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Need pics of how NP205 is connected to a 72 frame

wazzabie

wazzabie

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I have an NP 205 from a 72 K5 that is in my 78 K5. The frame supports do not reach the frame. I'm interested in how it reaches in the 72.
 
Last edited:
could be..

I have no pictures(sorry!)--but you might have the frame bracket fron a NP203 on your 78 frame--they are a bit shorter than the bracket for a NP205 t-case is..I think the big bolt holes are a bit different spacing too,but they are close enough that they might go in still..I sold a bracket I had for a NP205,and I thought I had another one,but it was off a NP203,and they were slightly different..

I ran a NP205 on my 74 K20 I had in place of its original NP203..I put the transfer case and frame bracket off a 71 GMC on it--I ran the bracket UNDER the frame rail instead of inside the channel,to gain clearance for dual exhaust..it never gave any trouble--I just used the OEM spacers and cushions--they take up about 3/4 of an inch space between the bracket and the frame--your using them right??--the bracket wont be long enough to reach the frame without them... :crazy:
 
Here is how the NP205 attaches to the frame under my '71 Suburban. Your '72 should be the same. :D

3613102-0233_IMG.JPG
 
diesel4me said:
I have no pictures(sorry!)--but you might have the frame bracket fron a NP203 on your 78 frame--they are a bit shorter than the bracket for a NP205 t-case is..I think the big bolt holes are a bit different spacing too,but they are close enough that they might go in still..I sold a bracket I had for a NP205,and I thought I had another one,but it was off a NP203,and they were slightly different..

I ran a NP205 on my 74 K20 I had in place of its original NP203..I put the transfer case and frame bracket off a 71 GMC on it--I ran the bracket UNDER the frame rail instead of inside the channel,to gain clearance for dual exhaust..it never gave any trouble--I just used the OEM spacers and cushions--they take up about 3/4 of an inch space between the bracket and the frame--your using them right??--the bracket wont be long enough to reach the frame without them... :crazy:
Click to expand...

I took the NP205 from a stock 72 K5 with a TH350 to put into a stock 78 K5 which has a TH350 and NP 205. The np205 fit perfectly to the 78 TH350. Very easy to install. But the frame support from the 72k5 doesn't fit the 78 k5. My 78 k5 never had the frame support like in your picture. The Np203 had a cross strut that attached to the transfer case to a bolt in the tanny. Over time this wore loss ( when I still ran the Np203) and would cause a racket sound against the tranny housing. So I would like to move to the frame mount method. So I find that the 72 np205 frame mount will not work in my 78 k5. What if I were to get a np205 frame mount from a 73-78 k5 that had the np205 stock? Would this fit?
 
Beast388 said:
Here is how the NP205 attaches to the frame under my '71 Suburban. Your '72 should be the same. :D

3613102-0233_IMG.JPG
Click to expand...

Take a look at the diagram at this thread here:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149831&page=1&pp=10
Maybe this is after 72? It doesn't show the two lower bolts going through the frame. I thought m7 72 only connected by the top bolts to the frame. It was allready pulled when I got it. Thanks for this pic.. really good info.
 
could be...

Hmm..well,my 74 K20 had a bracket to the original NP203--they did start using those "Truss rods" to the bellhousing instead around 1976 , so maybe they didn't drill the holes in the frame for a bracket those years..the NP 205 I had came out of a 72 K10.I kept the bracket that came on it and it bolted right on my truck--you'd proabably have to drill the holes,but the frame should be the same, or nearly enough that the bracket setup should work OK...

Whatever you do,dont be tempted to run without some sort of bracket to the frame..(or the truss rods)--I've seen some GM trucks with NP203's and NP205's that had NO bolt holes drilled and tapped for ANY rods or support bracket in the transfer case--they were the SM465/ NP203 or NP205 combo--only reason GM got away with it was the SM465 is a cast iron ingot,that would probably support the whole truck without breaking!...

Most NP203 truck with TH350's that had the "truss rods" missing or left off usually cracked the tranny case after some hard wheeling..some did even WITH the rods intact!.. :doah: --the frame bracket setup is a much better way to support the T-case--those rods suck to install,and dont give as much support...but are better than nothing.. :crazy:
 
The frames got wider after 1977 on K5's at some point after the crossmember so the older side mount won't be a direct bolt on like it would a K-10 , K-20 .
Some say that the frame flex with a side mount could help kill a auto tranny if bound up enough and that would make a brace support rod better . It is my opinion that the side mount works best with a manual tranny and helps keep the drivetrain in place much better under torque loads. It really makes a difference driving a truck equiped with a manual tranny and a side mount compared to one that does not.
Tom
 
tarussell said:
The frames got wider after 1977 on K5's at some point after the crossmember so the older side mount won't be a direct bolt on like it would a K-10 , K-20 .
Some say that the frame flex with a side mount could help kill a auto tranny if bound up enough and that would make a brace support rod better . It is my opinion that the side mount works best with a manual tranny and helps keep the drivetrain in place much better under torque loads. It really makes a difference driving a truck equiped with a manual tranny and a side mount compared to one that does not.
Tom
Click to expand...

Great comments. I did not try to see if my strut brace would fit the NP205 and tranny.

Did any truck with an auto have the frame mount?
 
I think all the trucks had the frame mount up till about 1975/6 wether it had a manaul tranny or an auto . The side brace showed up at the same time the engine/dust cover struts started being put on trucks. The TH350's / TH400's and TH700R4's and 4L80E's - basically all "K" cases had the braces/struts as O.E.M. the manual tranny's did not have them ( engine to bell housing struts ) up until about the mid eighties.
GM has offered several different length side braces with every tranny/transfercase combo and most of them are still available if you can't find a used one.
HTH's Tom
 
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