adding a transfer case

[Dav]

i have an 88 long bed 2wd 2.9 auto. i want to tow it behind the RV. this year's trip i towed rear wheels on the dolly, column locked, a 'club' locking the steering wheel to the brake pedal and straps between the seat mounting bolts and the wheel. did 4500 miles with no problems (from the truck)
i want to flat tow so i need a transfer case. i know nothing about 4wd. members here have said i can not put a t-case on a 2wd trans- that i need a 4wd trans. okay, i didn't know that.
now i am considering a donor- unseen as of yet. where do i look for an ID plate on a t-case? are they motor specific? (will one on a 2.3 work on a 2.9?)
correct me if i'm wrong here; if i get a 2.3 4wd trans and t-case, will i be able to take the bell housing off and put a 2.9 housing (w/ pump and torque converter) and put it in the truck? i don't want or need the front shaft.
will i need some sort of extra cross member to mount the t-case on?
the 'external v nonexternal front shaft thing; does this mean one type the front shaft plugs in like a drive shaft into a 2wd auto trans and the other means it bolts to a flange like the drive shaft to the rear axle? since i would not be putting a front shaft on, if it's internal, would i need to make some sort of cover or plug to keep dirt out?
i have already put 96 front beams under the frame and have the removable hardtop on it, i do not want to switch to a 4wd frame.

 

[adsm08]

Not quite sure where to look for an ID plate. You should be able to use the trans from another engine with just a bell/pump/converter swap. I will say though, a 2.3/auto/4x4 would be very rare indeed.

No extra crossmember is needed for the transfer case. It hangs off the back of the trans, but doesn't weigh enough that it needs its own support.

Internal vs external is basically what you said there. The ones with the internal shaft aren't open, the internal yoke is still closed, so you won't have a fluid leak.

 

[bobbywalter]

transmissions for these trucks are engine specific due to bolt pattern variation...for the auto overdrive versions the bell is a change out option. or the tailshaft/extension housing.

the t case is platform specific. so a ranger t case fits a 4x4 ranger trans.

but manual t case with neutral position are harder to find cheap these days.


finding a 4wd auto trans will be easy...good reliable unit is a toss up. a 4.0 or 2.8 or 2.9 unit is needed....if you just add the 4x4 output shaft and extension housing to your unit any 4x4 a4ld based auto parts will work.

you can use an electric shift t case easily if you build a home made shiftster type thing with a neutral position figured into it. this will make it easier to figure out the t case options....driveshafts not so easy again.

this is something a guy like me can put together cheap over a bit of time junkyard shopping because i can do it myself.

but what is cheap or worth the cost?

i am sure you looked at the aftermarket bolt on options?

like this..

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog/towing/ford_linclon_and_mercury.html



there are options.

is your rear shaft a 2 piece setup with hanger bearing?? i would be tempted to build a pto style short shaft from tsc parts myself.

or run it in neutral with a cooling pump or engine running.


most likely i would do a t case like your inquiring because i have all that stuff laying around....save for the fact i would not have a 2wd to begin with.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

is your rear shaft a 2 piece setup with hanger bearing?? i would be tempted to build a pto style short shaft from tsc parts myself.

FWIW a PTO doesn't spin near as fast as a truck driveline.

PTO is either 540 or 1000 RPM, with 31's gears and 3.73's in direct (third gear) my driveline would have been running about 2700 rpm at 60mph. If you do a lot of highway driving it might cause a vibration issue, just around town would probably be ok.

1000 has finer splines on the coupler and fits tighter, 540 is usually kind of baggy and only has 6 splines.

Really just removing the four pinion bolts and wiring/bungie cording the driveshaft up out of the way would be pretty easy.

 

[bobbywalter]

FWIW a PTO doesn't spin near as fast as a truck driveline.

PTO is either 540 or 1000 RPM, with 31's gears and 3.73's in direct (third gear) my driveline would have been running about 2700 rpm at 60mph. If you do a lot of highway driving it might cause a vibration issue, just around town would probably be ok.

1000 has finer splines on the coupler and fits tighter, 540 is usually kind of baggy and only has 6 splines.

Really just removing the four pinion bolts and wiring/bungie cording the driveshaft up out of the way would be pretty easy.

over running clutch/dog setup might be the ticket...


depends on weather and mobility...at 60-70 years old....moving around under a vehicle when its 30 degrees in a waterhole when you have a hard time moving around at all and driving the bus....

