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Thread: NP200? What does a new '715 owner need to know?

  1. #1

    Default NP200? What does a new '715 owner need to know?

    Will pick-up my '715 tomorrow. After restoration, I plan to go to meets and shows. Reading the NP200 thread I am not sure I understand what all the chatter is about. What is the NP200? I know with the 5.89 gearing the truck is slow and my plan was to find out if it can be regeared. However, reading the NP200 thread I think the transfer case can not take it? Meaning long trips? Can someone explain, to a non-gear head, the thread about the transfer case? I can tackle most any repairs but I have alot to learn about this truck.
    Thanks,
    Ron

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Rhoadesville, Virginia (five miles from no place)
    Posts
    5,125

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    Well, I was responsible for the last NP200 thread (for good or bad) but as I see it, if you don't have unrealistic expectations and keep the speed down, it should be fine. Regearing might actually help out a bit. I say try it and see what happens. That's what I plan on doing and if it does give me a problem, I'll swap it out then.

    I find that with most old vehicles, that if you keep them in the context of the time they were manufactured and don't expect things that aren't possible, they do just fine.

  3. #3

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    The NP200 is indeed the transfer case - a predecessor to the NP205 that is so popular. Most, not all, have a loud gear whine at anything approaching highway speeds. As you have read it has a tendency to overheat and spew gear oil at sustained high speeds (relative term for a 715). If you are looking to do a resto and enter shows the best thing you could do is switch to 4.56:1 gearing in the axles. If you do a search you can get the part numbers and last I knew they were still available from Randy's Ring & Pinion. Kind of spendy but it is an internal mod that only you would know about unless some really knowledgeable (and very anal) judge jacked up the rear wheels and counted the driveshaft vs. wheel rotations.
    The added advantage is that the higher gearing in the axles allows the NP200 to turn slower. Without getting out the calculator a set of XL's (38.5" tall) and stock gearing would be about 3100rpm @ 60mph - just switching to the 4.56 gears will take that down to around 2400rpm - or like driving 45mph on the stock setup - a very liveable speed.
    Congrats on the purchase - pics are manditory you know. And my condolences to your pocketbook - this addiction can be bad! lol

    Ron

    (BTW, you have a cool name!)

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BBM715 View Post
    The NP200 is indeed the transfer case - a predecessor to the NP205 that is so popular. Most, not all, have a loud gear whine at anything approaching highway speeds. As you have read it has a tendency to overheat and spew gear oil at sustained high speeds (relative term for a 715). If you are looking to do a resto and enter shows the best thing you could do is switch to 4.56:1 gearing in the axles. If you do a search you can get the part numbers and last I knew they were still available from Randy's Ring & Pinion. Kind of spendy but it is an internal mod that only you would know about unless some really knowledgeable (and very anal) judge jacked up the rear wheels and counted the driveshaft vs. wheel rotations.
    The added advantage is that the higher gearing in the axles allows the NP200 to turn slower. Without getting out the calculator a set of XL's (38.5" tall) and stock gearing would be about 3100rpm @ 60mph - just switching to the 4.56 gears will take that down to around 2400rpm - or like driving 45mph on the stock setup - a very liveable speed.
    Congrats on the purchase - pics are manditory you know. And my condolences to your pocketbook - this addiction can be bad! lol

    Ron

    (BTW, you have a cool name!)
    Ron;
    Thanks for that. You also answered another question I had, "what gear ratio to put in". My '715 arrives on the transporter tomorrow. Not sure all it will need other then rocker panels. I bought it sight unseen other then pictures. I needed the truck to transport my AN/GRC-142 comm shelter. The shelter is now 99.9% restored, complete and fully operational. The manuals say either the '715 or the '880 was the carrier. When I was in the signal corp, we had them on M-37's but that truck was not up to transporting the 2,000 lbs. shelters so the '715 was born. The '715 also looks like a military truck where the '880 just looks like a Dodge pickup painted green.

    I'm sure there will be some $$$ expended! Gotta have some fun!

    Ron

  5. #5

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    just for your info np stands for new process gear co. once a division of chrysler corp it was brought about during wwII to make transfer cases for army trucks, before the war all wheel drive was very rare and usually custom made when needed, so the gear div came about to supply all those needed units, later after the war as 4 wd became more popular new process already had the expierience and factorys to make tranfer cases so ford and gm got most of their cases from them as well, jeep however prefered to make their own or used other suppliers than new process. some yrs back the div changed it name to new venture gear co and after mercedes bought chrysler they sold off the division as they did w/ most of chryslers assets before selling chryslers remains off just this year
    68 M-715 MVPA #2710

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