Any broken 231 TeraLows taking up garage space??

[cbassett]

Hey folks,

A few of you have posted recently about killing your 231 Tera Low. I'm wondering if you did so out of warranty, and also whether or not you hung onto what's left of it? If it's just taking space in your garage, mind to kick it my way?

[dwells]

Chris, not sure if it's the deal you're looking for but someone was selling a few of them recently for ~$700. New in box. On JU's forsale board.

Dave

[Jim M]

I may have access to a new unit, in the box, setup for a 23 spline AT application. The price will be resonable. Interested?

[cbassett]

Hey guys,
thanks for the responses.
A friend of mine blew his up this weekend. We managed to hob it back together, and he's driving his rig today. Due to the suspect craftsmanship in the area where his failed, I'm suspecting this is a popular mode of failure. I'm hoping to find some folks with busted TeraLows laying around that I can collect in for spares if my friend's detonates again.

Jim, I'm interested, if the price is within my means (very, very tight right now). Care to email me?

Thanks,

Chris

[Joe Dillard]

Chris,

I wheeled with a guy this past weekend that has one & I think he wants to get rid of it, but I'm not sure. He mentioned that he had it in his garage for ~6-7 months before he installed it. Wheeled it for awhile & then had troubles with it. Tera wouldn't warranty it even though it was "installed" for less than a year.

The guy wheels with the Orange County 4 Play club. I'll try to get ahold of him if you are interested. Let me know.

[cbassett]

Sure, thanks Joe!

[Robert J. Yates]

Chris,
Mind cluing us into the failed part(s)?

My original unit took a dump (the freezeplug on the input shaft was not correctly installed which led to my automatic sucking all the ATF out of the t-case through the shaft) but it was replaced. I am also aware of another unit that failed but with a different problem - the case was not milled correctly and ATF was actually bleeding out of the metal).

I have had no problems with my replacement unit and neither has the person with the other Teralow so I am curious what makes you comment on the design leading to repeated faliure of a particular part. I know that these things blow up on ocassion but everytime I read of it - it always seems to be something different.

[cbassett]

The casing for the planetary gears is held together with welds on the the outside of the posts, as well as rosette welds at the top and bottom of the posts. The rosettes were shoddy at best, and the side welds had hardly any penetration.

Pics didn't turn out, and we got the case back in the Jeep already.

Good news is this is the first time his case never whined, since rebuilding the planetaries and putting real welds on their casing.

[cbassett]

I was wrong, found some pics that did turn out.

http://home.off-road.com/~bassettsbe...eralow/kaboom/


The dowel-end portion of the square posts are rosette welded in holes in the flat plates. You'll see in these pics, particularly teralow5.jpg, there's little to no sign of welding on them.
Also note the shoddy side welds.

[Robert J. Yates]

Thanx Chris.
Those are some ugly welds - seems to confirm something I have often thought to be the case with these units - Tera has really poor quality control. The 2 units that I am familiar with that had problems certainly could have been avoided with better Q/C.

[Joe Dillard]

Chris,

I tried to call him, but there was no answer or answer machine, so I emailed him at his CORVA email address (he's the Southern Regional Director). As soon as I get word, I'll pass info to you.

[Chris L]

I will most likely being seeing bassett at the end of july. If this deal happens and it needs to be transported, let me know. Save on the shipping cost.

[Joe Dillard]

Sorry for the delay, but I haven't recieved an answer back from the email I sent last week. I called the California Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), Fullerton office again & nobody picked up the phone.

I'll try emailing Dale again.

[cbassett]

Thanks Joe, I appreciate it.

[Joe Dillard]

Chris,

Sorry for the delay about getting an answer about this to you. I just recieved word from Dale. He's had some comms troubles.

Here's what he said about it:

Yes, I do have an np231 with Terra-low. I do plan to reinstall the original planetary set (which is still good) and have the t-case
rebuilt for a spare. It already has the JB Conversions 241 short shaft kit in it. The 4:1 kit planetary gears are splattered very
badly and are totally worthless. I am still trying to pressure Tera Mfg into coughing up some bucks.

We were very happy to have had you along on the trip. You are welcome anytime! Glad you enjoyed it.

Dale

To make a short story long, he's not looking to get rid of it yet. Hopefully someone else will chime-in with some better news.

BTT for ya'.

[cbassett]

Thanks for getting back to me Joe!

Jim M hooked me up!!