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Foolish question, 1981 W250 no transfer shifter???

4K views 19 replies 5 participants last post by  TylerLee 
#1 ·
Hi, Just bought a '81 W250. It has no 4WD shifter? Fulltime 4WD? Also the front drive shaft is missing, does that help with anything if it is full-time 4WD. Thanks for your help.
 
#2 ·
81 isn't full time 4x4. Should be a NP 208 T-case. No shifter and no front driveshaft? Is there a t-case? Maybe someone swapped a 2wd transmission into your truck. Or maybe you bought a 2wd? Or maybe it was 4wd and somebody was doing a 2wd conversion and never finished the front end.
I knew a guy with a 3/4t chevy 4x4 and turned it into a low rider 2wd 1/2t. Freakin goober.
 
#4 · (Edited)
That doesn't make sense. It should have a shifter. Take a picture of the underside showing the trans and where the T case SHOULD be and I'll tell you what it IS. Dodge didn't have a pushbutton or "automatic" or Full Time 4x4 till way later...like in the late 90s. So, what I am thinking is, if someone took out the shifter, possibly they also converted it to 4x2, or left the shifter out and took out the front drive shaft. The missing driveshaft is a dead giveaway so I am thinking the T case went bad, or the trans went bad and they cheaped out bu removing the T case, and Trans, stuffed a 4x2 trans in there and left the 4x4 front diff but removed the front shaft so they didn't have to convert it to a 4x2 front steering....

Here's what the interior looked like when new. In 1981-1993
 
#6 ·
Craw under the truck and see what it has or doesn't have. The t case is hard to miss because it's right behind the transmission. But from what you are describing it sounds like somebody converted it to a two wheel drive(without removing the front axle).
 
#7 ·
And if they did, and didn't disclose this to you during the purchase, it is a federal law they broke. They have to return all your money and pay for your time and any money you put into the vehicle. And possibly and punitive damages.
 
#10 ·
The sseller is dancing around the issue, or outright lying...or of course, he never knew it was never in 4x4.....The hubs have nothing to do with a missing shifter due to the fact you still need to engauge the transfer case, AND the front diff has to lock into 4x4 via a vacum actuated aliding fork....NONE of this happens when there is no shifter. Heres the drill on what happens. You shift the T case via the SHIFTER into 4x4 hi, or 4x4 low, the T case actuates the vacum operated front diff lock, and you are in 4x4. OTHERWISE, you are using 2 wheel drive especially if there is no DRIVESHAFT a goin to da front wheels! Aint nuttin gonna work! You are missing at least the front drive shaft, and the shift mechanisim for the 4x4 to work. And possibly, a lot more is wrong. Ask the PO to tell you where the front driveshaft and shifter are...Im VERY curious to hear his response to that question LOL!
 
#11 ·
No vacuum operated front diff in an 81 W250. Its a solid Dana 44 with normal axles. No CAD. Auto locking hubs could be on it, they're junk. Swap out for manual WARN locking hubs.
You have NO FRONT DRIVESHAFT. So you do not have 4x4. No such thing in 81 as a shifterless T-case. You should have an NP208 T-case which was standard in 81. What does the tag say on the T-case? It should be on the rear of the case and it is round and riveted on.
What you seem to have is someones bastardized truck.
 
#13 ·
Let me also say that the pics make the front driveshaft yoke on the T case look like this thing has been shaftless for a LONG time. Plus, since the PO removed the shifter, he never planed to replace the shaft or fix what ever went wrong with the T case or whatever the reason for the parts removal. I figure he had a problem with either the T case or the auto hubs and removed the shifter and shaft because something locked up.....who knows? Maybe it stuck iIN 4x4 and he was tired of tthe mileage, and the handling on the dry pavement.
 
#18 ·
Well, not the answers but we all probably would have started by asking a few questions ourselves. As for me, I had you said "I just got this W250, it DOESN'T run yet, and I noticed something funny, it had a shifter on the floor but it is gone, plus the front drive shaft is missin too.

I would have said something like well, what all else is wrong with it? Because if so much is missing, you might be better off buying a running truck and sticking the good parts LEFT off this one on IT.......
 
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