[FULLSIZE]

i'm gettin rid of the 203 for a 205, but is the 208 fairly strong? right now my set-up consists of a 360/727, with stock full time 44/9-1/4 axles. i have a 4" lift and 35's and mostly do rockcrawling. i'm pretty rough on my junk(carry plenty of spare axles and u-joints) so i'm wondering if the 208 will break or are my axles still going to be the weak link?

 

[fourwheelerinparadise]

seems like i saw a story sayin none of the "big" trucks ran a 208 cause they have a cast aluminum case. don't hold me to it, just hear say...

 

[txs]

205 would be my preference by far but married or divorced 205s are fairly scarce. either way you are looking at extension and output shaft change, crossmember and driveshaft work. You might consider 431 or 341 (not sure i got right # there, getting old is hell) it and the 208 and the married 205 all share same bolt pattern.

 

[txs]

241 was the # I was looking for (I think)

 

[s ǝoɾ]

simple solution would be to put a mile marker part time conversion kit in the 203 effectivly turning into part time. theres all kindsa debating as to full time vs part time but if you want part time that is your easiest cheapest simplest choice. check with the 4x4 stores www.4wheelparts.com even www.jcwittney.com has em. i think they re around $100. includes hubs i think. while you re inside the t case check for worn bearings and sloppy chains. then would be a good time to rpelace anything suspicious. check with a drive train shop for the stuff.

 

[Bummo]

simple solution would be to put a mile marker part time conversion kit in the 203 effectivly turning into part time. theres all kindsa debating as to full time vs part time but if you want part time that is your easiest cheapest simplest choice. check with the 4x4 stores www.4wheelparts.com even www.jcwittney.com has em. i think they re around $100. includes hubs i think. while you re inside the t case check for worn bearings and sloppy chains. then would be a good time to rpelace anything suspicious. check with a drive train shop for the stuff.

I don't know where this $100. idea comes from because the conversion kit with hubs is about $530. US. and that doesn't include all the new pieces and parts that your going to change (like a new chain cause your TC is like 25 years old now, or brake pads, or whatever) because "hey, I'm in there anyway so I should do it now". So if I'm wondering where this $100. price is. I really want to know. If it's at JCWhittney maybe you can give me a specific page or part number or something, cause thats not what I'm seeing. Thanks.

 

[FULLSIZE]

um, the 208 did come in fullsize trucks

never even seen a 231 or 241 in any wrecking yard, but good idea.

the 203 is a heavy pile of shiat that cant be rotated for better ground clearance. maybe i should have said that?

i'm not even going to waste my time trying to convert the front axle to part time. just gonna get a 60.

 

[s ǝoɾ]

I don't know where this $100. idea comes from because the conversion kit with hubs is about $530. US. and that doesn't include all the new pieces and parts that your going to change (like a new chain cause your TC is like 25 years old now, or brake pads, or whatever) because "hey, I'm in there anyway so I should do it now". So if I'm wondering where this $100. price is. I really want to know. If it's at JCWhittney maybe you can give me a specific page or part number or something, cause thats not what I'm seeing. Thanks.

no problemo. either i am really reading something wrong or the place you shop is raping people

here it is:
part time conversion for 73-79 1/2 and 3/4 with splined hubs.
includes: coupling gears, 2 all metal mile marker locking hubs, bearing, washers, gasket, instructions.

uses stock lever, bolts on easily with hand tools

jc wittney part # 89uto254x
$104.99
____________________________________________

hope this helps

 

[Bummo]

I don't know where this $100. idea comes from because the conversion kit with hubs is about $530. US. and that doesn't include all the new pieces and parts that your going to change (like a new chain cause your TC is like 25 years old now, or brake pads, or whatever) because "hey, I'm in there anyway so I should do it now". So if I'm wondering where this $100. price is. I really want to know. If it's at JCWhittney maybe you can give me a specific page or part number or something, cause thats not what I'm seeing. Thanks.

no problemo. either i am really reading something wrong or the place you shop is raping people

here it is:
part time conversion for 73-79 1/2 and 3/4 with splined hubs.
includes: coupling gears, 2 all metal mile marker locking hubs, bearing, washers, gasket, instructions.

uses stock lever, bolts on easily with hand tools

jc wittney part # 89uto254x
$104.99
____________________________________________

hope this helps

Ok, one of us is on crack or something. Of the two retail sites you said the first one lists the kit at more than $500. US. JC Whittney dosent list a kit for Dodge. The kits for chevys and fords are $124.95 each. Thats about the same price for a chevy or ford kit from the place you first listed , but the Dodge and Quadra track stuff is a lot more money. OVER $500.US!!!!

 

[s ǝoɾ]

k i see what you are saying. i think it is my mistake. just forget about w heel parts link. maybe im wrong but i believe it is safe to assume that kit fits all 1/2 ton dana 44s. go look at the regular hubs above, all have same part # regardless of make. prolly just another time of dodge getting put on the back burner. either that or im stupid for assuming.

when you assume, you make a ass outta u and me

but if some one can verify if the cheap kit will fit i think that will save some mega bux.

 

[Bummo]

k i see what you are saying. i think it is my mistake. just forget about w heel parts link. maybe im wrong but i believe it is safe to assume that kit fits all 1/2 ton dana 44s. go look at the regular hubs above, all have same part # regardless of make. prolly just another time of dodge getting put on the back burner. either that or im stupid for assuming.

when you assume, you make a ass outta u and me

Yea, if the install with the chevy parts has been done by somebody that would be the way to go. There is a picture of the 2 kits, though, and they look a lot different, but I don't know why they should be different. Anybody done the install and which one? Is there anybody out there in the dark??