.dewalt impact makes it cake but if you cant crawl on the ground


i swap drive shafts just trail riding...easy to do on my rig...flat towing regular i am in bad enough shape already, dicking with a drive shaft on a 2wd....no thanks...trying to fit under it would piss me off so bad i would crush it.


well....i would swap super duties on it and a manual t case.....but you know what i mean...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

i swap drive shafts just trail riding...easy to do on my rig...flat towing regular i am in bad enough shape already, dicking with a drive shaft on a 2wd....no thanks...trying to fit under it would piss me off so bad i would crush it.

Good point.

Shiftser was mentioned which requires crawling under the truck, the work for a trans swap + crawling under the truck for that vs just taking out four bolts is where I was coming from.

Really if a trans swap is on the table a manual trans would eliminate all of this if that could be a viable option. (age and mobility concerns still apply)

 

[RonD]

You would need a 1987-1994 A4LD automatic with transfer case from a 2.9l OR 4.0l 4x4 Ranger
4.0l has same bell housing pattern as 2.9l

Yes, you could swap your 2.9l bell housing onto a 2.3l or 3.0l A4LD with transfer case
But its not as simple as that, the bell housing on an automatic is the front case for the main pump in the transmission, so its best to pull transmission apart and then align the new bell housing with pump and build it back

This video shows how to align main pump, and whats behind the bell housing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-L71-udS_g

You will need a custom rear drive line, long bed Ranger has rear differential 6" farther back, and never came as 4x4 so there won't be swap available

Also a longer speedo cable or an extension cable, yours will be about 4" short since speedo hook up is on the transfer case

 

[bobbywalter]

long bed ranger never came as 4x4?


good point ron... i have built plenty of a4lds...whether lining up the pump with the tq converter in the field or using the proper tool, it definitely takes care and ettiquette. i assume this work would be done at a shop the way the question is framed....

cutting a door in the floor to shift a e shift case or buying a behemoth drive train shifter for a e shift... would be acceptable for most depending on costs. a simple right angle drive just requires one small hole to be drilled to shift the e shift style case.


depending on where you live finding a t case and trans will vary from 300-1000 buxin working condition...whether it makes it a day or 20 years....... getting the right drive shaft 2-300 bux new...50-150 bux to mod yours.. and install 3-600. so high cost 1800-1900 bux. for a good running truck that you want to keep its reasonable to me.

 

[bobbywalter]

1-813-671-3131 dial a part in riverview florida has several manual shift t cases listed for 75 bux...




904-966-0774 bradford auto parts and salvage is about 150 miles out from riverview area and has a a4ld listed at 425 bux..



352-588-3100 stepps auto and truck salvage and u pull it lists a long bed 4x4 rear drive shaft for 50 bux.


so 550 bux and a tank of gas with a day of driving rounds up the parts.

if your lucky they may be able to piece together stock t case shifter..or it will still be on the 4x4 transmission....but i would just make one.


4-500 for a good trans shop to set it up. rear shaft may need a shorter slip with 2wd height...may be fine. easy diy fix either way with a cut off wheel..

personally i would have trans shop swap in 4x4 parts you get from e bay or u pull yard for 20-50 bux.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

long bed ranger never came as 4x4?

+1

Pretty sure I even have a long bed 4x4 in my garage...

I have used the driveshaft out of another longbed 4x4 as a bed divider for 15+ years.

 

[bobbywalter]

+1

Pretty sure I even have a long bed 4x4 in my garage...

you dont say





pretty sure ron was referring to long bed extended cab. they exist too...just not factory like yours.

 

[Dav]

well, i looked at the vid; seems rather easy actually. and i looked at the driveshaft disconnect site; the directions for the disconnect are wrong so i have typed them for the right one and the price.
i am old enough and achey enough to not want to crawl under the truck to mess with anything. but if i do the disconnect thing, i am going to put a retainer of some sort in case the shaft comes loose so it will not beat my truck to scrap (had the shaft break on my toyota hi-lux convertible with a 2.8 merc. the tunnel looked like it had warts. scared the crap outta me so i am not fond of non-factory shafts)

 

[adsm08]

I think, in your case, I would be looking very strongly at an electric circulation pump for the trans. It can be setup to be powered off the 12V aux from a 7-pin.