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NP246: 99-02 vs. 03-07

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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 05:09 PM
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Default NP246: 99-02 vs. 03-07

Anybody know what the differences are between the 99-02 and 03-07 autotraks? I will be buying a reman case for my 2000, was wondering if a newer version will work. I know the newer ones don't have the front shaft spinning all the time, and will shift out of 4wd under full throttle. Anybody know?
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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 06:59 PM
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A NP246 is a NP246. the only difference in any of them is the ones behind a 4l60 and the ones behind a 4l80.
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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 08:02 PM
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there is a difference though - with the front ds

mine is always spinning also and I wish it didn't like the newer ones
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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 08:05 PM
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Ive never seen a difference. Weird. Even in the new process book they dont seperate by year.
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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 08:32 PM
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for some reason the older ones have the clutch slightly applied all the time
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Old Mar 3, 2011 | 11:15 PM
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Yea my front driveshaft always spins also...I want to do an AWD conversion anyway though
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Old Mar 4, 2011 | 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by sharpshooter
for some reason the older ones have the clutch slightly applied all the time
Seems like the 99-00s do it. With mine in park I stuck a pry bar in the front shaft and was able to turn it with quite a bit of force. Its really a bad design as it will wear out the chain, the u joints and the front diff and you don't even have to ever put it in 4wd. Not to mention the loss of gas mileage. I think the ultimate fix would be a 261/263 3/4 ton or 1 ton transfer case. They actually have a big syncronizer in there that physically disconnects the front shaft from the main shaft so there is no parasitic loss.
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Old Mar 4, 2011 | 07:24 AM
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does anyone know if you can modify the 99-00 246's so they free spin like the later 246's?
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Old Mar 4, 2011 | 10:29 AM
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Im gonna put a np243 behind my 80 when everything goes back together. Works just like the 246 but no clutches.
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Old Mar 7, 2011 | 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted by sharpshooter
does anyone know if you can modify the 99-00 246's so they free spin like the later 246's?
This is what I want to know. I know for a fact that my 05's front shaft doesn't spin, and know for a fact it shifts out of 4wd under full load when you push the button (track video to prove it). I am not really concerned with shifting out of 4wd, but hate that the whole front driveline is spinning on my frequent 3-400 mile trips when it doesn't need to be.
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