GoFastBroncos.com

Scott_AZ wrote:Resurrecting a zombie thread here, sorry if this breaks etiquette. I'm putting an LQ4, 4L80E, and NP208 in an 88 bronco now. I bought the mounts from Autofab. I'm sure there's been a bunch of these out there already. Anyone have any insights or tips?

I'd go to a NP205 over a 208 unless you can get away with your current drivelines with the 208.

The 205 and 4L80E makes for a nice long driveline witch helps with rear travel.

You should be able to reprogram the output of the PCM VSS signal to match OE and retain your OE speedo of you have a late model (87+) and eliminate the rear end VSS.

Go with the 205, it is the most bomb proof oem case out there, look up the goonwagon build, info on the LS swap, he is also in AZ. Where are you located ? Tate

philofab wrote:

Scott_AZ wrote:Resurrecting a zombie thread here, sorry if this breaks etiquette. I'm putting an LQ4, 4L80E, and NP208 in an 88 bronco now. I bought the mounts from Autofab. I'm sure there's been a bunch of these out there already. Anyone have any insights or tips?

I'd go to a NP205 over a 208 unless you can get away with your current drivelines with the 208.

The 205 and 4L80E makes for a nice long driveline witch helps with rear travel.

You should be able to reprogram the output of the PCM VSS signal to match OE and retain your OE speedo of you have a late model (87+) and eliminate the rear end VSS.

I have the 32 spline 208 and adapter already :-/ If anything else down the road, I'll probably get an atlas and call it good. 205 is heavy, harder to find, and dealing with 32spline input makes them diamonds because of the pirate4x4 guys gobbling them up. I'm also saving budget to do more fun gofast stuff. Stock suspension for now til it runs. "The 208 came in the 1.25 ton CUCV trucks the military used" or that's the excuse I'll go with I have an np203 but it's mated to an SM420 and not 32spline, or I'd consider it for strength and convert to selectable.

XTate wrote:Go with the 205, it is the most bomb proof oem case out there, look up the goonwagon build, info on the LS swap, he is also in AZ. Where are you located ? Tate

I Live in Cave Creek. West of Scottsdale.

How do I edit posts on this board?

I went and looked again. I have a Chevy driver drop 205, not a 203. Maybe I can get a 32 spline input for this thing and rebuild it. It's a rusty mess. Been outside in the direct sun and rain for 20+ years.

Maybe I am more used to jeeps or something, but I am used to people mounting the x-member in the back to the xfercase rather than just the trans how my Bronco was. That borg warner transfercase is an interesting thing. It's really large. Do people rebuild the skidplate thing to be a functional x-member and support the xfercase? Aluminum trans, aluminum adapter, with a 200+ lbs NP205 is concerning.

Find the goonwagon build under Big Bronco, it is on the 1st page. The owner I think is on the west side. I am in southern AZ. Goonwagon Owner just did a LS swap maybe you can drive over and check it out. The stock BW skidplate would never work as a cross member, you will need to fab up a new cross member for where ever the 4l80 and tranfercase come out.

XTate wrote:Find the goonwagon build under Big Bronco, it is on the 1st page. The owner I think is on the west side. I am in southern AZ. Goonwagon Owner just did a LS swap maybe you can drive over and check it out. The stock BW skidplate would never work as a cross member, you will need to fab up a new cross member for where ever the 4l80 and tranfercase come out.

Cool thread. I dig his AC setup. The exhaust setup looks really well made too. I tore down the SM420 and 205. The 208 is significantly lighter and has a better low range. The high hp mods for a 205 to survive put you damn close to "might as well buy an atlas" price point. The 208 has a 32 spline output on the back already, it's a kit for the 205. I'd have to buy the 32 spline input for the 205 and the 208 is good to go. For the sake of getting it going under its own power and buget, I'm sticking with the 208 and put an SYE in it and call it good.

The only issue I have had with my Bronco was breaking the chain in the 208 and cracking the case 700 miles into baja. Luckily we found a 1356 at the yonke yard and modified our drive shafts and made it home. If you have a 205 rebuild it and never worry again. If you want to sell your 205 then pm me cause I would not mind buying it to have for one of my projects. Also for whatever its worth I have 3 really nice built by ATD T400 transmissions that are set up for 4x4 2 standard case and one reid case all are for sale.

A two speed Atlas is $ 2400. last time I looked at 205's I thought you could do it for half that.

Before you pass on the 205 talk to this guy http://offroaddesign.com/index.htm

I did the clock on the NP205 to bring it up a little,( I am c6 but same idea) heavy but what is not heavy on a bronco.....


Also Chevy had a Steel adapter for the TH400 and 4l80E that works with the NP205 it was also shorter.

