NP203 with lockouts.

[Lmbull]

My 84 K10 has a NP203 which should be full time but it has lockouts and it only has four shift positions. From what I can tell it's 4L
N
2H
4H
I'm guessing it has been converted to part time. How do I know what has been done?

[thirsty]

With your hubs unlocked see if the front driveshaft will move with it in 2wd. Also your shift knob should say hi, hi loc, low, low loc. With the transfer case in hi and the hubs unlocked it should not be able to drive with the hubs unlocked unless it has been converted to part time. The case could have been changed to a 205 too.

[MMiller]

Even if the 203 was converted to part time, it should still have 5 shifter postitions.  Low 4x4, Low2wd, N, hi2wd, hi4x4. 

Its impossible for me to know without seeing it, but Ill bet it has a 205 in it with those shifter postions.

[Irish_Alley]

yeah i was thinking it should like your describing a 205

[jdl71]

Even if the 203 was converted to part time, it should still have 5 shifter postitions.  Low 4x4, Low2wd, N, hi2wd, hi4x4. 

Its impossible for me to know without seeing it, but Ill bet it has a 205 in it with those shifter postions.

Unless the knob was changed though, it would technically be H-Loc, H, N, L, L-Loc. But yes, 5 positions, not 4 like a 205.

[jdl71]

My 84 K10 has a NP203 which should be full time but it has lockouts and it only has four shift positions. From what I can tell it's 4L
N
2H
4H
I'm guessing it has been converted to part time. How do I know what has been done?

What make you think it's a 203? If it's an '84 it should have either a 205 or 208. '79 or '80 was the last year for 203.

[Lmbull]

It definitely has 4 shift positions. The top position I believe to be 4L. The second position is definitely neutral. In the third position the front drive shaft will spin by hand with the hubs unlocked so I'm guessing this is 2hi. The forth position I believe is 4H. The plate on the floor shows L loc, L, N, H, H loc. Here is a pic of the case.

[Lmbull]

This is the first 4 wheel drive I've ever owned. I was told it had a NP203. The plate on the floor has the NP203 shift pattern on it and the pictures I've seen of the 203 is what mine looks like.

[jdl71]

Ahhh. Is your truck automatic or 4 speed?

[Lmbull]

Automatic th350

[jdl71]

It definitely has 4 shift positions. The top position I believe to be 4L. The second position is definitely neutral. In the third position the front drive shaft will spin by hand with the hubs unlocked so I'm guessing this is 2hi. The forth position I believe is 4H. The plate on the floor shows L loc, L, N, H, H loc. Here is a pic of the case.

Well, it doesn't belong there, but that is a 203. Ignore the knob, put the truck on level ground where it won't roll, in neutral, and you should be able to feel 5 detents in the shifter.

[jdl71]

A couple more things worth mentioning. On the back of the case in the center there's a fill plug. A NP 205 will have a cover plate here with 3 bolts. That's the easiest way to identify it. You should also have a metal tag riveted to the the case that gives the model number as well as low gear ratio. The 208's I'm not as familiar with but I was thinking they all used a slip yoke in the rear.

203 chain drive
205 gear drive
208 chain drive

Hope this helps.

[Lmbull]

Since it has lockouts and the truck will move when the t case is shifted to what should be Hi with the hubs unlocked it must be converted? Thanks for your help. I guessed that it wasn't stock. Neither is the tranny. The shift selector has overdrive and the th350 doesn't so I'd be willing to bet tranny and t case were changed together.

[jdl71]

Since it has lockouts and the truck will move when the t case is shifted to what should be Hi with the hubs unlocked it must be converted?

If it's in HI, yes. HiLoc, not necessarily. All the way back towards the seat is Hi-Loc. One notch forward is Hi. If it moves in that position with the hubs unlocked then someone has put a part time kit in it.

Thanks for your help. I guessed that it wasn't stock. Neither is the tranny. The shift selector has overdrive and the th350 doesn't so I'd be willing to bet tranny and t case were changed together.

That's why I was asking about the tranny. 203's were most often found behind automatics and it would be pretty unusual for someone to fit one to a newer manual transmission. It could be done, but what you described is just what I figured happened. Somebody pulled the tranny and t-case together and swapped it in.

[Lmbull]

One notch forward from bottom is where I drive it daily with the hubs unlocked.

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