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does my 203 have a partime kit ?

scrappyk5

scrappyk5

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i have done a couple searches and read everything but i am not sure if i am getting it right.
the truck i bought has "supewinch" locking hubs on it and i am able to drive it all the time with them open. Yesterday I was underneath working on a couple other things and i went to turn the front shaft to lube the slip joint and i could not turn it. Does this mean i do not have the partime kit installed in my 203 ?
I am kinda confused.
 
Don't know about not turning the shaft but having had a 203, if it is not modified, you would have to be hi-lock to drive with the hubs unlocked.
 
Block the wheels FIRST.
Unlock the hubs, put the case in 2Hi and turn front the drive shaft by hand to make sure it's unlocked. Make sure the xfer case is not in neutral.
Next, start the truck, put in gear.

No movement, no PT kit in the 203. It's a FT unit

IMPORTANT: If not PT kit - Turn the truck off BEFORE shifting the transmission or xfer case. Things will be spinning, you don't want to snap anything.

A full time 203 is just a differential type gearing between the front and back axles when unlocked. Just like an open rear axle. Locking the xfer case is just like a selectable locker for an axle. If it is a FT case, the test above is just like lifting one rear tire on your car and putting it in gear. The tire off the ground will spin. In this case your front drive shaft will spin.

Putting a PT kit in is cake.
 
Well today i finally figured that my 203 has not been converted.
I did the test and found out that while the front hubs are not locked in, the only time the truck moves is if I put the tranfer case shifter all the way forward or all the way back, which should be in the " loc " position. If i put it in any other position , the truck will not move.

So that means i have been driving it in 4high lock. I have been driving it this way for about 2000 miles.
I Will look for a partime kit to install and then figure out how to install. Or i could just install a 205 if i can find one.

Who out there has installed a 203 partime kit ?
Whats involved ?
is it easy ?
Where are my options to buy a kit ?

thanks
 
If you lock the hubs and unlock the case you will be in the stock configuration.

You may want to run in this configuration in case you need to go into 4 lock in adverse conditions. That's how I ran my first truck every winter in snowy weather. I could lock in anytime. I unlocked the hubs once the weather passed.
 
Do you put a lot of miles on your truck? If not, I would lock the hubs or replace them with flanges and drive it. The biggest advantages to part time are a little better gas mileage, and less wear on front end parts. If you ran synthetic gear lube in the front axle I'm not sure there would be much difference in the fuel economy. I don't think you can find a better setup for driving on slick roads than a full time 203. If you drive in High instead of high lock when it is slick the front end pulls just enough to keep you straight without causing any steering problems. If I could still get a 203 in a newer GM truck for my wife to drive in the winter I would buy it in a heartbeat.
 
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