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I'm in the process of converting my 82 to 4x4 again, and, unfortunatley, I don't have my twin stick 205 here, however, there is a Ford issue NP 203 sitting on the ground in the yard where I'm getting my front sxle, and, I can pick it up for free, or next to it. I know it's a fulltime 'case, which wouldn't help my gas mileage, but, would be very winter friendly. Other than being fulltime and chain drive, are they a good 'case?
Evan MacDonald
1982 F100 SWB
300 HD: Cliffy 290H, 9.1:1 compression, forged everything, ARP'd bottom end/Hedman hedder/dual 2½" exhaust
NP 435/2.75 geared 9"
1986 F150 HD, 300 HD/needs a NP 435/4.10 geared 8.8
70,000 miles
1984 F150 XLT Lariat parts donor, 351W/C6/9" LOADED to the hilt, 201,000 miles
1980 F100 Custom, 300/Np 435/2.75, 58,000 miles
I have a 79' 4x4 F250HD w/NP203 and have had no touble. Just recently added lock out hub conversion and seems to work fine. the tcase ratio is slightly lower in the 203 vs. the 205 if you want a little slower crawling rig. Also there is an adaptor kit out there to marrie the 203 and 205, giving you a seriously low range and gets rid of the chain part of the 203.
i am going to replace my 203 with a 205. i was wondering how hard the swap was to do. and i have heard that i will at least need a new real drive shaft?? any info you have on the swap would help.
'75 F-100 4x4, 4" lift
16x38.5x15 super swamper TSL
mini-spooled 9" rear end
390 w/ cam,headers,
and 4 barrell edelbrock
never have made that swap, but I do know that the NP203 weighs about twice as much as the NP205 and you will need a longer drive shaft becouse the NP203 is longer than the NP205. Shaft should be fairly common in salvage yard from other 4x4 f-series and I think that 80' broncos all had the NP205 tcase if you dont already have one.
i am in the prossese of changing from a 203 to a 205 and as far as i can tell you will need to get a rear drive shaft. i am also pretty sure you will need a new front one.
cory
'78 150
I don't know what kinda offroading you will be doing but Offroad Design makes a doubler kit to mate a np205 to np203. The kit runs about $800 depending on the application and some guy in Pirate sells a doubler kit as well for about half that. If you go with the np203 definitely go with the conversion to manual hubs so it will save you some gas and wear & tear.
get that 203 and run it, and when you get time, pull it back out, yank off the range box and buy or get an adapter machined to mate it to your 205. johns351c on pirate sells them for 450-500 i think.