certainly use a little improvement as you actually have to jump sales@advanceadapters.com
back-and forth between four different
instruction books/sheets, and do so in a seemingly random order. Also, most of the included pictures (and
there aren't very many) are fairly small, black&white, and quite fuzzy. High Angle Driveline
(530) 877-2875
No matter - I will now outline for you in complete detail (some might say painful detail!) every step of the
http://www.highangledriveline.com
process, in order. Of course, it's entirely possible to do things successfully in a different order - mine is not the
forwhlr@saber.net
only way (as my boss is fond of reminding me!). However, if you proceed in this order at least you know you
won't go wrong or miss anything. I know this because along the way,Roark as is my
Fabusual
Workshabit, I pretty much
screwed up anything and everything that could be screwed(606) up - 286-0681
but at least I can(606)
/ Fax: help 286-0482
you avoid any pitfalls.
http://www.roarkfabworks.org

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