Changing drops on an Atlas

RebelRider · Jul 9, 2018

I have an Atlas 4.3 that I'm wanting to switch from a passenger drop, to a drivers drop. Has anyone done it? Is it more cost effective than selling and buying an entirely new case? I've had it apart and there isn't much to the case.

offroadman83 · Jul 9, 2018

8mm

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1TONTJ · Jul 11, 2018

Is it the newer universal case or the older style? The new ones can be easily swapped but the older ones require a new housing. Either way it's an easy job.

RebelRider · Jul 12, 2018

1TONTJ said:
Is it the newer universal case or the older style? The new ones can be easily swapped but the older ones require a new housing. Either way it's an easy job.

I'd imagine it's the older style case. How is that determined? Apparently Advance Adapters aren't a big fan of people swapping them. Every vendor I talk to tries to tell me it's not worth the swap and won't give me a price on the empty case. Always with a lack of details why.....

wizzo · Jul 12, 2018

Buddy of mine did it on one. I think by it was all said and done, he wished he had just sold what he had and found another. Not that it's difficult. Just getting the parts etc. was a pain.

RebelRider · Jul 12, 2018

wizzo said:
Buddy of mine did it on one. I think by it was all said and done, he wished he had just sold what he had and found another. Not that it's difficult. Just getting the parts etc. was a pain.

The way I look at it is, replacing the entire case would cost well over $3k. I haven't checked the market on what used Atlas' are going for, but the parts cost would have to be substantial to go that route. I've had the case apart, and it's relatively easy compared to OEM cases.

wizzo · Jul 12, 2018

I would suggest at least looking at the market. Atlas TC's usually hold their value pretty well. And as long as you're not trying to buy new, you should be able to sell yours and pick up another used and it would be some what of a wash.

redneckengineered · Jul 12, 2018

If you don't know if you have an old style vs new style case this may not be the project for you. For starters the casting on the old style cases are different left to right so it's actually not even possible. If you have a new case, they were designed from the factory to be universal whether left or right drop. This was to achieve cost savings and efficiencies at AA not to make it simple for the guys like us to swap sides. The Atlas is an advanced case, it's not like taking apart a 205. I did a tail housing swap on one years ago and it was terrible. A brand new Atlas is around $2400 delivered and I see them going in the used market all day for around $1800-2k depending on condition.

RebelRider · Jul 12, 2018

redneckengineered said:
If you don't know if you have an old style vs new style case this may not be the project for you. For starters the casting on the old style cases are different left to right so it's actually not even possible.

Since I've been out of the market for the atlas cases since I put mine together, I was not aware that they went to a universal case. How can you determine what I'm capable of from just that?

Yes, I know the case will not switch over. That's why I've been in contact with vendors pricing a drivers side empty case.

Maybe I didn't go into enough detail on my original post, but thanks for letting me know my skill level.

EddieHall · Jul 13, 2018

I called advance while back and they say same thing better off selling

1TONTJ · Jul 13, 2018

RebelRider said:
I'd imagine it's the older style case. How is that determined? Apparently Advance Adapters aren't a big fan of people swapping them. Every vendor I talk to tries to tell me it's not worth the swap and won't give me a price on the empty case. Always with a lack of details why.....

Redneckengineered already covered it but yes, its obvious when you look at the cases. Mainly, the bolt holes are symmetric on either side/end of the case. I guess now that they aren't making the old style cases, it's pretty much impossible to swap an older one over unless you happened upon a used empty case.

redneckengineered · Jul 20, 2018

I looked all over for this and finally found it on a backup! This is my shop, circa 2005 doing a tailhousing swap on a brand new Atlas. Good times.

edit: This whole picture is just great. Blown apart new Atlas, time stamp on the picture, Nokia phone. Amazing.

slravenel · Jul 20, 2018

redneckengineered said:
I looked all over for this and finally found it on a backup! This is my shop, circa 2005 doing a tailhousing swap on a brand new Atlas. Good times.

edit: This whole picture is just great. Blown apart new Atlas, time stamp on the picture, Nokia phone. Amazing.

and only 1/3 of the **** on the table is Atlas parts :stir: