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Converting to 4wd

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Old 03-20-2010, 08:27 AM
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Converting to 4wd

A buddy of mine just got a '90 2wd 5spd cummins powered truck and wants to make it 4wd. He has a late 80's gas powered W250 with a blown motor for parts. Can the transfer case be bolted on to his getrag with the right tail shaft? Is there more to it than this?
Old 03-20-2010, 09:33 AM
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I can't comment much on the t-case bolt on... But I have done a 4X4 axle conversion on one of my trucks. It is a MAJOR undertaking if you don't have all of the right tools and equipment (and skills). Lots of rivet cutting and hole drilling in the frame. But if you know what your are doing, just swaps over.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...e-t256718.html
Old 03-20-2010, 10:16 AM
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Well he basically wants to put the cummins and getrag into the 4x4 chassis and use the t-case and diffs in that truck.
Old 03-20-2010, 10:36 AM
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if the gasser was a auto he will have to find a t case as the spline count is different .I would just do a body swap onto the gasser frame the differences won't make that much of a difference Also think either way he will have to change t case due to spline count but either way it would be a fun project .
Old 03-20-2010, 12:11 PM
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Does he have the spring hangers yet?
Jim
Old 03-20-2010, 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Jungle
Does he have the spring hangers yet?
Jim
He has a complete w250 gasser with a blown motor.
Old 03-20-2010, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by deking1970
He has a complete w250 gasser with a blown motor.
I was just wondering if he needed spring hanger conversion componets.
Jim
Old 03-20-2010, 03:19 PM
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With the 2wd getrag you neeed the tailshaft housing and 4x45 mainshaft to be able to "bolt" it to a transfer case. Maybe you should do like I did and use a divorced np205 and getrag 5speed. This was the stock tcase setup in my '72 though, however I moved it back 3 inches to accomodate the longer 5 speed.

P1000491.jpg?t=1269116350
Old 03-21-2010, 05:44 PM
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Originally Posted by deking1970
Well he basically wants to put the cummins and getrag into the 4x4 chassis and use the t-case and diffs in that truck.
the gasser transfer case is gonna be an aluminum NP208 and the front axle is gonna be a CAD Dana 44. The transfer case isn't going to be the same spline as whatever you turn the tranny into. They will not hold up to the cummins anyway.

I would do the divorced transfer case like papecat said. Or if he can find a 4wd getrag or nv4500, I have a few 29 spline 205's laying around. I'm right down the street from you. I also have 4wd frames and axles if he just wants to use his 2wd body on one.
Old 03-21-2010, 06:28 PM
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and if you go np205 direct bolt to tranny, I might have an adapter from a G360 4wd. pm if interested
Old 03-21-2010, 06:47 PM
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IMO the only truck worth converting to a 4wd is a crew cab. I feel if you want a 4wd 1st gen, buy one, there's many available whereas a 4wd crew cab isn't as common.

Papecat, you didn't want to use a regular yoke/u-joint for the front output versus a CV joint? BTW my 74 divorced 205 has 1480 yokes all the way around. It's a 74 W300 cab and chassis. On the 87 W350 cab and chassis I have, it has 1480 on the rear output and D70. Then just two years later Dodge downsized them for the more powerful diesel trucks with 1410's.
Old 03-21-2010, 07:21 PM
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Bill, I used the 1990 W250 D60F front axle. The yoke points straight up towards the transfer case and the driveshaft is from the 1990 as well. It is plenty beef enough for any 4x4 wheeling or towing this rig will see. It will spin the Tcase in the frame before those joints will break. Also, with the way it sat there I could've used a regular u joint drive shaft but the yokes would've been 8+ degrees off from eachother = vibe central = no thanks + pinion seal leakage.

Are you sure your 1480 yokes aren't actually the obsolete detroit 1 ton yokes??
Old 03-21-2010, 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by PapeCAT
Are you sure your 1480 yokes aren't actually the obsolete detroit 1 ton yokes??
They could be I don't know much about them. I just know they're bigger than the 1410's in the stock diesel trucks I have. I assumed they were 1480's cause they have the same cap diameter as the 1410's but are wider. I haven't had to replace any yet. Are you saying the yoke might be obsolete, what about the u-joint?
Old 03-21-2010, 07:55 PM
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Well I am blanking on the PN for the Detroit/chrysler one ton yokes but here is a pic of one.

Name:  D70frontswap003.jpg
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I'll have to check at my driveline shop again but I had a set of these yokes that came off a W300 I brought in and they said the yoke was obsolete but that they could get U joints on order .... if I recall. I can check again if you want.
Old 03-21-2010, 08:17 PM
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Yep that's what they look like. Sorry for the hijack though.


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