Not the right forum, but I need some exposure here I think my 205 is on the way out. The front output can be wobbled pretty good by hand, and the rear has a fair amount of play. Oil is full, but she's gettin rattly. I thought it was the Getrag, but if I grab the t-case shifter going down the road, it feels just like the nasty sounds I'm hearing. Sooo, can I just throw output bearings at it or do I have to tear this pig down?

edit: what breaks in these things, and how hard is it to get parts?

 

Nothing really "breaks" in the 205 under even abusive conditions. Unless you really treat this thing like garbage, like trying to shift into low range at 30 miles an hour, they're pretty much bulletproof. That being said, it is a mechanical part and parts do wear out. If something was broken inside the case, you wouldn't be able to drive it, it's pretty much that simple. Drop the case, and pull the cover on the front output. Chances are the bearing right behind the case is shot. pretty easy fix, just get a new bearing and use lots of grease on the install to keep the all of the ball bearings from falling out. BTW, just about everybody sells parts for the 205, but you'd probably find the best parts for the price from a reputable bearing shop.

 

You may want to look in the back of a four wheeler mag for a drivetrain company. Many of them sell rebuild kits pretty cheap. If you have alot of miles on her it may be a wise idea to change the shift forks also. They wear letting the syncro rings brush against the gears causing a rattling sound. Replace the springs on the shifter rails while you have it apart. When they get to worn the xfer case will jump out of gear. The 205 is a cake walk to rebuild if you have a socket big enough to get the nuts off the yokes for the drive shafts. Dont bother with trying to remove the center shaft! I never have managed to get one to budge. I dont know about dodge but chevy manuals have a really good parts break down and good rebuild instructions. I wish they still used that case. They are seriously stout.

 

Cheap option would be to check the torque on the front and rear output yokes or hit them with the impact. Rear output shaft tends to break with sled pullers.

I think the most exposure would have been the 1st gen forum. I believe Swank recently went through his 205.

 

Me too! It'd be nice with a lower range though. Instead of having to do the whole doubler thing. A 3 or 4to1 drop in gearset for that t/case would be awesome!

 

Yeah, I've got a 203 sitting here and I've been thinking about building a doubler, but I'm not offroad enough to justify the expense. Anybody looking for a 203 range box?

 

i talked to a guy at standarg transmission and gear and he was told by a NP engineer that they had to stop making them because they were too good of a tcase. didnt break enough. talk about screwing the consumers.

 

To bad the Australian company quit selling the 4:1 ratio kits over here. That would be an awsome setup. The only thing I never liked about 205s was the fact that the bearing support covers are made of aluminum.

 

Funny how stuff like that happens. That's the same reason that the Dana/Spicer Corp. quit making the PowrLok for the Dana 44. It didn't break enough. Then, the patent expired and another manufacturer is making and selling it for twice the money!! Jerks