Front Wheel Drive Capability?

[asphaltburner]

I custom built this truck,...and I'm curious who else might have true front wheel drive capability in addition to the usual RWD and 4x4? Mine is capable of this only through it's machined, twin-stick NP205 transfer case from Off Road Design in Carbondale, Colorado. It was so much fun to test the system last Sunday by unlocking the Warn hubs ('73 front and rear axles), rear axle in neutral, front axle locked in high, and tranny (TH400 with 1200 stall speed converter) in drive,...front driveshaft turning, front axle turning, and truck immobile due to the unlocked hubs!
This is my '78 3/4 ton 4x4 FRANKENTRUCK that I've been custom building for about eight months:



Completed interior with the twin-stick:



and the 350hp/411ftlb torque 350 V8 I built in it's nearly finished engine bay:



Now I'm terribly curious to hear from others of you that have this weird capability,...it'll be priceless in the snow! I can place all the weight over the steering and driving axle. No more bag of concrete in the bed during the winter for traction, or the nasty tendancy for RWD to send the rear of the truck to the front when it's slick. And I only have to drive one axle, so I'll get better mpg than with 4x4.
You FWD folks got pics too? Todd.

[Walts_restoration]

Your the only truck ive known about with that twin stick np205, and what i hope to have in a truck of mine one day lol. I think your the only crazy enough one to do it todd. Whats next, fwd your camaro?

[joe231]

it is pretty common in the early Bronco crowd.

[84 400]

yeah tood that is a cool option. I don't have this set up but a buddy of mine with a power wagon has a similar set up. When off road it is cool he can do front wheel digs then switch back to 4x4. It is useful on the trail

[Pyrotechnic]

Does it torque steer at all ? Shouldn't really be an issue if you are just using it to get out of snowing situations and such.

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Actually I thought I'd all-wheel drive the Camaro. Naw, just kiddin'!
joe231,...never knew the ol' diehard Broncos had independent control of front and rear axles! Tell me more if you will!
Took alot of research and work to put this together but it's a great truck, and I haven't even got it fully operational yet, Pyrotechnic! Just finished evaporative emissions control this eve, and still have to re-bleed the brakes since it's a one legger at the moment! Fuel gauge and speedo are not yet proper.
I'll just be using the FWD for bad weather, so I don't anticipate it to be problematic,...we'll just have to see! I'll be sure to post when I know more.
Sure was weird to put it in drive, get out, and see all that machinery being driven without going anywhere! Beautiful!
I'm gonna have to search some about the old Broncos. Even my '70 and '77 Land Cruisers (which I considered to be 4x4 state of the art back then) didn't have that ability! Todd.

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Seems there's some controversy about the causes and solutions to torque steer, and it's unlikely with low speed/low torque operation. Seems to be more of a problem in constant velocity joint drivelines, too. Primarily a problem under heavy acceleration in high output engines while turning.
Can't find a thing about FWD in the old Broncos,...just 4x4 drive.
Again, drive testing will be the tell-tale, and I'll be sure to post updates as I learn more about my FRANKENTRUCK's performance. Todd.

[joe231]

it is an easy mod in the early broncos. the dana 20 t-case has a pin that keeps it from working independently, you can buy a twin stick shifter and remove the pin and you have the same capabilities as what i believe you have. rwd high and low, fwd high and low, and 4wd high and low. i'll look around and see if i can find a link, it has been a few years since I had my bronco.
EDIT:
here is a couple, google dana 20 twin stick, tons of info out there

http://www.trailhed.com/dana20twinstick.html

http://home.windstream.net/ezduzit/tx-20.html

[asphaltburner]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Got an '88 Bronco, but, of course, it's a whole different creature! Todd.

P.S. Quite impressive,...Dana 20 is, or was, one of the best t/cases built! My NP 205 required 32 spline input and output shafts to have enough strength for my K20,...sounds like the Dana 20 could do the same with 10 splines. Todd.

[b454rat]

It's easy to twin stick a 205, just need to ground the rail for the front shaft. I did it to a couple, though I didn't drive the truck. I did drive a truck with just the front shaft, got some torque steer, but not too bad. I was surprised when I lit the 40s up though....

[asphaltburner]

Yeah, well, I was hoping to hear from some others that own twin-stick Chevy P/Us so they could tell me more about specifics,...performance, torque steer, and problems. Mine has Warn locking hubs in addition, creating another situation entirely.
Any OWNERS out there? Todd.