32 spline NP208 is not mating up to NV4500... what am I doing wrong??

[Farm Shop]

I could really use some insight as to what I am doing wrong here. I did a TON of reading on here, pirate4x4, etc, and thought I had all my ducks in a row, but apparently not.

I'm swapping out the SM465/NP205 in my brother's '72 K20 for an NV4500 from a 1996 GMC 1 ton. I got a 32 spline NP208 transfer case since everything I read said it would bolt right up to the NV. Long story short, it doesn't.

Please excuse the nastiness, I was just trying to verify fitment of everything before cleaning and painting.


Output shaft of NV4500


NP208




When I install the TC to the trans, this is all the further it will slide into place


After some measuring and head scratching, I put blue marker on the aluminum casting of the 208 and verified that the portion of the input shaft bearing support contacts the large damper on the output shaft, keeping it from fully seating. You can see where the marker is rubbed off due to contacting the damper in the trans.


Where did I go wrong? Thanks in advance for any help or recommendations on where to go from here.

-kyle