Training: While synthetic winch lines are much safer, recovery operations are still dangerous and we encourage all winch owners with steel or synthetic winch lines to attend safety and training classes from certified trainers such as: Bill Burke, Tom Severin, Bruce Elfstrom, Garrett Porter and others. See I4WDTA for more information.

Ease of Handling: Steel winch cables have a tendency to kink, rust, and have very sharp strands once nicked. They also tend to straighten by the nature of the material making them harder to spool back on the winch properly. Our synthetic winchlines have none of these problems. However, synthetic lines are more susceptible to sharp edges (bumpers in particular) and heat, but they are much stronger, safer and easier to work with.

Superior Axle does have two versions of chromoly axle shafts, the Discovery Series and the Evolution Series. The Discovery Series is their overseas model which is probably closer to 4140 than 4340, understand that it’s not a 'quality of steel' issue but a 'difference in standards', there is no true "4340" used overseas.  They call it something different and it’s close; but, not exactly the same. The Evolution Series is what we’re after, the good stuff, strong beefy home bred axle shafts made right here in L.A.  Superior’s Evolution Series chromoly axle shafts are made right here in the USA.

Instead of shipping the transfer case back to Advance Adapters, I decided to replace the input shaft myself. Replacing the input shaft myself saved time from not having to wait on shipping both ways and gave me the opportunity to write a "how-to" which will hopefully help someone out in the future.

Advance Adapters sent the 31 spline input ring assembly with the bearing and seal installed already. This eliminated the need to press out the input bearing and replacing it along with the input seal. Before the 31 spline input goes in, we obviously need to take out the 23 spline input.

The first thing I need to do was get the Atlas on a work bench and flip it upside down without damaging the breather. You can either remove it or put the Atlas on a block so it doesn't sit on the breather. You will see the the inspection cover being held on by 14 bolts. Remove these and remove the inspection cover by utilizing the pry points on each end.

Once the inspection cover is removed, you will need to remove both the front and rear cluster pin bolts then push the cluster pin out from the front while holding the cluster gear with one hand. Lift the cluster gear from the case being careful to not let the needle bearings fall out from inside the cluster gear. Once the cluster gear is set aside, remove the two thrust washers.

Once the thrust washers are set aside, remove the 6 bolts holding the input ring to the Atlas housing and remove the input ring assembly. Remove the drive gear from the input assembly by first removing the snap ring then the drive gear. Advance Adapters says this is a light press fit, but sometimes it can be pulled off by hand. Install the drive gear onto the 31 spline input assembly and make sure the snap ring is seated in correctly.