It's been a long time.........

I can't tell from your pictures, is/was this a "full time" 4x4? If so, how did you manage to ever drive it with the front shaft removed?

Has there been some "part time 4x4" conversion done?

How do you know the transfer case is in gear?

Did you have the transfer and automatic split apart? Did you leave something out, like the coupling?

My suggestion is to reinstall the front shaft, and see what happens. Then, to find out if both axles are engaged, jack up one front and one rear, assuming you have no posi unit, or better yet, put all 4's up on jackstands, and see what you get.

Is it possible that you "forgot" you can't drive these with no front shaft?

So therefore we need more info:

Is it full time 4x4?

Did you modify the transfer case?

Are you sure the transfer case is in gear?

 

If that is an unmodified full time 4x4, I don't see how in HELL you ever drove it with the front shaft out. Here's why

All american pu's that used New Process built transfer cases essentially had inside them, a positrak differential, between the front and rear shafts. This means, that just like posi in a rear end, the clutches will --to an extent--allow the "slipping" wheel to clutch together to the other tractive wheel, and drive the truck.

The same thing is true of the transfer case. If you slip the rear, the clutches tend to "lock up" and continue driving the front. This is not a problem with older, manual cases, because when you are in 4x4, the front/rear shafts are locked together. This is precisely why you cannot run a "part time" rig in 4x4 on pavement--there is no slippage between the front/rear shafts.

Here's what I think happened:

The clutches somehow got tightly locked, allowing you to drive the rig with no front shaft. This would not be considered a normal situation, and would be very hard on the differential clutches. They may have, in fact, failed.

Someone (unknown to you) has done the "conversion" in the transfer case to "part time" 4x4. If this is the situation, and nothing is broken, you should be able to get it in gear with the transfer case shifter

Again--the first thing to do is try installing the front shaft. You could also take the truck out into some dirt or other "poor traction" and spin the wheels a little to see what's driving and what's not.

One thing that is a REAL trouble area, by the way, is the really stupid front wheel bearings on these trucks. There is no provision for adjustment, and worse, if you need to change the front seals, you can't get the bearings off the assembly without ruining them. At least Ford and GM used "conventional" hubs on their full time units.

 

I may be incorrect about part of the above

According to this website

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/Diagrams/np203.htm

Your shifter should have a "hi lock" and "low lock" position, which would lock the front/rear shafts together and allow you to drive the pu with no shaft. I'd say take another look at your shifter.

 

I may have missed something as I didn't read the entire posts, but is the flywheel engaging the transmission, I was cautioned that I may need to play a little to make sure there is some connection in my project. Just a word of advice that was passed onto me.

 

I guess you're referring to the torque converter? You cannot bolt the engine to the transmission, unless the torque converter is properly engaged. Also if this was the case, the front drive yoke would not be turning.

 

Yes, thats what I meant, I was told that sometimes the torque converter can be pushed in far enough that it would not engage. Maybe its just the 727.

 

Look, guessing like this is not helping you. You need to be specific if you want some good advice.

Did you install the front shaft? If so, what happened?

Did you check out the shifter and linkage carefully?

One thing I'm thinking, is that if you left the transmission/ transfer in the truck with the engine out, the weight of the two might have bent, damaged or otherwise changed the transfer shifter situation.

What happened when you tried to "lock" the transfer with the shifter?

 

 

I read an article once that said driving the np203 without a front drive shaft is a bad idea.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/47538/
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I don't know whats wrong with your t-case but, I thought you might find this information on np203 towing interesting. On page 2-15 of the TM9-2320-266-10 Operators manual for the M880 (military dodge) series trucks it says:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/upload/...320-266-10.pdf
I've never had to tow my truck but, had I not read the above I would have assumed put the transmission in neutral too. I asked a friend and was told this procedure keeps the transmission innards from spinning while being towed.