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How many have a transfer case brace?

Transfer case brace...

  • Yes, I have one.

    Votes: 182 59.9%

  • No, I don't have one.

    Votes: 122 40.1%
  • Total voters
    304
mrk5

mrk5

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Just curious how many people have the brace for the transfer case?

I have a '84 CUCV with the TH400 & NP208 and it doesn't have a brace. I see the threaded holes for it on the transfer case.

I also had a '75 K5 with TH350 & NP203 and it didn't have one either.

How common is it?

and

How critical is it?
 
I have the factory one for the 83 700/208 combo . The 83 ( different 83 ) 465/208 combo I'm trading had no brace for some reason . My guess is some don't make it back on during servicing , and some just didn't have them to begin with .
 
I believe they used a brace to the frame in the early 70's. But if you broke a motormount and the motor twisted up and the frame held the t/c still. Then the alum. ears on the transmission would break, manuels excluded of corse.
So in the mid 70's they did not use any brace, at least on my 76. By the end of the 70's they began using the brace from the motor to the t/case, so the whole thing flexes as a unit. With the thought of a heavy castiron t/case like the 203 hanging off the back of the alum, th350 with 4 bolts, I would definately go with the brace. With the lighter alum. 208 hanging on with 6 bolts to the th400, then you might chance it if you dont wheel it real hard.
I've replaced 2 th350's because of breaking those ears with out a brace, so I use one now.
P.S. Paul, I dont think you need one because the manuel castiron 465 case is so strong and the alum. 208 is so light it dosent need any extra support.
 
I've got one on both trucks. I've heard you can crack cases without them.
Or is that just a story put about by the company that makes them!! j/k :grin:
 
i have it...but when i bought the truck , the bolt that holds the brace to the engine was broken ..took many hours getting the rest of it out..
 
I've seen photos here or elsewhere showing cracked bellhousings on auto trannies because of not using them.
 
My 75 burb has a TH350/203 and never came with a brace from the factory and still doesn't. Still running the original tcase and original tranny(but rebuilt).
 
Well, you should at least have the braces that go from the motor mounts to the inspection cover/bellhousing. It'll keep you from breaking the bellhousing. TH350s are known for their exceptionally weak bellhousings.

You should run the support that goes from the bellhousing to the side of the transfer case. It keeps some of the torque off the adapter. I always do on stuff that is stock. On my clocked transfer case I haven't figured out a way to modify a stock one to make it work.
 
dontoe said:
I've seen photos here or elsewhere showing cracked bellhousings on auto trannies because of not using them.
Click to expand...


The ones I saw were 350/208 combos
 
I run them !
I got the brace and strut bars that go from the bellhousing to the motor mounts on my 700/208 in my 85 K5 and I am using the side torque mount on my 465/203/205 set up.
IMHO GM recognized the need for these items or they would have never engineered them and paid for the exspense of putting them into production.
I think they are a fantastic addition wether they came as OEM or not. Anything that helps keep the stresses localized and braces everything up is all good !
Tom
 
My 79 350/203 combo has one. Have contemplated pulling it off when getting at the bolts to pull the engine but somehow always seems to find itself back on there. I agree with the above statement, if GM found a reason it needed to be on there then I am leaving it.
 
Does someone have a picture so I know what I am missing looks like? I guess I'll have to search the junkyards for the brace(s).
 
Had one in each of my 74's, with a 350/350/np203 combo. Also have one in my 76 which came with a 350/350/np205.

8443NP203_side_mount.jpg
 
I made a custom one for my 350/205 combo...
Before I made one...I ran the rig hard...without breaking a bellhousing.

10 years ago...I broke a bellhousing...on my 350/203 combo...
I was jumping the rig at the time. :grin:
 
Both my K30's, '85 and '87, have the back of motor to tc brace and the motor mount to TH400 bellhousing strut rod braces. I have seen people with TH350's crack their cases on non-braced trucks. Haven't seen a braced truck crack it's auto tranny case yet. I would recommend running braces if you can.
 
Hmmm, interesting. I had a feeling I was in the minority.

Well I would like to get a brace on there, whether I make one myself or find a factory version.

Any chance someone has some pics of the setup on a TH400/NP208? From what I can gather it goes from the transfer case to the bell housing. I guess I'm really curious about how and where it attaches to the bell housing. I'm having a hard time visualizing how it could be very rigid.
 
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on my 78 blazer it had the 465/205 set up and there was no place on the transfer case to mount a support. So there for i never ran one. How ever i now have a 75 th350/205 and want one.
 
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