questions bout full time 4x4

[ol yellow 72]

hey guy havent been on here in bout 2 years or so, used to use the 67-72 side alot, but anyways picked up a nice 82 4x4 silverado setting on 78 running gear today for a nice $700. thing runs and drives like a new truck but im a lil confused with the full time 4x4 exactly how does the gears works since mine has no shift pattern on the knob.
next question when i go to what i think to be low lock and take off it pops the t-case out of gear, im thinking adjustment issue? if so how do i adjust the case?
and lastly is it a good idea to convert the front hubs to manual lockouts so it can freewheel?
any adivse would be much welcomed for this is my first full time 4x4

[benoit454]

If I aint mistaken you can't or not supposed to put lock in/lock out hubs on one with full time 4x4 unless you convert it to part time. Lmc has a part time kit cheap now for them.

As for anything else I aint much help, haven't had a full time 4x4 but had a 203 case was gonna put in an 86 until I found out it was ful time and needed alot of other things to make it work.

[ol yellow 72]

was looking at the lmc kit for $69. just wondering how much work it is to do and is it worth the cost of that and hubs

[Jonboy]

It is not that bad. You take off the rear extension housing on the transfer case, and replace the side gears with the supplied blocks. It has been about 15 years since I converted my '75 Blazer, but I don't remember it being that difficult.

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by ol yellow 72

was looking at the lmc kit for $69. just wondering how much work it is to do and is it worth the cost of that and hubs

Yes, it is worth it. The fuel mileage improvement alone will pay for it and the driveability is soooo much better. Converting just "frees-up" the entire drivtrain to the point of feeling like a different truck. A "full time" truck always drives like it is pulling a trailer. You let off of the throttle and it slows down quickly like it is towing or lile you touched the brakes. Once converted, you will use the brakes more....

The conversion itself is very easy. The kits very a little in the way they are installed, but every one I have seen had good directions. It only takes an hour or so and as stated before, you will be glad you did it.

[zac]

The shift pattern from all the way forward to all the back: L LOC--L--N--H--H LOC.

Don't put lock outs on it unless you convert the case. When you unlock the hubs the truck won't move unless you are in LOC.

The stock shifters are terrible. Traditionally guys have to hold the stick forward with their foot to keep it in L LOC. Which has you using your left foot for the accelerator and brakes. I researched the twin-stick option online and kind of came up with my own version. Not hard to do and very worthwhile. Costs bascially nothing if you have lots of old crap sitting around.

Longhair is right in saying the trucks with full time are a completely different animal. Noisy, kind of hunts around on the highway, and unlike part time trucks, you're never quite sure if it is in LOC or not. You get wheel hop doing tight corners when you're unlocked, you get more in LOC. Which leaves you screwing with the stick for a couple extra minutes just to be sure. When I bought my first 205 equipped truck I couldn't believe how different it was.

I'm not going to convert the 203 in my truck just because it works well for what we use it for. It is on the highway most of the time, especially in bad weather. You don't have to worry about the all-or-nothing deal with the 205 and the possibility that your tearing up your drivetrain on pavement. When you have the 203 locked on dry pavement, I think you just end up stretching the chain--I mean even more than it already is. We drive our truck 2000-3000 miles a year, so none of this is a big deal. If you plan to drive your truck alot, the conversion would probably be the way to go.

I think full-time might be good on a farm or in situations like that, where you hit a patch of wet grass now and then or other temporary low traction situation. You might get through it with the case unlocked, if not you just pull the lever without having to get out, and then unlock it when you're clear.

I've heard varous stories about the part-time kits, I have no experience with them so I won't express an opinion. I think you're supposed to lock everything up once in a while to make sure everything gets enough oil. Follow the directions and I'm sure it will be fine.

[ol yellow 72]

ok so i guess im a total idiot when it comes to 4x4. so what is involved in coverting the front axles to manual lockouts?