I raced in the lucas oil regionals stock full class for a while. My theory is run it til it breaks, then fix it for good. One example is the ORD bomb proof motor mounts in the race truck. Better to make progress than getting it perfect first pass. Projects that never run get sold after collecting dust at pennies on the dollar. I'm super motivated to move the ball forward and driveshafts are cheap, relatively speaking. I'm more excited to have the suspension project going than messing around with this stuff at this point. "If you don't drive it, you'll resent it" applies here. One thing @ a time though. Here's my top 10 thoughts on the 205 vs 208 thing.

1) The 208 has 32 spline all the way through. Arguably, stronger 2wd drivetrain (see #4).
2) The 208 comes w/ VSS already, the one I have has the pigtail clipped off.
3) I'd need to swap in the input shaft on the 205.
4) The 205 doesn't have 32 spline output shaft. Machine the case for bearings, seals, yoke, etc.
5) The 205 doesn't have VSS.
6) The 205 needs a x-member/support because it's heavy.
7) I don't "expect" to need 4wd and high hp/torque. <-- famous last words. Take the 205 VSS budget and apply to winch.
8) The slip yoke thing is drill the output shaft and tap it and hold the existing yoke in it. Simple. Cheap.
9) The 205 is slated for another project that I might never do. It's been 20 years already and hasn't started... Lots of money in parts rusting tied to that whole idea.
10) My biggest mistake. My wife knows the plan and if I change it to where it costs more, I have to justify. Other than "I'm afraid it'll break" or "the internet said so" she won't buy it. If you break it, obv you have to upgrade, right guys? Maybe trailer it to Friday night drags and blow it up in 4hi when there's budget haha

Well I am definitely for getting project done, perfectionism kills deals.

XTate wrote:Well I am definitely for getting project done, perfectionism kills deals.

Amen brother. All about playing whack a mole instead of boiling the ocean. Got the engine, tranny, and adapter home and tore the motor down and mocked up the tcase. Need to cut like 3-1/8" off the output shaft from the trans so the tcase will mount up. My 4L80E is a 2wd, but has an all-spline output shaft. The engine internals look good as new. Time for a cam, springs, some sensors, plugs and wires, and should be ready to go in the bronco.

I want to see it. LS and a 4l80 is in my future about a year out.

Subbed because I wish I would have done this right off the bat, and I still might

Yea so I got the engine fired up on my harbor freight engine stand this weekend w/ open pipes with O2 sensors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhMgBvgGBVs I got a harness from these guys https://www.psiconversion.com/ HPTuners to remove VATS and tune it. Still needs a lot of tuning as you can see from the video. It's a stock LQ4 w/ PAC1218 and a trickflow 228/230 (tfs-30602003) cam with LQ4 317 heads. The ECU I have says the engine/trans are from a 2002 2500HD.
My NP208 had a spun bearing, the NP205 had a crack on the front output on the bottom (probably from when I removed it) so I got an NP241C and a JB conversions SYE. Expensive lesson on craigslist parts I guess. I sold the 5.0 and tranny/tcase though, so that evens that mess out I guess. I cut down the 4L80E output shaft. Lots of little odds and ends things (EGR delete, evap delete, oil cooler delete, plugs, wires, belt, balancer puller and installer, hose adapters for fuel, valve spring compressor, etc.) It's the little stuff that jumps up and bites ya! I should have the autofab engine mounts done this week and ready to put the engine in this weekend if all goes to plan. The rivets on the x-member have been putting up a hell of a fight and it's greasy and the fuel filter has only been on fire 3 times lol. The driver side one is a real b*tch. I have the stock airtex E2000 pump on it but probably need to upgrade it very soon. Maybe a Bosch 044 or something parts stores will have on hand.

I have never done an LS swap before this one. I don't personally know anyone who has, but honestly, it's been really straight forward and pretty smooth. I'd NEVER try to do my own harness. I don't have the patience or time with two kids. So the PSI stuff was worth every penny. Still have to work out drivelines, I've done biz w/ a local shop TAD (http://www.tadshafts.com/) and will take it to them when I get it all put back together. I also still need exhaust. Probably going to find a shop and let them do that. I'd love recommendations in metro Phx if anyone has one. Nothing fancy, probably single 3" still trying to figure out how much noise I want. Then put the wideband in and start tuning. I hope to do some smoky burnouts in like 3-4 weeks. Life is good!

Cool stuff

Are the autofab engine mounts solid or poly? I'm in a similar situation dropping an LS3 into my bronco and Don't really know if I should solid mount the trans and motor or use poly mounts. Looks like all the trophy trucks use engine plates but that's not really a good comparison.

Just my $0.02 but for a non race vehicle poly will be "solid" enough for you. Sounds like you already know this, but if you poly mount the motor - do the trans too & vice-versa.