76 stepside full time 4wd

[hidalgo]

hey out there-
   i recently purchased a 1976 chevy stepside 4x4 with a pro comp lift and a rebuilt chevy engine.  the original engine has been changed to what i think is a 454, but the previous owner was unsure since he bought it from someone else.  this truck has an automatic transmission and through all of my research on the 76 stepside pickups, it clearly says that trucks with the auto transmission came with the fulltime 4wd transfer case, which by looking at my 4wd hi and lo gear shift lever, clearly is the full time set up, as it shows 4hi loc, 4hi, n, 4lo, 4lo loc.  but the problem is that this truck has manual locking hubs and again, in everything i've read, the fulltime set up is not supposed to have manual locking hubs on front wheels!?  can someone please help me out with this, as i am trying to figure out what has been changed on the truck and all the previous owners have done to it.  the transmission looks to be a th350 from the pan/bolt set up and the steering column with automatic does not appear to be altered, so can anyone help with this???

[BIG CHEVY]

Yep.....its fulltime. Mine is that way. Dont know why they do it but sometimes people do. I just leave em locked. Ride in hi.........not locked hi. Theres a kit for our t case that makez it part time. Unlock hubs.........put in hi......not locked hi.......drive. If ur truck moves u got a kit. If it dont......plain ol 203 with hubs for no reason.

[Irish_Alley]

if it has manual hubs more than likely it has the kit. make sure you got the 203 http://chuckschevytruckpages.com/drivetrains.html
203

205

to test if you have the 203 with the kit unlock hubs keep truck in high unlock, try to move forwards. if truck still moves you have the kit.

[hidalgo]

thank you so much!! it's the 203 transfer case!  so how do i achieve the 50/50 torque split by locking both differentials?  and since the truck has the manual hubs, do i just leave them unlocked all the time?  or if it has the transfer case kit, to change it to part time...tell me again how i know if this truck has the kit to change it to part time 4wd!  and why did they make the full time 4wd version with manual locking hubs on it anyway? that's why i'm confused.  thanks guys!

[zieg85]

Welcome from NW Indiana.  If your case is the standard without the kit, in 4 hi with the hubs unlocked the truck shouldn't move because the transfer case is only spinning the front drive shaft.  In loc position both driveshafts should spin, in the other position only one will spin if the case is without the kit.

[big bear]

welcome from northeast ohio.

[VileZambonie]

thank you so much!! it's the 203 transfer case!  so how do i achieve the 50/50 torque split by locking both differentials?  and since the truck has the manual hubs, do i just leave them unlocked all the time?  or if it has the transfer case kit, to change it to part time...tell me again how i know if this truck has the kit to change it to part time 4wd!  and why did they make the full time 4wd version with manual locking hubs on it anyway? that's why i'm confused.  thanks guys!

In order to be in 4wd you need to lock the hubs. 4hi loc or 4 low loc is for off road only or if you're stuck. It's not designed for normal street use. Most people thought it was pointless to have full time 4wd so they converted it by installing manual locking hubs and the part time kit in the transfer case.