 

[tv_larsen]

There are two different kits to convert the t-case to part-time. The better one replaces the diff with a shaft, and runs $268 at 4wheel Parts.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/product2.asp?imseqn=1129&occlass=Mil&cat=DRI

The other kit just locks the diff gears. 4 Wheel Parts doesn't appear to sell the Dodge version of this kit, but the GM and Ford kit is $48. Maybe this will fit a Dodge 203, I don't know.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/product2.asp?imseqn=1132&occlass=Mil&cat=DRI

If you want to use the hub kit to convert the front axle, seperatly, it costs $525 for the 1/2 ton, and $575 for thr 3/4 ton version.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/product2.asp?imseqn=1133&occlass=Mil&cat=DRI

 

[tv_larsen]

here it is:
part time conversion for 73-79 1/2 and 3/4 with splined hubs.
includes: coupling gears, 2 all metal mile marker locking hubs, bearing, washers, gasket, instructions.

uses stock lever, bolts on easily with hand tools

jc wittney part # 89uto254x
$104.99
____________________________________________

hope this helps

Sorry Joe, this is just the manual hubs for the front axle for GM and Fords.

 

[W300_dually]

i personally, would stay w/the 203. unless, you've got access
to a 205. '

just ask missbigblue about 208 reliability? she's been thru
at least 2 that i know of in less than 1 summer.

 

[FULLSIZE]

thats the answer i was looking for.

you guys still dont know how to convert a fulltime dodge to part time? holy stuck in the 80's. sorry but this is a big problem with the 75-79 dodges. the part time kits they sell, they dont offer any replacement parts, just a kit. i had one in a 3/4 ton 44 i had, and they dont offer stubs seperately. found this out the hard way. the only way i've found around this is to buy a drum brake, open knuckle dodge 44 and swap _ _ disk brake stuff in ( incase you dont know, _ _ means GM. yuk)

 

[tv_larsen]

you guys still dont know how to convert a fulltime dodge to part time? holy stuck in the 80's. sorry but this is a big problem with the 75-79 dodges. the part time kits they sell, they dont offer any replacement parts, just a kit. i had one in a 3/4 ton 44 i had, and they dont offer stubs seperately. found this out the hard way. the only way i've found around this is to buy a drum brake, open knuckle dodge 44 and swap _ _ disk brake stuff in ( incase you dont know, _ _ means GM. yuk)

I personally prefer the 203 in full-time form. The advantages of part-time are outweighed by the advantages of full-time IMHO.

I disagree with your suggestion to use the Dodge drum brake axle and swap in GM junk I mean knuckles. While I agree that the full-time hub is pretty lame, the very best solution is to leave the full-time axle in the truck and swap on '80-'93 Dodge knuckles. I recommend this for both trucks converted to part-time and trucks left full-time. With part-time, you simply install manual hubs. With full-time, you install the "full-time" drive gear from an '85-'93 CAD axle.

The problem with using the old drum brake Dodge axle for you knuckle swap is the pinion angle. It is incredibly low, and on any truck with a married t-case makes the front u-joint angle much larger. This is less of an issue on a part-time truck, but if you like to leave you hubs locked, it might eat your front u-joint pretty quick.

 

[Desert_Dog]

The problem with using the old drum brake Dodge axle for you knuckle swap is the pinion angle. It is incredibly low, and on any truck with a married t-case makes the front u-joint angle much larger. This is less of an issue on a part-time truck, but if you like to leave you hubs locked, it might eat your front u-joint pretty quick.

I can attest to this first-hand.

This weekend I am swapping diffs (finally) on the front of my truck back to the original '75 fulltime axle with the '73 drum brakes and hubs. The pinion angle on the '73 diff is so severe that my front drive shaft will not even bolt up to the axle (CV interference).

I replaced my transfer case mounts this weekend (pain in the a$$) and the center bearing two weeks ago so that the rear driveline can withstand the 100% torque it is now receiving. I am still not satisfied with the rigidity of the rear drive line though, and may wind up replacing the spline shaft and slip joint in the future, IF I decide to keep it part-time. I am seriously considering going back to full-time (reinstalling all those loose roller bearings should be the epitome of FUN) but not until I get the front driveline straightened out, and run it for awhile.

Another caveat of going part-time:

You have to run it in four-wheel drive mode about once a week to keep the bearings lubricated in the top of the 203 case. The chain slings the oil to the top, as the unit does not have a "proper" oil pump, and that is the only method of lubrication for the top of the case. I have been kicking around a mod to pressure lube the shaft bearings independent of the chain, but I have not figured out how to do it yet...

Mike

 

[Desert_Dog]

BTW,

The 203 is a stronger unit than the 208, 241, 231, etc... It was installed in trucks with a 12,000 lb, GVW. None of the alloy cases were...

As far as I know, only the 205 is stronger, and that is due to the fact it is a gear case, and not chain driven...

I DO have a divorced 205 in my garage I need to get rid of...

Mike

 

[bigblue]

while the aluminum case lack the stregth of the cast iron the make up for it in weight savings and a lower crawl ratio ( in the case of the 241 ) personaly i will be swaping a 241 into my 78 as soon as i get the cash. a good skid plate and the right amount of driveline beefing will ensure that the aluminum case will last. i have the partime kit in my truck right now, whats the sense of having a pig like the 203 in the truck if its been converted to part time? if you have questions about the reliabilty of the milemaker parts talk to bill at the offroadexchange for the facts of the quality of the milemaker product

 

[Chris Street]

I'm on my 2nd 208 this year. The main problem I have with them is it is hard to keep it in low loc. I am tossing around puttin in a 203 or 205 myself.