NP203 ?'s -concerning doubler and availability

[mando jake]

Does a NP203 shift from hi to lo on the go? I'm collecting parts for a doubler, and just thought I should ask instead of finding out it doesn't the hard way. Also, I'm finding several divorced 203's. I've heard that Ed (75F350) was working on using one of these for a doubler. Anyone had any breakthroughs with them? I found a married 203 for $150. A little steep for me, but its the only one I know of. Weren't these mostly in Broncos in the late 70's?

[mando jake]

I found this post on this site. I'm wondering if the highlighted section would still be true if I were just using the hi/lo rangebox for a gear reducer in front of my 205. I'm thinking that it would. I was hoping that I could shift through it like transmission gears, but they have sychros for that. Right?
I'd really like to hear from someone who has driven a truck with a 203, and experimented with the shifting. I think a lot of people's problems with shifting T cases is worn out shifter linkage.

Here is what the 1975 owners manual says in a nutshell:
HI to HI LOCK- Shift from HI to HI LOCK can be made while

truck is in motion.
HI LOCK to HI- Shift from HI LOCK to HI can be made while

truck is in motion.
HI to LO- Truck must be stopped or moving less than 3 MPH.

Shift automatic tranny to N, shift from HI to LO. If

resistance or blockage is noticed, return to HI, place auto

tranny in D and move truck forward. Then shift auto tranny

back to N and repeat above process.
LO to LO LOCK- Shift from LO to LO LOCK can be made while

truck is in motion.
LO LOCK to LO- Shift can be made while truck is in motion.
LO to HI- Stop vehicle, place auto tranny in N. Shift from LO

to HI. When the HI position is reached and before the shift is

completed, a slight resistance will be noticed. The shift

lever should be moved through this resistance to complete the

shift.
If during the shift, resistance or blockage is noticed other

than the slight resistance before completing the HI shift,

return the transfer case shift lever to the LO position. Put

the auto tranny in D and move truck forward. Then shift the

auto tranny back to N and repeat above process.

[75F350]

The hi to low range selection is a massive gear change, and it is not synchronozed, therefore a change cant be made from one to the other without coming to a complete stop. Well almost a complete stop. I can grab low range while rolling, but thats about it.
I have been doing a few miles per hour and engaged hi range, and while this was much faster than trying to engage low range, it was still only a few miles per hour.
Remember that the only thing you are using for a doubler is the range box section, so anything you get from the manual, can be thrown out of the window. It does not apply once you split the case, and attach it to a 205.
Here is something that is sort of cool though, you will undoubtedly be upgrading the 205 to a twin stick, so as far as the 205 is concerned, you can engage either front or rear output in any range as long as the opposite output is already in that range.
IN other words, if you are cruising in low range (205) rear output only, and you are at a decent speed, you can engage the front end without coming to a stop. As long as the tires are not spinning wildly, you can engage, the front output into low range, and the same is true for high range, as long as the opposite side is already in that range.
Real neat when cruising tight trails.
Now, the 205 can also be engaged into low range at a slow speed, but because of the gear reduction, it will require alomost a complete stop to do so.
The same is true for the doubler range box and hi low selection.