advance adapters 50-2704 aod to dana 20

[G's Baja Bronco]

:-[has any one used one of these? they claim to retain stock drive shaft length.

It goes for $600, Bronco graveyard and BC broncos do not list them, I think you need to go directly to AA.

I am rethinking my AOD swap, I was going to look for an NP205, but then I will need custom u-joints and drive shaft lengths will change. I priced the NP205 for 450 at a local yard, plus output shaft and ford adapter, plus cutting drive shafts and special u-joints, easily more than $600, plus customizing the cross member.

 

[needabronco]

The AOD adds about 2" in length. The rear driveshaft 'might' have to be shortened, the front likely legthened and made 'skinnier', mine is 1 3/4" diameter DOM, I think I might have $300 in driveshaft work. You don't need special u-joints either.

Where are you getting quotes for $450 for a used 205? I've seen them on craigslist for $25 and $50 fairly regularly... Every junk yard I go to seems to have a pile of them.

 

[broncobran68]

Yeah i paid $150 for mine. If you get one from a '78 bronco you can use your stock u joints although you still have to shorten/lengthen your shafts. Any other truck and you will need to swap the yokes to the 78 bronco style.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

Thanks, guys;D
Sounds Like I need to keep searching for a 205, I looked in San Diego and Los Angeles. Called 5 wrecking yards, the one that had one wanted 450 with exchange and extra for the adapter.

 

[SWFLABRONCO]

I picked my adapter up from Tom's a few weeks ago for $479. That was the best price I found. I did have to shorten my rear driveshaft by 3" and lengthen the front by 2". Mine has the shallower pan so there was no interference with the front driveshaft. Altering the stock D20 crossmember was pretty straightforward too.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

NEDABRONCO, where are you located? zip? maybe I can find some one I can pay through PayPal and ship me one

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

SWFLABRONCO was it the 50-2704 kit?

 

[EricLar80]

SWFLABRONCO was it the 50-2704 kit?

Tom's Bronco parts has them cheapest, so get it there if you want to keep the stock transfer case (they may not show the same part number, but its from AA). 50-2704 is what you want if you have any aod family tranny 1988 or newer.

You will need to adjust the driveshaft length, especially if you have previously lifted it without modifying the lengths.

The NP205 is bulletproof, but with a higher low gear than the Dana 20, so thats why I kept my D20. Also, the mounting of the NP205 is not as straightforward.

If you are putting an AOD in, may as well do the 4r70w. It is awesome being able to set shift points exactly where you want them, but of course you have to buy the controller. The 1st and 2nd gears are also lower in the 4r70w, and it is much more robust, so that is a plus.

Eric

 

[needabronco]

I was in AZ, and they were everywhere... Now I'm in Northern NM, the junk yards here have plenty of them too, but they are gold plated just like where you are...

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

Thanks guys, I am sticking to AOD and will insert the wide gears and diode, it is a 91, a lot better than the 85 I had on my mustang back then, that one I replaced with a T-bird SC 89 AOD and drive the GT another 2 years, sold to my leaded foot sister and she killed the engine before breaking the tranny.

I will keep looking for an 205, I am constantly going to Tijuana to see the Wife's family, I will as one of my nephews to find me one down there, a bit hard to bring back in the Navigator, I better ask My bro for his Taco, since his 75 Bronco is still being built ;-)

 

[SWFLABRONCO]

yep, Tom's was the 50-2704 kit.

 

[mattt]

Yeah....AA doesn't know what they are talking about in the instructions that say no driveshaft mods are necessary. It also says in the same instructions that the overall trans length is the same as a C4, not true. Not only do you have to correct drive shafts, you need to change crossmember to frame bracket mounting because of the additional length. I've seen it handled a few different ways.

 

[EricLar80]

Yeah....AA doesn't know what they are talking about in the instructions that say no driveshaft mods are necessary. It also says in the same instructions that the overall trans length is the same as a C4, not true. Not only do you have to correct drive shafts, you need to change crossmember to frame bracket mounting because of the additional length. I've seen it handled a few different ways.

For those not wanting to deal with it, Toms also sells a crossmember kit for the AOD.

Eric

 

[needabronco]

The crossmember is simple 10 minute mod. don't worry about that.

 

[mattt]

10 minute mod....damn, you're quick. ;D It took me a little longer. The Tom's crossmember does make everything a bolt together affair, but I chose to not use it. The frame brackets are a tad lower than stock in the Tom's kit, so that drops the rear of the trans down a bit & tilts the engine back as well. That didn't work so hot with the 351w I have in there.....firewall to cyl head clearance was lacking.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

I found a NP205, I am going to pick up hopefully tomorrow morning, i will post pics on my original build post.
Teaks MAttt, that is why I asked, I figure I will need to modify mounting and drive shafts either way. I have a j TC and the AA kit says it needs a T shift TC. This way i figure I have a stronger TC and can hopefully use the stock 205 shifter. so far it looks like 250 for the NP205 plus 50 dollars for the stock adapter and output shaft to convert car AOD to 4x4 AOD, VS 600 for the AA kit plus shifter issues.

Thanks for the input I will keep you posted on my progress.;D

 

[mattt]

You can go the 4wd AOD to a 205 route....but be aware of the pitfalls. First....you will have to fab a custom crossmember to mount this combo up. Second....you will give up the deeper low range of the Dana 20. 205's have a 2:1 low range, whereas your J shift 20 has a 2:37:1 low range. I suppose the 205 is stronger since it's a bigger case from a full size vehicle, but it's also heavier.

There are ways around the D20 issues, and in my humble opinion keeping the 20 under your Bronco is preferred. Keeping the 20 simplifies the crossmember/mount issue. For the shifter issue, Advance Adapters wrote those directions long ago, and they are at best...outdated, and at worst....misleading. JBFab now offers a set of twin sticks that are specifically made to work with the AA AOD adapter. See bottom of this page... http://jbfab.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=JCFCS&Category_Code=Shifters

Unless you have a known good running 4wd AOD, you will have to pay to have a trans shop convert your 2wd AOD to 4wd with the output shaft and adapter. Since you are in there...you may as well have the trans rebuilt at the same time. This is really a wash, cost wise, with the AA D20 adapter/output shaft because whatever AOD you start with the AA D20 adapter/output shaft has to be installed.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

Matt, points taken, for the desert wheeling I plan to do I will not miss the .37 lower, specially with the wide set I plan to put into the AOD, I have rebuilt 4 AOD;s in the past, I am pretty goof at it.
as I see it the ford way will be Transfer case, output shaft and stock adapter from 4x4 aod, np205 shifter and custom cross member, I have bending, cutting and welding skills. tc $250, adapter $50, steel $50, shifter $50, about 400 dollars.
the AA way is adapter kit $600, shifter $128 around 728 dollars,

for both I will need custom drive shafts.
thanks for you input.

 

[G's Baja Bronco]

Done deal, got my 205 this morning, pics on my build thread.