Anonymous
Unregistered
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I've been considering the twin stick shifter for awhile now. I was going to go with the FROR version, but now Marlin has one too. Looking at the pictures and such, I am sort of leaning towards Marlin's version.
Any opinions out there. Who is running which and what are your thoughts?
Many thanks!
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DirtyHarry
Toyota Moderator
Reged: 11/15/00
Posts: 4192
Loc: Rapid City/Albuquerque/Reno
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I have the FROR model, I like that it is rebuildable and comes apart. I bought it before Marlin's came out. Marlin's looks nice also and it includes the gaskets and boot for the same price as the FROR twin stick costs for just the stick.
Did this help you?  Basically you cannot go wrong with either of them, they are both well made items.
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Harry Wagner
Harry Situations
4x4Wire's Toyota Section
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Just to the shift rail mod, about 5 minutes on a grinder and $0! 
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DirtyHarry
Toyota Moderator
Reged: 11/15/00
Posts: 4192
Loc: Rapid City/Albuquerque/Reno
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Toaster, is that you?
Tell me more about this "shift rail mod". Do you have to pull the t-case out and partially disassemble to do this or just modify the shifter?
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Harry Wagner
Harry Situations
4x4Wire's Toyota Section
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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he might be talking about what TNtoy did with his transfer case. you need to take it somewhat apart to get the shifter forks out,grind a bit,then you can move your shifter wherever you want it to be.doing this you can run 2low,but the downfall is that you have a floating shifter. it would always kinda be bouncing around or you would need to sit there and find what gear ya need
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Dirty Harry, could you explain the "comes apart and is rebuildable bit" a bit more? To me, the Marlin piece seems a bit more solid and, as you say, comes complete for the same price.
Is there much of a reason to disassemble it?
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bkg
Roll Me Over
Reged: 02/15/01
Posts: 3935
Loc: Minnesota
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Quote:
Is there much of a reason to disassemble it?
Probably not - I've had mine apart a few times just to check it out. Brian makes nice stuff. And frankly, in my opinion, Marlin is selling a re-baded FRORF unit (looks basically identical).
I've had Brian's for years now - I think one of the first pre-production units. Love it. Will never go back.
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Brian K. Gallus
I have nothing important to say.
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Red_Chili
Toyota Section Staffer
Reged: 08/24/01
Posts: 5986
Loc: Littleton, CO
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I fully endorse Brian's products and believe he does some of the very best work out there. Having said that, and having seen Marlin's shifter first hand (in Marlin's hands no less) I would have to say Marlin's is the next generation of twin sticks, its much better, and a different design. Not that Brian's fails to work, nor is anything but configurable (by bending the shifters one can fit it into the little pocket in the center console), but I have had a buzzy jingle from it that just about makes my head explode after about an hour on the highway. I'm ready to go back to stock. I would go with Marlin's, it won't rattle like FROR's. Brian's is more primitive.
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-Bill
'87 4Runner w/ '96 5VZ-FE, 'Red Chili II'
'97 Taco XtraCab 3RZ-FE, 'BlackBean'
TLCA # 13257, Rising Sun 4x4 Club Land Use Coordinator
"He who stops being better stops being good." -Oliver Cromwell
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DirtyHarry
Toyota Moderator
Reged: 11/15/00
Posts: 4192
Loc: Rapid City/Albuquerque/Reno
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Actually Brian I do not think that they are that similar. I mean there are only so many ways that you can make a twin stick but FROR's until is bolted together and you can completely disassemble it. You might want to try doing this Bill and see if you can eliminate your rattle.
I couldn't find any good pictures but you can see the socket head cap screws and rubber seal on the FROR twin stick in the picture below.
Marlin's unit has a one piece base and the shift rods do not go straight up through the base like the stock and FROR unit. I am not sure if this is better or worse, but the FROR twin stick seems simpler to me.
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Harry Wagner
Harry Situations
4x4Wire's Toyota Section
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Red_Chili
Toyota Section Staffer
Reged: 08/24/01
Posts: 5986
Loc: Littleton, CO
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Quote:
... You might want to try doing this Bill and see if you can eliminate your rattle.
I couldn't find any good pictures but you can see the socket head cap screws and rubber seal on the FROR twin stick in the picture below.
Marlin's unit has a one piece base and the shift rods do not go straight up through the base like the stock and FROR unit. I am not sure if this is better or worse, but the FROR twin stick seems simpler to me.
Might try doing what? I've had it apart, put in rubber fuel line fore-n-aft of the pivot, tightened it, you name it. The shifter (particularly the right one) just jingles on the shift rail. I can hold it just off the rail and it stops, or I can bury it under a coat so I don't hear it, but nothing works.
The FROR is simple, basically a bolt through the pivot tubing in the welded together shifters, but Marlin's uses O-rings and bushings and completely seals the shifter opening (with a metal cover rather than a thin shifter boot under the cosmetic boot). I've not used it, but Marlin knew exactly what I was talking about when I whined about the jingle and said his would not do it. He *did* suggest using a wavy washer or two to hold the shifters ultra tight, I suppose I should grind on them for clearance and try it, but at this point I am wondering if I really really need a twin stick so badly as to mess with it.
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-Bill
'87 4Runner w/ '96 5VZ-FE, 'Red Chili II'
'97 Taco XtraCab 3RZ-FE, 'BlackBean'
TLCA # 13257, Rising Sun 4x4 Club Land Use Coordinator
"He who stops being better stops being good." -Oliver Cromwell
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