Smaller Transfer Case

Anyone know of a physically smaller transfer case than the BW1356? I'll have to notch my frame to fit it in. Not cool.

The 208 or the 205

On a 79 F350

I used a 1345 (which I believe is very similar to the 1356) and notched my frame. I also had to cut a hole in the floor for clearance!

Only to break it first pass.

Put in a NP 208 also requiring the frame notch but if I remember right not as much notch needed or floor clearance.

Broke it first pass.

Switched to the 205. required no notching clearance. Heavier case, gear to gear. And beat on it all summer. No problems. I've never had an issue with a 205 case.

BUT.... BE CAREFUL ON YOUR GEAR RATIOS! There is a big difference between the 205's and the aluminum/mag chain drive cases!

On a 79 F350

I used a 1345 (which I believe is very similar to the 1356) and notched my frame. I also had to cut a hole in the floor for clearance!

Only to break it first pass.

Put in a NP 208 also requiring the frame notch but if I remember right not as much notch needed or floor clearance.

Broke it first pass.

Switched to the 205. required no notching clearance. Heavier case, gear to gear. And beat on it all summer. No problems. I've never had an issue with a 205 case.

BUT.... BE CAREFUL ON YOUR GEAR RATIOS! There is a big difference between the 205's and the aluminum/mag chain drive cases!
205 is 1.95:1, 208 is 2.61:1 1356 is 2.71:1

for the record a 1356 is a much stronger case than a 208.

Well I found a website that shows the dimensions of the cases and there really isn't much difference. Either way I'll have to notch my frame. I'll just have to brace it as this truck does get loaded down occasionally

Dude. You cactch my drift? I believe no frame notching reqiured for the 205. Am I wrong guys?

for the record a 1356 is a much stronger case than a 208.

It does have better bearings (ball bearing instead of needles) and case might be a bit stronger but not enough to worry about it. They both take the same chain. I have ran a 208 for 4 seasons and putting over 1200hp through it with out any issues what so ever. I am running the high side though. I have a pile of 208's laying around that's why I run them.

Dennis,

Don't get me wrong, I think they are the case of choice. Just too many advantages. I just broke mine on launching.

I tried running a mid plate on the second one with no better luck. I see guys putting over 1000 hp on'em all the time with not much problems. But I do see guys break'em sometimes.

This is a ranger frame.. So there really isn't much room there to play with. But I think I'm gonna put the BW1356 in and notch the frame. Then once it's in, I can figure out a way to brace it again.

Is it possible for you to use a clocking ring to roll the front input down enough to help? If so, it would be a cheap and easy fix, assuming you don't have your crossmember built yet. Chris

Hmmm... That could be a possibility. Although that's gonna play havoc on my driveshaft angle.

Would rolling it down a little make it lower than your pinion? With the 6 bolt round pattern the ford uses, you can use a chevy clocking ring that is the round 6 bolt pattern. I discovered this when I built my mud truck, seems noone lists one for a ford, so I compared the chevy round 6 bolt pattern and it's the same as the ford. Only difference is the ford uses the locating dowl whereas chevy doesn't. All you have to do is remove the dowl from your transfer case unless your lucky enough that it has already came out and stuck to your adapter plate. Chris

Well, I'm only going by a few pictures I saw, but it looks like it's tucked neatly inside the frame of the ranger and the bottom lip of the framerail has to be cut out. So to make an estimate it would have to be rotated downwards until the yoke is about 6" lower than where it is now. Setting the pinion angle on the front diff could be a pain in the *** cause she's on coils and not leafs. I will try and pick one of those rings up for sure. I mean it will only take an hour or so to mock it up in a dropped position. Worth a try right?

I would say it's worth a try. If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing with the truck? If you roll the t-case down, you will probably still be able to leave your pinion angle where it's at. Not saying this is for sure, but you may not have to do anything to it. I've learned it's trial and error. When I built mine, I took all the twin I-beam sus. out and built all new up front and had to use a '79 d60 because I couldn't find a later one. I also made the front of the springs solid and the rear shackled. I had to cut the knuckles off and roll the pinion up and all that jazz. Didn't know if any of it would work, but it does and works well. It's just a lot of trial and error, but with patience and determination, it can be done. Keep after it, you'll get it going. Chris:)

It does have better bearings (ball bearing instead of needles) and case might be a bit stronger but not enough to worry about it. They both take the same chain. I have ran a 208 for 4 seasons and putting over 1200hp through it with out any issues what so ever. I am running the high side though. I have a pile of 208's laying around that's why I run them.

And the case is magnesium rather than aluminum.
I go by the fact that 208's never came behind turbo diesels.

This is going to be a mostly street driven truck. So I need to be able to go about 50km/h (30-35mph) in 4x4. The snow in Newfoundland is just rediculous. I'm using a D44 front from a '79 bronco... It has cast in wedges, so rotating them like the older welded ones isn't an option.

You could use the different degree wedge bushings. I think they make a couple of different ones for different amounts of lift like 0-9 degrees or something like that. Its been awhile since i messed with them.

Yeah, I believe that are 2, 4 and 7 degree bushings. I have the 7 degree bushings.. Not sure if that will be enough. Putting a bronco D44 in a ranger is not the funnest job I ever did, that's for sure. I think dropping the big block in is gonna be the easy part.:)

It's not as hard as you think. I have full size axles and a 466 in my 89 ranger std cab long bed, but then again I cheated and put the ranger body on a 79 F-150 shortbed frame....

Yeah, the curvature of that frame is different. I put the axle in with stock bronco buckets and springs. Ends up being a 6" lift in the front. That coupled to where the radius arms mount on the frame and things are not quite right. I'll be very close with the 7 degree bushings, but anymore adjusting of the axles will have to be done by making brackets to lower the radius arm mounts. Not something I want to get into.

Bronco graveyard sells new drop brackets for the 79 frame, by using those you won't need the 7* bushings and the radius arms will be more parallel to the ground.

Can you go C-4 and a dana 20? Still pretty strong gear to geat cast iron. In a light ranger on the street it the snow should last.

No thanks. No auto's for me. You can mate a dana 20 to a 2wd ZF tranny though. I saw a writeup on it the other day. Looked fairly simple.