Should transfer case do this?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Meigs County Ohio
Should transfer case do this?
I got bored so I started turning the input shaft to the transfer case and I started to notice that the drive shaft that goes towards the front axle wasn't moving so I put the t-case in all different positions. Still it wasnt turning. Now here is the thing the truck was converted from all time 4WD to part time. Should it be doing that or will I be having to take the transfer case out? I have tried to read up on this but I cant find anything. Hope you guys cant tell me something and I hope this is okay. Also I drained all the fluid out of the case, could this be part of the problem? Thanks guys.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 36
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From: Sarasota, Florida
Does it have locking hubs from the conversion? If so, are they locked? I always understood the advantage of unlocking hubs in two-wheel drive mode saved wear on the front driveline and transfer case by not utilizing. Forgive me if this is a dumb response...very new here...
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 10
From: Indiana, PA
As you are turning your input shaft put a little pressure on the front driveshaft exit and see what happens, doubt it will make any difference and the fluid to my knoweladge wouldn,t make any difference. You will probably be pulling it. Good luck though.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
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From: West Virginia
the full time trucks have some kind of center differential. I'm not sure of what type or exactly how it works. But it has to allow a degree of slip between the front and rear axle or it wouldn't go around turns and etc (basically it'd be like a regular T case in 4wd, which suck on hard surfaces).
So the fact that you are minimally turning it by hand and the front shaft isn't moving does not surprise me so much. Is the rear shaft still installed? are the rear tires on the ground?
So the fact that you are minimally turning it by hand and the front shaft isn't moving does not surprise me so much. Is the rear shaft still installed? are the rear tires on the ground?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Meigs County Ohio
all the shafts are unhooked, so when I spin the input shaft it spins the rear shaft (Low and high work) Also the T-case was MODIFIED when they made it into part time. But now that someone mentioned it I could turn the front axle drive shaft and after a few turns it would get hard to turn. It would almost like bind up. Anyways I may be going with a mile marker kit that lets me have 2 hi 4X4 hi 4X4 Lo and 2 Lo.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
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From: Big Sky Country
Sounds like you need more time with your girlfriend and less time with your truck, if the front axle is "out from under it" as you stated in a subsequent post then you can lay under your truck and spin the front driveshaft all day long if you want.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Meigs County Ohio
Its a divorced transfer case. I spin the input shaft which is the shaft from the transmission to the transfer case. When I do that, the only drive shaft that wants to spin from it is the drive shaft for the rear axle which is spinning. The drivesahft for the front axle will not spin when I spin the input shaft.
They say third times the charm.
They say third times the charm.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: springfield Missouri area
Do you know what kind of modifing that was done? Did they use a kit? You do not have to pull transfer case out to install a part time kit. Just the rear out put covers. If you can find a breakdown picture of the 203 transfer case, you sill see what they call a differential in the back section of the case. A kit uses some gears to replace the spiders in the original diffeerential. Much like installing a lincoln locker in your rear end.
If they put a kit in to modify your case then the front driveshaft should turn when in 4wd low or high. If they didn't put the complete kit in, the front driveshaft will only turn if you put the case in high lock or low lock. Some people bought the kit and installed just the lockouts and pulled the transfer case in to high lock to drive. They were just saving on some tire wear. The front shaft was still turning. Make sure you use a 30 wt oil in the transfer case or you'll burn up all the needle bearings in the case.
Good luck Moose
If they put a kit in to modify your case then the front driveshaft should turn when in 4wd low or high. If they didn't put the complete kit in, the front driveshaft will only turn if you put the case in high lock or low lock. Some people bought the kit and installed just the lockouts and pulled the transfer case in to high lock to drive. They were just saving on some tire wear. The front shaft was still turning. Make sure you use a 30 wt oil in the transfer case or you'll burn up all the needle bearings in the case.
Good luck Moose
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
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From: West Virginia
There is good news here. NP203's are like $30. lol. So even if it is indeed broken, its not that big of a deal. The divorced T cases are pretty easy to change out, too. And if its divorced its even easier to upgrade to a 205 if you want part time. and 205's are $100 around here, and they are about bulletproof.
Anyway, back to what I was saying. I don't know what kind of differential is in the center of a 203. But with a car differential, unless its a locking type (like a clutch), you can actually jack up the car and hold one wheel stationary and spin the other tire. This is particularly true for gear type limited slips, like helical units.
They bias torque and limit slip but when there is no load on one tire, they can't function properly. I wonder if there is a similar type of situation with the center diff in that case. With no load on the front shaft at all, they don't transmit power.
Anyway, back to what I was saying. I don't know what kind of differential is in the center of a 203. But with a car differential, unless its a locking type (like a clutch), you can actually jack up the car and hold one wheel stationary and spin the other tire. This is particularly true for gear type limited slips, like helical units.
They bias torque and limit slip but when there is no load on one tire, they can't function properly. I wonder if there is a similar type of situation with the center diff in that case. With no load on the front shaft at all, they don't transmit power.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Meigs County Ohio
Well I got under and took the plate off the back for the front running drive shaft. I put the t-case in every position (For you slow people that means Hi, Hi Loc, Lo, Lo Loc) when I would spin the input shaft or the rear drive shaft, neither the chain or the front running driveshaft moved. So I think they half @$$ed something and I am going to need to put a rear output shaft in it. Anyways I am going to pull the case so I can clean and paint it, and to work on it (Gotta clean the inside out they used gear oil in it) plus I got time so when not take it in and out? Anyways if anyonce can figure out what is really messed up I would appreciate it but I think I will be getting a new out put shaft for it.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Meigs County Ohio
I just seen and read that, I don't know, but I will get the front axle in and see if just the load of it connected to the axle makes a diffrence. Thanks Ranger
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
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From: West Virginia
If it had a part time kit installed and wasn't put in gear every week or two to lube the T case, it could very well just be broken.
But I wouldn't jump to that conclusion till you have verified that its not working with the axles under it.
good luck
But I wouldn't jump to that conclusion till you have verified that its not working with the axles under it.
good luck
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 976
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From: clinton iowa
make sure that both levers on the case are moved ,just moving the top one with the lower lever in the forward position creats the situation you described ,but you must also move the bottom one towards the back of the case to lock in the front driveshaft