How do I engage 4wd?

[billh1963]

Stupid question, I know; however, the owners manual doesn't help. This is a 1976 automatic that has an np205 transfer case and lockout hubs added. Per the owners manual i think only manual transmission trucks had lockout hubs?

Anyway, i engaged the hubs and with the truck in park it went into High. With the truck in park and trying to go into low it apparently did not like that (won't try that again) but it would go into low with the transmission in neutral. I did not try the low lock position. So, what exactly do I have available and how do I access those modes?

Also, what purpose does the neutral n the transfer case serve?

[VileZambonie]

Are you sure it's a 205 and not a 203? Manual locking hubs were standard unless it was full time however someone could have either done a conversion or swapped cases. I'd say before we give you anymore advice, can you validate which transfercase you have?

[billh1963]

The receipts say np205. I believe it was originally full time and then converted.

[VileZambonie]

You should look at the transfercase to verify.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[Blazin]

" The receipts say NP205. "
What receipts?
If it was converted from full time it will have a 203 T case in it. Unless by converted you mean someone swapped in a 205 case.
Best way to tell if it s a 205 or not if the tag is missing is the shifter. A 205 has a single stick shifter with a hole in it below the floor that has a I believe a 5/8" bolt that goes through the hole in the shifter stick that mounts it to the transmission / T case adaptor. When its shifted the shifter pivots on that bolt.It is attached to the shift rods that come out of the case by a T bar.
A 203 has a shifter that is similar to the shifter found on a Saginaw, or Borg Warner standard car transmission. The shifter lever goes into a sheet metal box type assembly, then has linkage rods that come out of it that run back to the T case shift rods.

All 205 trucks had locking hubs standard or automatic.

[Jason S]

Does the back of your transfer case look like this? The tailshaft housing and the round cover at the back are aluminum, the rest is cast iron. The NP203 was originally a full-time 4 wheel drive transfer case that many people have converted to be a part-time transfer case. 



If your t-case looks like the photo, then it is a NP203.

If it has been converted to part time operation, then it would have a Lo-Loc, Lo, Neutral, Hi, Hi-Loc arrangement.  In a part time conversion for the 203, Lo and Hi are 2wd Lo and 2wd Hi positions.  Lo-Loc is like 4 Low and Hi-Loc is like 4 High. You would engage the manual locking hubs for 4wd use. You should also drive it in Hi-Loc with the hubs engaged every so often to ensure that everything in the t-case gets lubricated.

How to tell if you have a part time NP203?  Ensure the front manual hubs are unlocked, put the transfer case into Hi and then put the transmission into drive. If you don't go anywhere, then it is still a full-time 4wd transfer case. If you move, then it has a part-time conversation. 

An NP205 transfer case is all cast iron.  It has 4-Lo, Neutral, 2-Hi and 4-Hi positions (i.e., 4 positions versus 5 positions for the NP203).

The Neutral position could be used for towing the truck or if you are using the power takeoff (PTO) to run accessories, especially a PTO driven winch, where the truck would need to be stationary.

[bake74]

The Neutral position could be used for towing the truck or if you are using the power takeoff (PTO) to run accessories, especially a PTO driven winch, where the truck would need to be stationary.

     x2 on what Jason s said, these are the 2 main reasons for having a Neutral spot in a transfer case.  The not so obvious choice is, it is a redneck anti-theft device.

[pholliday1]

LOL never thought of the whole neutral tranfers case anti theft thing. Now thats funny

[billh1963]

Thank you for the replies. The truck is out for paint and will be gone a week. I'll get pictures of the transfer case this weekend.