Over 400,000 on my BW 1345. No leaks and no issues. Very solid unit.

 

Next question, anyone have a good source for leaf springs? I am going to go ahead and replace the front ones while that axle is out

 

I guess I should have known better than thinking it was going to be as easy as I thought...

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions on changing the crossmember where the transmission mounts? I think it will be next to impossible to find a crossmember out of a cab and chassis that was set up for a four-wheel drive. Swapping my four-wheel drive crossmember into the two-wheel drive looks like it will be a complete nightmare because the frames are different widths at that point

The front cross members under the motor are different as well but I think I can deal with that.

 

This is what I'm dealing with

 

Do you have a welder and can weld? I would cut the center out of the cab and chassis 2wd crossmember, and cut the center out of the regular pickup the same length in a flat area common to both and swap the 4x4 center into the cab and chassis crossmember and weld it in place.

You need the 4x4 mount to be 2 inches lower, and 1 inch narrower to fit the cab and chassis frame correct? I think cutting and swapping the center would achieve this wouldn't it? If you can't weld it, see what a shop would charge to do it for you.

P.S. I guess you could cut 1/2 inch out of each side of the 4x4 crossmember and achieve the same thing?

 

I thought about that. I can torch and weld. The problem is the crossmembers are shaped so differently I'm not sure there is a place on them where they can just be pieced together and welded.

Yes it needs to be lower because the mount for the tranny on the transfer case adapter is two inches lower than on the 2wd tranny output mount.

What I'm thinking now is that I can take the 4x4 bracket out, cut approximately 1/2 inch off each side, weld the existing holes shut and drill new holes where the holes are in the frame. Luckily it appears it's flat enough in this area to pull that off.

I will have to do the same thing on the two brackets on the side of the crossmember that bolt to it and the top frame rail. I will have weld the holes up on the top of those and redrill them and have to notch out the the inside of the top frame rails to compensate for the 1" difference.