Official Crawlbox BS thread!

So I've been reading through this thread trying to get caught up. But I'm potentially up against a time crunch. Just got an email from Marlin that the tacobox is back in stock. I venture it won't stay that way for long though... I've seen some of the gripes about TG, but also posts like above (positive). For me the Marlin Tacobox is $3300 + shipping. The TG is $2578. NWF's offering is harder to calculate as I need to source more donor parts.

So in short is the tacobox worth almost $1K more? If not, then I don't have to rush to get the TB. I know everyone has an opinion, and it's not quite a question with a definitive answer. But just looking for advice. Thanks!

Current Truck specs: 05 Automatic. Locked Frt and Rear. On 37's soon to be 38's. Planning to get an FJ TC to move away from the elec knob.

 

Lowest ratio you can go equipped with a NWF case is 6.60:1 (both chain 2.57 tcases combined)
Lowest ration you can go equipped with a MC or TG Doubler is 12.0:1 (both chain and Gear 4.7 tcases combined)

Both have pros and cons. Recommend checking out Grimm Jeeper gearing calculator to see what your final crawl ratio is with tires, etc. Will give you a better idea of what you want.
http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

 

Between NWF and Marlin/TG, it's really a question of do you want to go slow, or really slow. Between Marlin and TG, I think Marlin has generally been considered the higher quality product. Is it worth $1k more? Meh. NWF is a top notch product, it's just the gearing tradeoff you need to consider. FWIW, I ran the Marlin case for 3 years, and just swapped it out last year for an NWF box. So far I don't miss the lower gearing.

You're just down in Woodland Park, so I'd offer to let you drive mine so you can check out the dual 2.57s, but I probably wouldn't be able to meet up till the first weekend in May.

 

I have 2 crawlboxes from TG for 2yrs now and they've been just fine.
TG was great in answering all my questions and getting me any parts and things I needed.

 

Hopefully I catch up with you at sometime on the trails this summer! Would love to check it out in person.

 

I will say 12:1 is not needed a ton. However I used it on a few spots on the rubicon and what was originally sketchy was so much smoother with that ratio and I was very happy to have it. That being said 90% of the trail I did in the gear case (4.7:1) as 12:1 is just too slow. So really it depends on how you plan to use your rig. Hard trails? Possible consider marlin/TG. Not so hard NWF should fit your needs. I’m terms of marlin vs TG. Go Marlin, it’s a better design. Almost everyone here with TG went that route because Marlin was unavailable for so long. They seem to be doing better with keeping the taco box on the shelf this past year.

good luck.

 

I do a decent mix of trails out here in Colorado. This year I do plan to tackle some of the harder trails, to get my experience up. Summer 2024 is when I plan to run the Rubicon, and Fordyce, and would like to be running a T-Case by then. I'm kind of looking at the TG and Marlin from a point of diminishing returns with the Tacobox being $1k more. If the tacobox will continue to pop up in availability every 4-5 months though, I feel comfortable waiting (and researching), just hear alot about them being in short supply.

 

What local trails have you done with both? How'd they fare?

 

Yeah I get what you’re saying. I did the rubicon with out a crawl box then with it and it was so much more enjoyable haha.
I built my TG with pretty much all marlin stuff. But I think either way they both get the job done

 

Funny enough, NWF figured out that the Marlin/Sumo 23 spline stuff does not match OEM 23 spline like TG’s gears do. @Kerleyfries had to have NWF machine his Sumo 23 spline input to fit the NWF crawlbox output. They told him that Sumo/Marlin don’t fit their adapter that was modeled on OEM 23 spline, but TG gears fit fine.

 

If you're willing to put in the work for a flat belly, being able to clock the rear case is a huge plus to the NWF that you can't do with the others.

And it doesn't leak a drop.

 

Are you done with your flat belly? That is a HUGE benefit

 

Pretty much as flat as you can get.

I clocked the case the full amount and remade the trans crossmember. Also raised the gas tank. It made a huge improvement in breakover angle.

 

Ah that’s sweet

 

FYP

 

If you go swap to an FJ t-case then you just use the internals from your factory for the NWF box and you’re done. An FJ t-case can be had for like $400, so just figure you’re buying that at the same time as NWF box.

I just got a box from them for my runner build and it showed up in 7 weeks I think? Vs. the 8-10 week lead time they quoted. And they’ve been fucking awesome to deal with and even helped me out by sending me some free oil seal rings that I broke.

 

Which is fucking insane to me that Marlin just decided to build their gears larger, but whatever. NWF is top notch for doing that for free and covering the shipping. I offered to pay but they wouldn’t let me.

FWIW, stock 23 spline and TG are identical and will work with NWF stuff. Marlin, sumo, and one other company are confirmed to not work with NWF’s shafts without machining.

 

Man I want one of those so bad, at the moment sourcing a cracked t case to retrieve the donor parts

 

Maybe they're getting a little harder to find, but I bought a good condition 3rd gen 4R case for $150 to gut.

 

I have a few trucks with 4.7 duals. I'm in littleton if you ever want to try.
I will say, if I did have an automatic I would lean to the NWF, that would be a nice final ratio. @Squeaky Penguin did impress me in Moab with his NWF box on some nice climbs. Flat belly is nice for a long wheelbase.