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Petroworks 2WD Low Option with Bill Johnston
You are driving down the trail in 2wd, nothing tough yet, you haven’t even locked the front hubs… coming around a corner you are confronted with a hill that you KNOW is going to be tough in high range. You know you could make it in 4wd, especially with the new locker you put in the rear last weekend, but do you really want to get out and lock the hubs? That lower range would be really nice right about now. As the crowd gathers behind you waiting to see if you are going to break down and use 4wd, you shift the transfer case into 2wd LOW and climb the hill without a problem.
Your stock shift pattern doesn’t have a 2wd low position? Aaaahhh! Time to see the guys at Petroworks for the upgrade that will change your way of driving.
The best time to do this shift pattern conversion is when you already have the transfer case apart for maintenance. This case needed some new teeth on a couple of gears, so we did the conversion while putting it all back together.
The only component that needs to be reworked is the small shift fork. There is a little grinding and a little welding to be done, but it has to be done right. The fork on the left side of both photos show the converted component, the fork on the right of each photo is the stock version. 
Check out the diagram that comes from Petroworks for the appropriate changes. While it is possible to do the upgrade on your own, it is much easier to let someone else do the grinding and welding needed to re-engineer the shift fork for this application. Petroworks has had this component available for over five years now with over 600 units out on the road. They also offer this conversion (free of charge) to any customer that buys a GRSI or GRSII transfer case from them. Gary Munck, owner of Petroworks, says that (to date) they have only built two of those transfer cases without the 2wd Low conversion. 
If you are comfortable about replacing the fork yourself, this is the way to go. If you have any doubts, take it to a reputable 4wd shop or get a case that is set up from Petroworks. This is not the kind of project you want to ‘practice’ on… But when it comes out right, you can amaze your friends and make the unknowing cock their heads like puppydogs when you walk through an obstacle in 2wd!
Source:
Petroworks(800) 952-8915
08/11/10 15:13
