# Part Time Conversion Help



## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

Okay someone put a part time conversion in my truck. So the only way its 4x4 is if i lock in the transfer case. This is a 1980 with 203 case. It has lock out hubs. Why im not sure because its 2wd all the time unless you put the Tcase to Hi Loc or Lo Loc. I dont really want this to be 2wd or locked 4wd. Is this normal? What kind of conversion kit would do this? Do i need to remove the kit and go back to full time? Install a different kit? What are my options. I dont want to be trying to drive in slick conditions in 2wd or be in 4wd because its slick and have to keep taking it out of Hi Loc anytime i find a stretch of dry pavement.

Thanks


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

fedspunisher;586184 said:


> Okay someone put a part time conversion in my truck. So the only way its 4x4 is if i lock in the transfer case. This is a 1980 with 203 case. It has lock out hubs. Why im not sure because its 2wd all the time unless you put the Tcase to Hi Loc or Lo Loc. I dont really want this to be 2wd or locked 4wd. Is this normal?


 Yes its normal for a part time converted 203. The locking hubs are also needed in order to disconnect the wheels from the front drivetrain to prevent it from being turn unnecessarily by the rotation of the wheels when traveling in 2WD...just like any other truck equipped with part time 4WD and either auto or manual locking hubs.



fedspunisher;586184 said:


> What kind of conversion kit would do this? Do i need to remove the kit and go back to full time? Install a different kit? What are my options. I dont want to be trying to drive in slick conditions in 2wd or be in 4wd because its slick and have to keep taking it out of Hi Loc anytime i find a stretch of dry pavement.
> 
> Thanks


Most of the part time kits were either made my Milemarker...or in the early years Doug Nash. They replaced the spider gear differential assembly INSIDE the rear if the T-case with a solid connection to allow part time 4WD. When the kits were installed you removed most of these differential components (spider gears, thrust washers and needle bearings) and threw them in the trash. To re convert it back to full time you'd need to either pillage these parts out of another 203 T-case...or swap the complete T-case out with another 203 that was never converted to part time.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

So is it better to leave the hubs unlocked unless i need them or locked? (by better i mean less wear) 

How is it that when the hubs are not locked in the front components still rotate but when they are locked in they dont assist and it still acts like 2wd?


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

fedspunisher;586311 said:


> How is it that when the hubs are not locked in the front components still rotate but when they are locked in they dont assist and it still acts like 2wd?


With this new info I bet its safe to assume that with the hubs UN locked and the T-case in either hi or lo (NOT "Loc") the truck won't move under power will it?

If the front end components still rotate with the hubs locked, then no one actually installed a part time kit in the T-case, they only installed the lock out hubs in order to release the drive train from the wheels. Which is a hack attempt that some guys used to do to increase the MPG on these old 203's without buying the complete part time kit.

So is reality your truck IS STILL FULL TIME 4WD if you don't run the T-case in a "Loc" shifter position....and have the hubs locked.



fedspunisher;586311 said:


> So is it better to leave the hubs unlocked unless i need them or locked? (by better i mean less wear)


 Generally yes you want to run with the hubs unlocked if you don't intended on needing 4WD for a while. But you do want to lock them perodically and run it for a few miles to ensure good lubrication and to keep everything freed up...but in your case (as of now) this wouldn't apply since its not actually converted to part time 4WD.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

Thats the thing. It does move with them unlocked and the Tcase not in the loc positions. So i know it has to have a part time kit. But when the hubs are locked in the truck will not move on grass if there is a slight hill. The rear just spins and the front never helps out. Now if i drop it in loc (remember this is all with the hubs locked in) it will just practically idle up the hill. I wanted this truck to plow with and to use when we have a snow storm to beable to drive around town or out of town if we needed but i do not want to do all this in the loc position because i heard this is hard on the truck if you end up hitting a span that has drive pavement. And i dont want to have to stop and take it out of loc. This is my 1st 4wd so im not really sure how its suppose to act but i thought that with the truck not in loc and the hubs locked it it was still suppose to be 4wd just not an equal split of power.

Another example is when the hubs are locked in you can break stand it and get it side ways on pavement. It all just baffles me.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Ok, if it WILL move in hi or lo, with or without the hubs locked, then it does have the PT kit.

To use it your "Loc" positions are your 4WD...either hi or lo. Non Loc positions are your 2WD positions.

An example of your shift pattern as looking at the shifter will be like this:


4 Lo
2 Lo
N
2 Hi
4 Hi

You can see that your "Loc" positions are now you 4WD positions. So you treat it just like any other part time 4WD equipped truck. You can leave the hubs locked for any time that you feel you may need to engage the 4WD...then you just move the shifter to a 4WD position when you actually want to put power to all wheels. Many guys leave their hubs locked all winter around here...me included.

Oh, and be gentle with it in 2 lo....it's a handy position to use at times but can put a great deal of stress on the rear drivetrain.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

So with it in 4 loc will it be it be like having 2 straight axles and are the front and rear axles tied together? So all 4 wheels will turn at the same speed no mater what?


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Yes, with in a Loc position (and the hubs locked) it will supply power to _both_ front and rear axles with a 50/50 torque split.


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