proper use of crawler gears?

7236 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by coachgeo, Mar 6, 2005

Daniel/Maryland

Discussion Starter · Feb 26, 2005

In the manual it states that crawler gears should not be used for "high traction efforts", but they don't get specific. I also remember reading of a driver blowing a crawler gear while in a steep climb.

If I interpret this correctly, the crawler gears must have been designed to move the vehicle slowly for light implement or field use, i.e. driverless while loading a hay wagon. While they might be good for climbing over very rough or rocky terrain ( smooth it out), it looks like they would have very limited use. You should not for example try to pull out another stuck truck or make a steep climb. It seems like you could do just as well offroad without them.

My question is how fragile are the small crawler gears and how do others use them? Do you use them to drive over a large obstacle where you would have to get on the accelerator?

I have noticed that the seem to be a desireable add on option for many that don't have them, I wonder why?

Daniel

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Mogasaurus

· #2 · Feb 27, 2005

I think their idea of high tractive effort is pulling a 500 ton set of railway cars from a standing start. That's what they designed the optional torque converter to do.

Which range are you referring to ? The super low gear set is completely worthless for driving - even over the roughest terrain. It's so low you hardly even move the vehicle - it's something like 4000:1. I think I remember someone telling me the super lows are worm gears and would break with excessive torque.

Now the intermediate set is great. 1st gear at 1000 RPM is about quarter walking speed. Even in nasty rocks I hardly ever use 1st. 2nd or 3rd is fine for most situations. Unless you're climbing ledges on slickrock, fully loaded to max vehicle weight and towing a loaded trailer, I don't think you can break that part of the transmission.

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Daniel/Maryland

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 27, 2005

Thanks Mogasaurus! That was the answer I was looking for.

By the way, I was corn rasied in northern Illinois, in a little town 60 miles south of Chicago. I have a bunch of family in south central Illinois too.
Daniel

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Mogasaurus

· #4 · Feb 27, 2005

I'm up in the north central end of the state, near Rockford. I've never used the lowest range in my truck. There's a pin that's been added to keep the cascade range lever from engaging super-crawler. Having driven trails in crawler, I know you'd never *really* need it besides showing the local pick-me-up drivers (or Deere drivers) the real meaning of compound low.

The factory "official" name for the gear groups on a 6 speed 406/416 is:

* Intermediate. The main box w/ cascade lever engaged. The six "in-between" ratios.

* Crawler. The next range down in main box 1st through 4th. 5th & 6th are locked out.

* Super Crawler. The lowest range with the main box in 1st through 4th. 5th & 6th are locked out.

In the newer SBU's, they changed the terminology to "working" for the mid range and "crawler" for the lowest range.

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Brent

· #5 · Mar 6, 2005

I have the crawler gears on my Mog too. Last fall in Moab I nver had to use them at all. I think the regular first gear is like 80:1 anyway which is pretty ideal for even nasty rock crawling. The torque of the 352 along with 80:1 gearing is plenty. I crawled it right up some really steep stuff in front of a group of H2's, they just stood in amazement with their jaws on the floor. Gotta love the Mog[

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coachgeo

· #6 · Mar 6, 2005

Brent - 3/6/2005 11:05 AM

I have the crawler gears on my Mog too. .. H2's, they just stood in amazement with their jaws on the floor. Gotta love the Mog[]

Howdy Brent. Glad to see ya hobnobbing in our little Mog world. Pop in more often.

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