Aluminum Transfer cover ?

[50 wulf]

I purchased the rights to produce the Wootz transfer case pan. I'm still trying to find an economical way to produce them but right now the casting mold is going to cost $5000. I'll keep the group posted when I get closer to production.

Very interesting. Would be curious about the back story to this. Seemed to be an in demand product, relatively speaking. Curious what the reason was for production being ceased originally. I was looking for one just after the supply dried up (as is usually my case...). I ended up with the standard Roverdrive one, which seems to do just fine. But I would purchase one if you bring it back.

The company I'm with does quite a bit of business with casting companies (foundries), albeit not much in aluminum. Currently most domestic foundries (at least for cast iron) are operating at or over capacity and most are turning away new work. That said, red board tooling (temp) tooling needed to sandcast these shouldn't cost that much and depending on the volume could be produced by a job shop foundry without too much cost. But some post cast machining would be needed with any casting technique with the possible exception of die casting, which would be prohibitively expensive for small volumes.

Edit:
I am curious though, has anyone ever actually burned a bearing up in their transfer case using just the standard cover? I've never personally heard of it.

[dporter110]

The foundry that was casting the original pans changed hands and the tooling was disposed of. The gentleman that was making them decided not to reinvest in the tooling due to increased cost. I do have 3d models and I'm currently looking for someone that can give me a reasonable price to produce these. Like everything else in our economy the production costs have risen and I'm not sure that I can produce them cheaply enough to be able to sell at an affordable price. I purchased two of the originals and wish I had purchased more. The originals are very high quality and I want to keep that standard.

[loose gravel]

Can they be 3D printed?

[8745jack]

I think he’s talking about a plastic prototype
I’m sure metal 3d printing is possible as this isn’t a complex part but the price of such unit would be very high

[MilesBFree]

3D printing could be used with sand casting - make the mold pattern and core of plastic and then use those with sand casting. Mill the mating surface flat and away you go!

Edit: the core would need to be made from something that resists heat but that could be made from a negative that is 3D printed and then sand cast itself? Or made lost wax molds by 3D printing and use in sand casting

[MilesBFree]

And I might be in the market for one - I just missed out on the last one Ike had.

[Yorker]

Since you don't have any mold made yet is there any way the design might be improved upon? Maybe a boss for a temperature sensor or something?

[SafeAirOne]

Since you don't have any mold made yet is there any way the design might be improved upon? Maybe a boss for a temperature sensor or something?

Ooh…that’d be perfect to double as a dipstick port if not using a temp sensor, presuming the boss is far enough below the full oil level line (but not so low as to be vulnerable to damage).

[loose gravel]

Ooh…that’d be perfect to double as a dipstick port if not using a temp sensor, presuming the boss is far enough below the full oil level line (but not so low as to be vulnerable to damage).

Going from brand new why not both?

[Yorker]

How much capacity did the Wootz pan add? A liter? Two?


With all the people on here brainstorming it seems like we could definitely make the Wootz even better. Right?

[loose gravel]

Would you need a dipstick? Could you put in a sightglass window ala motorcycles?

[series guy]

I would prefer less potential leak points.

[SafeAirOne]

I would prefer less potential leak points.

If I were designing something new, I'd probably just have 2 flat bosses that the end user could drill and tap to suit their desires. Or not.

Would you need a dipstick? Could you put in a sightglass window ala motorcycles?

Well...The older I get, the harder it gets to get down on the ground and crawl around. Getting up is even less graceful, so I'd probably go the dipstick route. Specifically one that uses a dipstick tube that could double as the filler tube, automatic transmission-style. This way I could check and service it from the cab. Could be as simple as a street elbow screwed into the side of the reservoir, below the full oil line, with a nipple going up from there.

[RustCollector]

I bet a Roamerdrive dipstick could be made to work. But, it's not big enough to refill through without a very small funnel.

[MilesBFree]

See what you have in the kitchen by way of funnels, preferably when the wife has given you the opportunity to use the parts washer aka dishwasher by going out for the afternoon