1998 SLT 5.9L 313,000km


So this happened last Thursday.
TAG says Np 231 D HD.
Question is can a transfer case from a 94 ram 1500 swap over easily? the ram case is a Np231 not HD. I think the shifter travel is different. and it looks like there are vacuum lines in the 94 and electronics in my 98 in the same spot.
Its free from a donor my old man has at the farm. Just curious what issues I may run into that I cant see right now.

Thanks.

 

Shift pattern will be different, and the non-hd case may be an inch or so shorter.... Will that matter? Not sure, but, suspect you will need a longer rear driveshaft.

If yours is currently electronic shift t-case, the electronics will NOT work with the older case.

 

Don't think 231s were ever electronically shifted, certainly not in a 98 Durango anyway. The only electronics on the case in the Durango should be for the switch that turns on the 4wd light on the dash. If the spline counts are the same and you can account for any other length or physical differences it should work.

 

Thanks guys,
Yeah the electrics are for the 4x4 light switch, everyhting swapped over beauty! everything lines up perfect.....got er into place and ......input shaft into the transmission is too long.

I think my time as a 1st gen owner is drawing to a close....
I called 10 wreckers in the nearest major city, no one handles vehicles this old, and none of them can look up the tcase model number from any other vehicle....

Thanks for all your help with this old girl, if you kow of anyone in Alberta CANADA looking for a donor vehicle, I got one.

 

98-00 Durangos should have either the 231 or the 242 case. Either will work. 242 has a full time mode. Shifter will work (of course the pattern on the **** will be wrong). Switch for dash light would be different. Similar year dakotas and rams may be the same. Just check the spline count of course.

 

So, Ive checked around more wreckers, I'm not sure if i'm speaking the wrong language or what but I can't seem to find a tcase.
I was wondering if I can swap the internals from the busted one to the donor? like the spline shaft that goes into the transmission?
make a good one out of 2?

 

If yours was good maybe, but something made it explode the case. Driving in 4wd on hard, solid surfaces (ie road) binds them up and does stuff like that.

 

The bearing behind driveshaft yoke piled and ripped the tcase in half. I got a donor from a 94 Ram 1500, its a 231, but a few mild differences. The end of the planetary that goes to the trans mission was longer, shown in the pic, the gear ratio was different, and the outside planetary bearing was thicker. Had to swap the electronic 4x4 switch for the vacuum one on the donor, and the front drive shaft yoke. So I tore them both apart and swapped the internals from my blown up case to the donor.
Got it back in everything looks good. Need to replace the ujoints in the H yoke on the front driveshaft, think the blow up hit em.pretty hard. All sloppy now. Looks like a chunk got taken out of one the joints.

 

the true culprit I believe....
welp....new driveshaft

 

yeah, that's gacked