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Stabilizer bars on 205s (motor to case)

M

Mudstud

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On a 203 to 205 conversion, what about the stabilizer bars that run between the motor and the t case? I've heard they are needed to prevent cracking the case. Where do these bars bolt to on a sb 400? DO I even need to worry about them?
 
I would like to know the same thing. After swapping my 241 for the Dub, I had to ditch the stock bar. I may fab a new one in the future if I find out it's necessary...
Boss
 
Yea, but you'll find out it's nesessary about a second after it's too late. CCCRRACKKK!
Hopefully someone will give us a heads up.
 
Mine has a single rod that runs from the 205 to the back of the engine. The engine end is fastened under one of the bolts that hold the tranny to the engine. /forums/images/icons/cool.gif Some Turbo 400's have 2 rods that run from the bottom of the cast inspection cover to the motor mounts. But I've never seen a transfer case with 2 support rods.
 
My '85 K30 has all three of these rods.

One from the passenger side of the 205 up to the bellhousing.

Two are under the 6 bolt dust cover on the tranny and go up to the motor mounts which have another pair of brackets bolted with them and the braces therefore bolt to them.
 
thatK30guy: can you post pics of that dustcover setup? I acquired some of the brackets for that setup and want to know how to connect the rods to the dust cover...

as for the 205 brace, some say you need it and some say you dont.. they are all different lengths depending on the transmission and i couldnt for the life of me find out the part # for the th350/np205 setup. I did get one that was wayyy too long though and I still have it. maybe Ill modify it some day. Id rather have an original one though. Oh the other reason I havent modified it is because my 205 case isnt milled or drilled for the brace!!!!!! I dont know what Im gonna do.

In my case, everything is new and tight and have urethane motor & tranny mounts so I dont think there will be much of a problem. Since I did get the secondary brackets (the one s that bolt on before the motor mounts), I would like to get them working.


mike
 
Yeah, I can get pics. Will have to wait til Saturday though.

I will get pics of the 400/203 combo on the shed floor too, of the brace running from the 203 to the bellhousing.

I can try to get a pic of the brace on the 205 to the 400 on my '85, but it might be a dark pic. I will try it and see.

I will also get the pics of the 6 bolt dust cover rods and brackets, etc. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
My '70 K5 when it had the t350/205 had a trans mount on the adapter after the trans and a side mount on the pass side of the 205. When I switched to a SM465/205 the same cross member and side mount worked in the same holes too.
 
thatK30guy: awesome, Ill be looking forward to those pics!

70~K5: I used a sm465/np205 parts truck for my project and was stoked when the original crossmember and holes also worked.

I have heard from some people of a brace that supposedly went from the 205 directly to the frame. I cant really picture how this would be setup and nobody has any details. anyone know what Im talking about?

mike
 
Seems kind of stupid to me. I've always thought the engine-transmission-transfer case was supposed to float on the frame.

On another note, I have three bars on my 700R4/NP208 setup. Two bars hook to the inspection cover and go to the motor mounts. Another bar hooks on the passenger side of the transfer case.

Running without the inspection cover or without the bars usually ends up with a broken top of the transmission.
 
On the pass. side of the 205 is a bracket kinda L shaped that goes over to 2 l shaped brackets on the frame and there are bushings where it meets the frame brackets. If you look in the LMC book for a 1st gen they show the whole setup.
 
Yeah, this "L" shaped bracket from the t-case to the frame rail side is only on the first design trucks, which run up to '76.

'77 and newer trucks won't have these brackets. Around this year and newer is when they started using the longer rod from the t-case side to the bellhousing.
 
Mike, I got a little side tracked today and did not have time to do the pics. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

I will try to get them up on Sunday. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
thatK30guy: no problem man.. I have learned a few interesting things from this thread though...

I wish I could just not use any brackets but I know Ill end up regretting it. If I remember correctly, only SOME th350's will accept the cast aluminum dust cover, which I would assume adds some amount of strength.

Wes: does your motor mount to dust cover brackets setup use a cast or sheetmetal dust cover?...........

thanks

mike
 
The 6 bolt dust cover is a thick aluminum cover. Probably around 3/16" thick.

Regular thin steel covers are only 4 bolt.

BTW, I have about 3 or 4 extra 6 bolt dust covers for these 4x4 HD transmissions. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Thanks all for the responses. I bought a 205 out of an 80 K5 this weekend. Got the rear shaft and the shifter too but no support bar. Looks like I'll have to look in some junk yards for the bars. Sounds like LMC could shed some light on what I need.
 
On my Jimmy I had the struts on the 350th/203tc combination. Do SM 465s/ 205 combinations have the struts? The donor truck I got my conversion parts from did not have them so I did not use them.
 
Where are those pics you promised? My braces are missing too and I would like to make some...
 
Man, I'm feeling like an a$$ now. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif Sunday and Monday both got too busy with families for me to get out and take pics.

Today wasn't any better as I was running back and forth to the parts store trying to get parts for my damn truck in order to get it running better. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

I think I need to go to the shed to get some parts I may have sold. I will try to remember to get the brackets, dust cover and the rods to take pics of.

Forgive me guys, I'm only human, too! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
LOL, I just reread my post, didn't mean it to come out so harsh. /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif/forums/images/icons/blush.gif Don't worry, family comes first, our crap will wait. I just wanted to remind you gently, not take a poke at you. Sorry for my rudeness...
 
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