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351w/ZF-5/Dana 20

nvrstuk

Contributor
Just a Bronco driver for over 50 yrs!
Joined
Jul 31, 2001
Messages
8,772
I've had a Dana 20 behind my 203/ZF/ 393 on 35s since 1997 with zero issues. It does have the HD output shaft because that WILL break.
It's been driven everywhere and up many trails.
If you're a rough and abusive on the throttle you can break anything no matter what it is.
You calling me "rough & abusive"- eh??? lol. :)

I just ate D20's all the time.

Not once was it from bouncing on rocks, or ever from spinning all 4, or ever going over 10 mph. They just didnt like me. lol

Hope things are going well Gary. Been too long. You going to the Stampede?
 

.94 OR

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
1,703
It appears a 351/ZF can be sourced out of a mid 90's F250 then direct mate it to a NP205 T-case. This would save the ~$500 for the adapter to the D20 and the ~$500 for the upgraded output shaft. Drivelines would need some attention either way. Tunnel would likely need reworked as I'm not too excited to add a 2" body lift. Ideally a useable roller block would be great, but the Comp roller setup could be used I guess.
 

Timmy390

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
5,626
Loc.
Conway, AR
All this talk of weak D20's has me thinking I need to stop barking grabbing 2nd and 3rd so hard. Barking my 33's can't be good for it :)

Tim
 

m_m70

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2001
Messages
1,485
Loc.
Pacifica, CA
guess I've been lucky the last 35 years.......original D20 and no issues with output shaft. I bark the 33's a lot grabbin' second.....It'll probably snap tomorrow now that I brought it up :rolleyes: :geek:
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,935
The problem I have these days are the Ford NP205s are getting a lot harder to find. You don't find the Dentsides in junkyards being parted out very much, and the 4WDs are too valuable to junk out. All the junk has been scrapped and parted out. They are not plentiful like they were 15 years ago. The other thing is the Ford version of the NP205 is in high demand by non-Ford applications. The Ford NP205 was the only one with the driver's side drop. But so much newer stuff is now driver's side drop. Get someone doing a late (as in late 80s) GM truck and wanting a simple transfer case will look for the Ford NP205 and swap out the input shaft for a GM version. And you can say that for just about any manufacturer. Driver's side drop was rare in the 70s with Ford being the only big game in town. Everyone else was a passenger side drop. But that has changed, now everyone is driver's side drop in new stuff.
Yes, there are still some out there, and they generally don't have anything wrong with them other than needing a reseal job. But they are just not that plentiful anymore.
 

nvrstuk

Contributor
Just a Bronco driver for over 50 yrs!
Joined
Jul 31, 2001
Messages
8,772
Not much torque barking tires on pavement, not compared to climbing a 30deg rock face with your selectable locked in driving 37" aired down tires on rock like Moab has- "slick rock" which is high traction, by aired down tires on max traction surface with weight bias all on the rear tires

No comparison.

Torque to twist output shafts off is engine torque multiplied by a 5.72 1st gear, possibly a doubler at 2.73:1, by a tcase 2.46:1, by rear gears 4.88:1, aired down tires... etc, etc


Just an example is all.
 

TAC71

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
456
You calling me "rough & abusive"- eh??? lol. :)

I just ate D20's all the time.

Not once was it from bouncing on rocks, or ever from spinning all 4, or ever going over 10 mph. They just didnt like me. lol

Hope things are going well Gary. Been too long. You going to the Stampede?
All good here. No Stampede this year......thinking Colorado in sept.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,935
Not much torque barking tires on pavement, not compared to climbing a 30deg rock face with your selectable locked in driving 37" aired down tires on rock like Moab has- "slick rock" which is high traction, by aired down tires on max traction surface with weight bias all on the rear tires

No comparison.

Torque to twist output shafts off is engine torque multiplied by a 5.72 1st gear, possibly a doubler at 2.73:1, by a tcase 2.46:1, by rear gears 4.88:1, aired down tires... etc, etc


Just an example is all.
I've been known to add air to tires on slickrock so they will slip a little better. When sticky tires are too sticky.
 
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