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Bad 205? Update:New driveshaft question

lectric80

lectric80

3/4 ton status
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Friday we got hit with a fairly heavy snowstorm, and since most of the roads couldn't get plowed fast enough, I had to use 4 wheel drive. I run Warn premium hubs, and I know they both locked in. Everything worked fine for a bit of a long drive, about 20 miles total, but when I got close to my house I heard a grinding noise when I tried to accelerate. It happened twice while I was attempting to start from a stop sign, and nothing moved, but it only did it while I attempted to accelerate. I pulled back on the shifter just in case, but there shouldn't have been any chance of grinding both front and rear while in 4 high, and it didn't seem to matter.

Ok, so on a 205 transfer case, is there a possibility of the shift linkage not fully engaging and causing this, or am I looking at a teardown of the TC?

I really don't want to tear down the TC right now, as I can't afford a Lomax kit. What are some other things I should be looking at?

It doesn't appear to be the input, since I can't duplicate it in 2 high, and I didn't attempt 4 low. It didn't do it for most of my trip, just a single instance, and it wasn't the only time I had some tire spinning happening.
 
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Truck not moving + grinding sound = something not all the way in gear, generally

205 shift rails do wear out, that would be my guess.
 
So what you are saying is it's time for me to tell my wife I 'need' a twin stick kit with new rails? I guess I could probably find a 205 laying around here somewhere, I would be the wrecking yard would let one go pretty cheap.
 
But wait, on a 205 there are three positions on each rail, correct? If I am thinking correctly, the difference between 2hi and 4hi is that the front shift rail is moved into the high position, but the rear doesn't move at all since it would already be in high range. Am I just thinking wrong?

If this is the case, there should be no slippage in the rear when I go from 2hi to 4hi caused by the shift rail. I can't duplicate the issue when I am in 2hi, only when it was in 4hi. I was thinking maybe something major, but I may be thinking wrong on the way these work.

Edit: Could it be that when I am engaging the front, the shift rail doesn't fully engage and pulls the rear shift rail towards the neutral position? That would make sense, then when I go back into 2hi the rear locks in fully?
 
To clarify, you tried to move the truck forward and it didn't go anywhere when you hit the gas (it just made a grinding sound).

If that's the case, I believe any non-synchro 205 shift forks will work (the synchronized 205 were only used for a couple years in the 80's IIRC).

You would need to pull the shift rails to remove the shift forks
 
Sorry I put that edit in there while you were typing. Is the edit part even possible, it just isn't making sense the way it is happening now unless something is happening to allow the rear to slip when in 4 high.
 
I would still say it's probably the shift rails, though I haven't had a 205 apart in more than a year so I'm going by memory.

People will reply tomorrow, I don't think you're the only one who's had this problem.
 
Thanks for the advice Chris. I will see what happens by tomorrow. More snow coming in today, so I may want 4x4 but probably won't risk it on the trip home. I wonder if the mounting pads are worn and allowing it to drop a bit as well, that could throw the shift off a bit.
 
My 205 has a simular problem. When I pull back the lever into 4hi, sometimes it doesn't move the shift rail far enough to engage the front output. If I try to move without it fully engaged it will make a grinding noise. Never had it happen once it was engaged though.

In my case it's a problem of worn out parts, the linkage and the plate connecting the two shift rails. I believe that a twin stick kit will solve my problem. But I'm going to try finding a bushing for the plate. Or weld the holes closed and drill them so the linkage fits in better.
 
toomany said:
My 205 has a simular problem. When I pull back the lever into 4hi, sometimes it doesn't move the shift rail far enough to engage the front output. If I try to move without it fully engaged it will make a grinding noise. Never had it happen once it was engaged though.

In my case it's a problem of worn out parts, the linkage and the plate connecting the two shift rails. I believe that a twin stick kit will solve my problem. But I'm going to try finding a bushing for the plate. Or weld the holes closed and drill them so the linkage fits in better.
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That's something to check as well. Thanks. It looks like my Christmas Eve is going to be spent diagnosing and fixing the 4 wheel drive, I need it when it snows around here.

Edit: Come to think of it, I think I had it out of 4 high just before this happened. I had taken it out because the road I was on was pretty clear and I didn't want to break it, so I had just shifted back into 4 high. That may be what caused it, I will take a close look at the linkage tomorrow.
 
Well, I finally found the true underlying issue, and it ties in with a vibration I had been feeling when the hubs were locked in. It appears that one of the u-joints or the ball kit failed in the front driveshaft, casing my vibration. This finally led to the splines in the slip yoke giving out.

So, right now I am working on getting another front shaft, then I will have my current shaft rebuilt for a spare. I may use the rebuilt shaft and keep the replacement for my spare.

The linkage is showing a bit of wear, but not enough to affect the shift.
 
Just so you know the interchange book shows the front driveshaft to be a one year only interchange.so it has to be out of an 80. I was lucky and found one out of an 79 k5 with the thick splines. I tried other years and they were too long
 
If they are too long, they will be perfect once I add the fact that it already has a 2" lift and is about ready for a 4". Regardless of what the interchange book says, the short term replacement should work until I can get my shaft rebuilt.
 
beto101 said:
Just so you know the interchange book shows the front driveshaft to be a one year only interchange.so it has to be out of an 80. I was lucky and found one out of an 79 k5 with the thick splines. I tried other years and they were too long
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Just a clarification here on interchange of the drivelines. Only a 205 driveline can be used on a 205 equipped truck. All the other transfer cases use a longer shaft because of the planetary setup pushing the flange further back. This ends up making the 203, 208, and 241 front shafts longer than the 205 shafts.

I found a 205 shaft out of an 82 Blazer that is going into my Blazer in a day or two.
 
Well, finally got around to pulling my front shaft, and sure enough the guy I got the new shaft from didn't know what he had.:doah: In other words, it is a 208 shaft that measures about 32" collapsed, my 205 shaft measures about 25.5" collapsed. There is no way that extra 6.5" is going to work in my truck, my original shaft was only extended about 2" if that.

So, new question, has anyone tried to combine shafts? I am thinking I can tear my slip yoke off, the splines on the main shaft appear to be intact, then swap slip yokes. Anyone ever tried this? I just don't have the cash to have my shaft repaired, as it is anywhere from $100 to $150 to do it, and I haven't located a 205 equipped vehicle in any of the local yards.
 
Take it to a driveline shop and have it shortened to whatever length you need. I did that to my front shaft and it cost less than a hundred bucks. If you don't get it balanced they will just cut down the existing tube and reweld it on very nicely. Don't bother getting it balanced.
 
454k30 said:
Take it to a driveline shop and have it shortened to whatever length you need. I did that to my front shaft and it cost less than a hundred bucks. If you don't get it balanced they will just cut down the existing tube and reweld it on very nicely. Don't bother getting it balanced.
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x2 on getting it shortened. Around here it's like $40 to get a driveshaft shortened.

Or you could lift the truck higher untill the front shaft fits in. :D
 
On the NP 205 TC there is a set of needle bearings on the back of the TC ( passenger side ). The bearing pack ( about 1 - 2 inches in diameter )may have moved rearward. This causes excessive shaft slop in 4 wd and noise. Use a hammer and tap the bearing pack back into the case. This can be done with the TC is in the truck. The bearing pack should be flush with the TC housing. Even a 1/4 inch play will cause havic with the shift rails.
 
That's a possibility just to have it shortened. I may just grind the weld yoke out, then shorten the shaft and weld the yoke back in. I can easily do this at my buddy's shop, just have to finish the other project at my house right now.
 
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