Full Time or Not

[Snowman1000]

How can you tell wheter or not your truck has been coonverted from fulltime to part time or how to tell if its full time or not

Also I understand that a twin stick is kind of useless for a Np-203 but how hard would it be to install. Would I have to drop the t-case or could I just install it through the hole in the floor.

 

[ankarback]

If you have freewheeling hubs on the front axel and the truck still moves when you unlock them it's converted to parttime.

Twinstick for a NP203 would give you Hi/Low on one stick and Lock/Open or 2wd/4wd on the other so it's not useless. The stock shifter on a NP203 is a real POS.

Offroaddesign sells a twinstick conversion for NP203 that fits without any cutting.

 

[guz71]

I swapped in the ORD twin stick on my 203 and it shifts a lot better, lot more positive engagement. 2lo is kind of nice also. It was pretty easy to install, not cutting actually but I had to bend one of the brackets to make it fit.

 

[Snowman1000]

Is there any reason that full time 4 wheel would be better than Partime besides not having to get out to lock in the hubs. I was looking at the twin stick kit on Ord's website and im thinking about buying it is it easy 1-2 hours basic handtools in the driveway or is it somthing a little more complicated I would think that it would be fairly straitforward. Also does this mean that I still have 4 low lock or do I not have that option with part-time

 

[onetonbb74]

all the part time kit does, is make the unlock position on the transfercase a 2wd position.

example:

4 low
2 low
neutral
2 high
4 high

Stock form

4 low locked
4 low unlocked
neutral
4 high unlocked
4 high locked

There is a differential in the np 203 to make the unlocked position even possible. The part time kit eliminates the differential in the back of the case and makes it a locker.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

Is there any reason that full time 4 wheel would be better than Partime besides not having to get out to lock in the hubs.

Not that I can think of. The part time kit frees up some HP and gas mileage by not turning the front driveline. If you live somewhere or are somewhere that you are in and out of 4wd, you can leave the hubs locked during that time period and shift from lock to unlock on the x-fer case.

I was looking at the twin stick kit on Ord's website and im thinking about buying it is it easy 1-2 hours basic handtools in the driveway or is it somthing a little more complicated I would think that it would be fairly straitforward. Also does this mean that I still have 4 low lock or do I not have that option with part-time

This doesn't replace the differential in the NP203. You may already know this, but just in case - The P/T kit and the twin stick kits are two different items with two different purposes.

The twin stick allows you to control the lock/unlock with one stick and the hi/lo range with the other. This gives you control on how to engage the x-fer case. Like already stated - the stock shifter can by a PITA if not kept lubricated and adjusted. If maintained - its fine. The twin stick will not allow you to run in 2wd unless the truck has a P/T kit installed.

The P/T kit involves taking part of the x-fer case apart and swapping the gears with essentially a locked unit. This is no big deal to do.

Do you currently have manual hubs or chrome caps on the front axle? Manual hubs should indicate that a P/T kit is installed. Chrome caps - still a full time unit. It is very unlikely that anyone would install a P/T kit and not manual hubs or install manual hubs without a P/T kit.

 

[Snowman1000]

It has the Manual Locking hubs and the way I read it it sounded like it did somthing with the differential but now that I think about it, it makes sense. Another question, the chart(little plastic deal that says the pattern for 4 wheel drive) on my four wheel drive is messed up when im driving I should have the stick one notch forward from all the way back right
4hi 2hi N 4lo Also how come I can unlock the hubs when im in 4hi?? I thought that they couldnt be unlocked until the transfercase was in 2hi. Also I can shift between 4hi and 2 hi without the hubs being locked in is this normal.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

This is normal. The hubs just engage a gear in-between the axle shaft and hub with a spring. Just because the hub turns doesn't necessarily mean that the axle unlocked, especially if under tension/load.

If it is unlocked and the x-fer case is locked, your engine is turning the front driveshaft but no power is getting to the tires. If you have the hubs locked and x-fer case unlocked - the wheels are turning the front drive train.

Some things to remember:
NEVER operate in 4wd on dry pavement for any extended period of time.
NEVER go from 2 hi to 4 hi or vice versa with the hubs UNLOCKED while in gear or moving.
NEVER go from 4hi to 4 lo while in gear or moving.

You can only shift from 2hi to 4hi or 2 lo to 4 lo while moving if the hubs are locked and there is no tire spin.

With the P/T kit installed - your shift pattern is now:

FIREWALL (Front of truck)
__________
4lo
2lo
n
2hi
4hi
_________
SEAT

 

[BlazerBud]

I've got a 1976 Blazer 6" lift 35's and part time kit. A previous owner had this installed, I agree that the stock np-203 shifter is horrible. This is amplified by the auto tranny and stock torq converter, If I am in drive or reverse and stopped, the tranny puts tension against the transfer case gears and you can't hardly get them to move. If you do manage to get it into neutral the output of the tranny spins and you can't get it shifted from high to low or back to high again. I only go from high to low at full stop and when in park.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

You should never try to engage or disengage a transfer case while in gear.

 

[Snowman1000]

thanks for all your input my shifter is still o.k. but I think after my lift I might go twin stick. I am really new to this blazer I mean mechanical four wheel drive but I am eager to learn all I can because I really enjoy this vehicle. Anything else I should know????

 

[BlazerBud]

You should never try to engage or disengage a transfer case while in gear.

Great, Now you tell me!

No, i kinda figured this one out the hard way...Grind, Grind!

 

[BlazerBud]

thanks for all your input my shifter is still o.k. but I think after my lift I might go twin stick. I am really new to this blazer I mean mechanical four wheel drive but I am eager to learn all I can because I really enjoy this vehicle. Anything else I should know????

I was once new to the Blazer with NP-203 and when I couldn't shift the transfer case, I got underneath and found that there was about 1 foot thick of dry mud all over the underside and no linkages could move. After pressure washing it, and greasing it all up it works fine, but I can easily see how the adjustment on the single lever to perform two functions can get out of whack bad in a hurry.

 

[AZ79K5Project]

thanks for all your input my shifter is still o.k. but I think after my lift I might go twin stick. I am really new to this blazer I mean mechanical four wheel drive but I am eager to learn all I can because I really enjoy this vehicle. Anything else I should know????

The first thing to do is come up with a plan. Decide what type of wheeling and type of truck you want to build. Build it once, the right way. The right way is the way that is safe, sound and capable of what you are trying to do. Not everyone needs D60/14bff while others have no business doing what they are doing without a D60/14bff.

Get yourself a quality factory service manual. I also have a Chiltons. Some of the pics are a little better than the factory manual.

I lurked around here for about 6 months before I couldn't take not being able to see the pics, not being able to post in some areas and ponied up the membership $$. The pictures and search ability saved me more $$ than the membership costs. That's just my opinion from a user.

Good luck and enjoy

 

[Snowman1000]

I think I will just spend the money and buy the membership I got a 12 bolt and a Dana 44 I think it will be enough. Im going to try and build a truck for some mud and snow I wont mess around with rocks I already got 32's and am looking at a 4 inch lift and maybe a few more inexpensive upgrades. Just somthing to ride around town in and when it comes down to it is capable off road.

 

[Snowman1000]

Well I did it im a member now