Notices
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Dentsides Ford Truck
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Moser

np203 vs np205

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 8, 2013 | 11:29 AM
  #1  
swampthang's Avatar
swampthang
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
np203 vs np205

I have a np203 in my 76 highboy and it does fine for everyday use but I really would like to swap it out for a np205. The lack of 2wd kind of sucks at times. No big smokey burn outs and I'm sure that being in 4wd all the time has to lower my fuel mileage as well. I know the 203 is chain drive and that you can take parts from a 203 and add tem to a 205 and build an awesome tcase. I wouldn't mind building my truck up to tow better and maybe even take it to some truck pulls. What are your opinions on the 2 tcases?
 
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2013 | 12:04 PM
  #2  
Scifi266's Avatar
Scifi266
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 362
Likes: 1
if you have a 76 highboy it should be a divorced setup with the 205. If you have the and f100 4x4 then you would have the married 203. With the 203 you are only in 4 wheel drive when you have the hubs locked so you shouldn't see an insane decrease in mpg. most of what i have seen with the 203 and 205 is people stacking them together for some insanely lower gears for crawling.
 
Reply
Old Sep 8, 2013 | 07:11 PM
  #3  
swampthang's Avatar
swampthang
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Scifi266
if you have a 76 highboy it should be a divorced setup with the 205. If you have the and f100 4x4 then you would have the married 203. With the 203 you are only in 4 wheel drive when you have the hubs locked so you shouldn't see an insane decrease in mpg. most of what i have seen with the 203 and 205 is people stacking them together for some insanely lower gears for crawling.

That's a negatory ghostrider. You can have a highboy with a divorced 205 or 203. F100's had a Dana 21 tcase that is one speed. If you have a full time tcase (np203) you would not have manual hubs.
 
Reply
Old Sep 9, 2013 | 01:00 AM
  #4  
jgavac's Avatar
jgavac
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 32
From: Lost In a Pit of Despair
Originally Posted by swampthang
That's a negatory ghostrider. You can have a highboy with a divorced 205 or 203. F100's had a Dana 21 tcase that is one speed. If you have a full time tcase (np203) you would not have manual hubs.
IIRC, you can get lockout hubs for the full time trucks. That was the whole premise behind warn hubs, being able to disengage the front wheels on full time 4x4 trucks. It wasn't a stock option, but is common aftermarket. That might have been what he was thinking of.


-Jameson
 
Reply
Old Sep 9, 2013 | 08:40 AM
  #5  
rogue40's Avatar
rogue40
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,144
Likes: 0
From: Sedro-Woolley, WA
The full time transfer cases were also differential so that you could turn without binding. If you just added lockouts then all the power would take the path of least resistance, in this case it would all go to the front, and the truck would go nowhere.
That is why you need the part-time conversion for the transfer case also.
If you have a "spooled" full time transfer case and lockouts then, no matter what, you are still turning all that drive gear up front and reducing street efficiency.
The 205s are the desirable transfer cases and can still be found readily cheap in both married and divorced version.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
willymakeit
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
5
Jul 24, 2017 01:05 AM
rogerfries
Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case
11
Jun 7, 2007 12:12 AM
f-250.4x4.390
Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case
7
May 3, 2004 10:55 PM
MAHinton
Offroad & 4x4
5
Sep 6, 2003 05:34 AM
splitrims__74
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Nov 22, 2002 09:30 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:10 AM.

story-0
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-2
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-3
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE
story-5
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

Slideshow: Here are the top 10 Fords coming to Mecum Indy 2026.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:49:49


VIEW MORE
story-6
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 worst Ford truck wheels of all time

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 16:49:01


VIEW MORE
story-7
Ford Super Duty: 5 Things Owners LOVE, 5 Things They LOATHE!

Slideshow: Ranking the 5 things owners love about their Super Duty and 5 things they don't

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 16:36:49


VIEW MORE
story-8
Every 2026 Ford Truck Engine RANKED from WORST to FIRST!

Slideshow: Ranking all 12 Ford truck engines available in 2026.

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 13:32:20


VIEW MORE
story-9
The Best F-150 Deal of Every Trim Level (XL through Raptor)

Slideshow: The best Ford F-150 deal for every trim level (XL through Raptor)

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-21 15:59:01


VIEW MORE