Building An NP 205 Transfer Case Cradle
By James Oxley
Anyone who
has ever had to remove, install, or even just move around a NP 205 transfer case knows how
heavy they are. I’d estimate easily over 100 lbs. It is easy enough usually to get
one jack under the bottom of theTC, but getting something to hold up the angled end that
mounts to the tranny is very difficult. I was tired of fighting the TC trying
to get it back into the truck, so I decided to make a cradle that would hold the TC in the
position it sits when installed in the truck. I ended up taking a couple quick
measurements, buying/making the parts and tac welding it together while the parts were
snugged up against the TC. Two standard floor jacks are used without the jack cradles.
These are the parts I used.
1. Plate, Passenger side, 9-3/4 X 6 X 1/4
2. Plate, bottom, 5 X 6 X 1/4
3. Plate, Drivers side, 5 X 6 X 1/4
4. Angle iron, back 13.5L X 1 X 1 X
1/8
5. Angle iron , front, 3 parts. 3.5 X 1 X 1
X 1/8
6. Pipe, 1 Dia X 1
7. Pipe, 1 DIa X 7.5
8. Pipe 1-1/4 X 3
Here is how it goes together. Front View
Top view
Bottom view
Angle view
And here it is in action.
A couple of notes;
1. You have to stagger front to back where each jack is going to end up
raising the cradle (where pipes are welded on). The jack wheels end up too close together
and interfere with each other otherwise. I staggered the passenger side jack point behind
the lower jack point. I recommend putting the passenger side jack point ahead of the lower
jack point. Doing it this way will balance the TC better. I still need at least a
small amount of pressure to keep the adapter tube up when installing TC or TC wants to
roll over forward.
2. Keep in mind drain plug when welding on rear angle iron support.
3. 3 front supports need to be welded on forward (1/2 on-1/2 off) of the
supporting plates. It is best to check these by pre-fitting cradle as TC crossmember
is right in this location.
4. Larger short tube is welded over smaller long tube to keep tube from
sliding through hole in upper part of most floor jacks. If your floor jacks have the upper
support pin right under this hole, that outer tube may not be necessary.
I was able to remove my NP 205 by myself with
this tool. With the help of a friend, it was raised, in place and bolts started in all of
4 minutes. Much better than the half hour (min) of struggling and usually one busted
knuckle/head that I had to endure in the past 🙂
James
Oxley
