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Part Discontinued!!!!! What do I do now?

1-ton

1-ton

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There was a post about transfer case brace brackets, and someone mentioned that besides for the two braces, which go from the transmission to the engine mounts (which I have), there is another one that goes from the transfer case to the bell housing on the right side.

This got me to thinking "I do not remember seeing one on the right side of my trucks transfer case."

So I looked under my truck, and lo and behold, it is not there! I went to the dealership to buy one, and their computer said in big bold letters "DISCONTINUED". They did a data base inventory search of every dealership in the nation, and nobody had one. What do I do now?

I need some experienced opinions on where to get one, or how to make one. I was thinking of building my own, which went from the transfer case to the frame (instead of the transfer case to bell housing) that used rubber grommets to attach the brace to the frame to allow for vibration and frame flex. What do you think?
 
There is a truck junkyard maybe forty miles away from me that I've gotten skid plates and stuff from. Should not be a problem finding one at a junk yard as there are quite a few years that had them.
 
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There is a truck junkyard maybe forty miles away from me that I've gotten skid plates and stuff from. Should not be a problem finding one at a junk yard as there are quite a few years that had them.

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I thought of looking in a junkyard, but one big problem is I have a very rare transfer case to transmission combination, which was produced for only one year in 1991 (NP205/4L80E). If the bracket happens to be a general bracket that was made for many different combinations, then there is a good chance I could find one in a junkyard; but if my bracket is a "one of a kind" that was made only for the NP205 to 4L80E transmission combination, then I am screwed.
 
The rods I have...

700R4/NP208, TH350/NP203, TH350/NP205

All are the same basic thing. Solid rod squished flat for the transfer case and then the other end is bent 90° or so and squished flat for the bellhousing.

A 5/8" piece of cold rolled, a torch, a big hammer, and some patience and I bet you can make your own.


About half the trucks I see actually have one on there. I always put them back on but it seems half of the people don't.
 
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All are the same basic thing. Solid rod squished flat for the transfer case and then the other end is bent 90° or so and squished flat for the bellhousing.

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What I need to know is the brackets you are talking about going to fit my truck? I am sure that they are all the same basic design, but are they the same dimensions as the one I need?

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I have one for a 350/203 also. I was gonna use it for my 205, but not any more.

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If I knew for sure yours would fit, I would take it.
 
I would suggest finding one that bolts to the 205 and the cut & lengthen it to fit. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
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I would suggest finding one that bolts to the 205 and the cut & lengthen it to fit.

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I got a better idea /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif. How about you give me the one off of your 1991 V3500 /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif

Just joking, but that may be an alternative. The problem I have is that I do not have the equipment to make a part out of cold rolled steel. I can deal with making a bracket with plate steel because I have a bench vise and drills, which is why I was thinking of making one that bolted to the frame, instead of the bellhousing.
 
To me, that arm is there to keep the transfer case from trying to break the adapter off the transmission. It seems counter-intuitive to me to try to hook the transfer case to the frame. I'd feel more comfortable with nothing than something that doesn't try to hold the transfer case to the motor.
 
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I got a better idea /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif. How about you give me the one off of your 1991 V3500 /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif



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I'm in the same boat you are, my friend - no bar. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif The t-case bar and one on the motor mount bars were long gone way before I got the truck. I may try to get a shorter one and cut and extend it (maybe by sleeving it with tubing) or got two from another application, cut both and weld the pieces together to make one that fits. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif
 
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To me, that arm is there to keep the transfer case from trying to break the adapter off the transmission. It seems counter-intuitive to me to try to hook the transfer case to the frame. I'd feel more comfortable with nothing than something that doesn't try to hold the transfer case to the motor.

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Thats the kind of input I was looking for. I guess I will (sic) "icksnay" the frame bracket idea.

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got two from another application, cut both and weld the pieces together to make one that fits.

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That sounds do-able

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cut it and sleeve it

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That sounds like another easy way to do it. Thanks for the input.
 
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