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205's never go bad, they dont need nre bearings, unless probablly if the case was full of water, but theres never really much wrong with them. Just tear it apart, clean it and reseal it.
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Never say never. They use the same bearings as the 205 (more or less). I have seen 205's grenade (usually front or rear output shafts). I have seen engagement teeth and clutch rings worn from improper shifting/age/usage.
I have a 205 in one rig and a 203 in another. I hate the added weight of the 203 when trying to bench press it in place, but it gives me 2WD low with the part time kit (no grinding shift rails) and a better front driveshaft angle. I did make sure to replace the chain, and I pound the snot out of it without problems along with plowing. If you have a worn out chain, and try to abuse it, you will have problems (granted you wouldn't have to worry about it with a 205). Alot of 203's have high mileage on the chains as they usually still are full-time (or had lots of miles before the conversion), and people just throw them in or use them (it's like throwing in a used motor that hasn't had an oil change in 60K, you are just asking for trouble). I have seen worn chains snap and/or skip teeth and cause problems, but a new chain and good gears is stronger than most of us will ever need. What I usually tell people is that if they have a 203 they should keep it (rebuild if necessary), but if they are looking to swap a unit in (replacing a 208 or 241), they should get a 205 as parts seem to be easier to locate (i.e. still available from GM/Ford/Dodge) and driveshaft mods are necessary anyway. To each his own, but I like, use, and abuse both, but I maintain them as well and have never had a problem other than broken tranny to t-case adapters on the 205 ($$$$).
