NP-208 Transfer case rebuild ?

[Killain]

Well, the transfer case in my 88 is finally making sounds like it wants a retirement party, it's 32 years old, so . .

Where or how is the best way to replace or rebuild this unit There arn't too many of these held currently by any rebuilders.? It's got a 107.00 miles on it and I've changed the old 2 times now, still getting noisy. but nothing lasts forever ?

 

[dyeager535]

Only typical wear item I've heard with the chain driven cases are the shift fork pads and the chain stretching.

Chains are kinda pricey, I've not priced out any of the other innards, although I'm sure there are kits with many of the parts that can or need to be replaced, like seals.

If the 208 is anything like the 241, exceptionally easy to take apart and put back together. Hardest part for me was getting the case halves to seal. YouTube is often a great resource to see what you are getting into, before you get into it.

I might suggest scouring craigslist to see if anyone is parting another truck out with a 208, and rebuild that one.

 

[wheels87k5]

I have an NP208 that is just sitting around. I don't need it and you are welcome to it for the price of shipping. I have since moved on the an NP241 so it is just a large paper weight sitting on my garage floor. If interested PM me and I'll be glad to let you have it. It does need rebuilt but I am not going to use it in the future.

 

[Killain]

I have an NP208 that is just sitting around. I don't need it and you are welcome to it for the price of shipping. I have since moved on the an NP241 so it is just a large paper weight sitting on my garage floor. If interested PM me and I'll be glad to let you have it. It does need rebuilt but I am not going to use it in the future.

Thank you, in this current day and place that is very very kind. Thank you. I'm kinda looking at replacing my whole TC with a overhauled or ebuild unit. The case itself is about 100 pounds and I don't want to do this half way, so a rebuilt transfer case is my goal. Problem is the NP 208 is a little long in the tooth and not too many rebuilders have any or even service the cases anymore, or at least that has been my reaction so far. So I believe my search is going to be for a rebuilder who still works on a case like this, and of course the cost. No matter how you slice it there's shipping, that is about 1/4 the total cost, then you going to need some sort of a warranty, something So that is my hunt. I'm retired, so if it was a point, I'd put the thing in my trucks bed and drive it to and from the rebuilder, I'd at least get a road trip out of the deal ? With the covid, I've been a prisoner in my own home since february.

 

[dyeager535]

I might research the np241 then, I want to think the 1989 would be a bolt in swap? 241 certainly still has support, and is a very good case.

I dont think the 208 is all that bad either, but if support is drying up, 241 wouldnt be a bad idea if it is a drop in replacement like I think it is.

 

[obijuank5]

Last time I checked, the passenger drop 241 had some obsolete parts that are passenger drop specific like the fork. The 208 however was used by the big 3 and parts will probably never dry up.
Finding someone to do it should be relatively simple. It's the same basic design as tcase used currently. Almost nothing had really changed on new process chain driven cases.

 

[Wes Harden]

https://torqueking.com/category/case-halves-parts-1981-1988-gm-np208/?sort=bestselling&page=1

 

[Wes Harden]

https://www.midwesttrans.com/np208-transfer-case/

 

[Killain]

https://www.midwesttrans.com/np208-transfer-case/

Thanks Wes, these guys look promising. Thank you !

 

[Killain]

OK, to bring you folks up to speed on my transfer case saga, I contacted about 5 rebuilding companies, and I decided on buying a rebuilt unit from TNT -Transmission/Transfer cases https://tnttransfercase.com/ My decision was based on the attitude and expertise of the agent "Tim Moss" The TNT Co. also doesn't charge a core-charge which with the other companies ranged from $150.00 to $400.00. Also the cost of a rebuilt transfer case it pretty common at about $950.00. Shipping through all of them Powertrain Products, Midwest Transmission price for the unit was $800.00 and Jasper is $1500.00 coming and return. Jasper never got back to me with their price, so I moved on. Another Co. the Gear Shop Inc. was nice to reply that they don't deal with the NP208? But back to TNT, the nice thing was how enthusiastic they were to get me a good deal, and they only use American made bearings, shafts, gears and casings. And with TNT you get a HD oil Pump, Heavy duty rear housing, Morse Chain and the unit is both pressure tested and dynoed prior to completion and shipping. 2 year or 70.000 mile warranty. The total out the door price was $1245.95 Done. It'll be done and shipped on this coming friday 9/11/2020. The one thing that caught me by surprise was that you take you round red tag off your transfer case and install it on the new rebuilt unit when it is delivered. The tag is very important since you need the info for the shop to determine what type and nature of transfer case you have, (The assembly Number is the fingerprint of your transfer case.) and the ratio number is the lowest gear ratio of the case. Also the electronic plug in the case is transferred to the new unit. But most all the prices were right up there at about $1175.90 give or take a hundred bucks. I was a little leary of Mid-West being so low, and I thought the upgrades from TNT was worth the extra $200.00, plus they don't charge a Core-charge and you have two weeks to install the case and ship the old one back. But they were quite insistent that the old unit MUST BE DRAINED before sending it back. Lots of trouble for them years ago. So this I think was the best deal. And they were a little resistance to quote how much fluid the case gets, but did say that using Dexron VI was fine, even better it is a synthetic fluid, Mine is a 1988 and took Dexron III. and after spending 2 hours looking, I can only say that the NP208 fluid capacity is 4.5 quarts.

 

[Killain]

Ok Folks, The new rebuilt Transfer case from "https://tnttransfercase.com" is installed finally, and it works fine, nice and quiet, and the only flaw is the $WD light doesn't light up when you shift into 4WD, and the tailshaft housing is a 1" short, but it is fully installed and it works OK, and the technician doesn't think that any problem, I swapped the old tag onto the new unit, The company recommends that you remove the case tag, it has you transfer case build serial # and build # on it (You really need to Keep it), So. . .

 

[Ned Kelly]

Nice update on the NP208 rebuild.

 

[Blue85]

Are you sure you plugged in the connector on the top of the T-case? AFAIK, all 208s have the 4x4 switch in the same place. It would be strange if they had replaced yours with a plug. If the switch itself is bad, they should be willing to send a replacement you can swap in.

How do you figure the tail shaft is an inch short? Don't know of any similar but different parts there. It would possibly require a whole different main shaft, which was probably never tooled. What was the length of the original? If you're talking about the shiny section on the driveshaft, it's normal to have that since the suspension moves during normal use.