NP205 Installation

[MightyMike]

I've been searching on the site for an NP205 install thread but cannot find one. I am trying to determine how hard it would be to install a Dodge NP205 with passenger side front drive shaft into my M715. Any ideas or thoughts? Thanks! Mike

[gonz]

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/showthrea...light=terrapin
Hopefully that link will work. This is how Lucky put his in. When I did my Dodge NP205, we pretty much butchered the original NP200 parts to work with the NP205 and added metal where we thought it needed it. No measurements, levels, or diagrams just straight eyeballing it. I think I got pretty dang lucky as there wasn't any vibrations. Pretty much used a transmission lift with stacked wood, hooked up the jackshaft and started piecing it together. I moved my truck up this weekend so I can try and take some pictures for you.
I did the DIY twin sticking, and switched around the cab shifters as well.

[MightyMike]

Hi Gonz - thanks for the link and account of your install. I'll probably end up doing something like you did if I decide to go with a NP205. In retrospect, was the juice worth the squeeze? Mike

[eightydeuce]

I have several pics of how I installed mine. I did not modify anything on the 200 or the hat channels it sits on. If I had to I could bolt the 200 right back in place.

[eightydeuce]

Just to give you an idea what I did. Just keep in mind I do not plan to do any heavy 4-wheelin.

[MightyMike]

Thanks eightydeuce! That steel channel is strong stuff.

[gonz]

For my truck it was almost a necessity as my 200 was a howler at any speed above 10 mph, it actually drowned out the sound of the 6.2 diesel that doesn't have any mufflers on it. Hearing protection was strongly advised, lol. It's been over 10 years since I did it, but I seem to remember my 205 being stripped of everything and we had to fab up part of the crossmember. Also, my transmission is a spicer 3053a, so I'm not sure what was "original" or refabbed even before I got my truck. eightydeuce's install could be the normal experience in swapping the t-case, but I'm happy to help in anyway I can!

[eightydeuce]

There was nothing really wrong with my 200 except that I could not get the rear output shaft to stop weeping. I replaced the seal a couple times and then put a sleeve on the shaft and that still didn’t work. I assume that I was probably overheating it or something because I was getting it up on the highway and running it at 65mph for 30-40 minutes. I need a working parking brake, but it kept getting oil on the assembly. At first, I just wanted it to be quieter in the cab, but not having a parking brake was the final straw that made me source the 205. The 205 accomplished both by adding a Wilwood caliper on a 10inch disc. The parking brake handle mounted very nicely in the winch lever location. I have an NP435 transmission that came out of and old bus.