Electronic Shift NP203/NP205 Doubler

Hello everyone. Hope your Thanksgiving goes well. This will be my first posting on this site. I'm currently working on my dream truck build...a 1991 V3500 Crew Cab Cheyenne 4x4. Found it 2 years ago on FB marketplace and couldn't walk away from it. It's in rough shape, and it will be built from the frame up.

Anyway...as the title of this post suggests, I've been researching a way to remotely control a NP203/205 doubler. I honestly don't want to use air shift solenoids for the mechanism. In my search through the net, i possible have found a way to add a particular set of t.case shift motors and the control system for it. The parts for the system have already been made by one oem company. I've started to gather the parts to test the idea. But I'd like to get everyone opinion on the control panel for it. Here's a render pic of the Mark 1 Control panel for the system...

Welcome to the site & let me express how envious I am of what would also be my dream truck. As for the old cast iron cases, I'd leave them to be shifted manually. Newer aluminum cases get by with shift motors, but I'm not a fan due to lack of reliability. I'm old school & love twisting hubs & shifting levers.

HS

I just converted the electric shift nv273 in my Dodge to manual because of reliability issues.

I have a 203/205 Doubler and there’s not a lot of room around the 205 rails and 203 lever. If you were able to fit 3 actuators (+ brackets) there you’d almost certainly have to run single exhaust down the driver side.

Shift levers are manly. Push buttons are not.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to side with these guys. Even if you figure out a way to make it work, it essentially will be cobbled together with parts from a few different OEMs and who's to say how reliable it will be or how well it will all fit under the floor. Worst case, you could use the air actuators and activate them with switches in the cab.

Welcome, anyways. I guess the word "electronic" and Square body don't (and shouldn't) go together. Show us your that beast.

85K304SPD said:

Welcome, anyways. I guess the word "electronic" and Square body don't (and shouldn't) go together. Show us your that beast.

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I don't know how to agree with you now that I have Dakota Digital, Vintage Air, Multiport EFI, Self Dimming Mirror and Bluetooth Stereo. I mean I agree but that makes me a hypocrite.

I've seen a couple of clean functional remote shifter setups and I think there are a LOT more failed attempts. The most successful versions seem to be air cylinders. The one case that worked the best and made the most sense was in the BMW on this year's UA trip (Unreal Adventure - search it up for a good time if you're not familiar). The reason that one really made sense is that he was trying to keep a stock BMW interior with a truck under it and some barbaric shifters sticking out weird places didn't really fit in.

In your case, the truck is based around barbaric shifters, I would focus the energy somewhere else. Not that it wouldn't be cool if you can make it work, but it'll take some work that can be put into other aspects of the project that will probably be more important. There is enough stuff to do on a major build that a lot of people never even get them running.

I also understand the fun in unique stuff like this.

Dumb person question: What's an np203/np205 doubler?

There are various kits on the market to essentially stack components of tcases in order to increase the ultimate low range ratio(s).

A “Doubler” (while often used generically for tcase combinations) specifically refers to a kit offered by Off Road Design that has an adapter to mount the range box portion of an np203 tcase in front of a complete np205 tcase, with a kit like this you can run the np205 in low range (1.96:1) or both the np203 (2:1) and the np205 in low range for a combined low range of basically 4:1. Greater low range ratios allow for more control, more mechanical advantage, etc.

If you're dead set on not using air, I'd use an inline linear actuator. Can mount just like an air cylinder. Way more universal that OEM style actuators.

SquareRoot said:

I don't know how to agree with you now that I have Dakota Digital, Vintage Air, Multiport EFI, Self Dimming Mirror and Bluetooth Stereo. I mean I agree but that makes me a hypocrite.

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You are scary close to the Dark side Mike. BTW with your help I did buy a doubler from JB Custom Fabrication Salem OR. ORD was out.
WEB Site: https://jb-custom-fabrication.myshopify.com/

kavesman1 said:

Hello everyone. Hope your Thanksgiving goes well. This will be my first posting on this site. I'm currently working on my dream truck build...a 1991 V3500 Crew Cab Cheyenne 4x4. Found it 2 years ago on FB marketplace and couldn't walk away from it. It's in rough shape, and it will be built from the frame up.

Anyway...as the title of this post suggests, I've been researching a way to remotely control a NP203/205 doubler. I honestly don't want to use air shift solenoids for the mechanism. In my search through the net, i possible have found a way to add a particular set of t.case shift motors and the control system for it. The parts for the system have already been made by one oem company. I've started to gather the parts to test the idea. But I'd like to get everyone opinion on the control panel for it. Here's a render pic of the Mark 1 Control panel for the system...

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Click to expand...

I'm going to go against the grain here, but I think if you have the ability and the know-how to get it done, then go for it. Worst case, it's a failed experiment and you simply run the tried and true shifters.

that's funny cos I am building a doubler for our 4x4 trail rig. The fact that it has an extra 2 levers is a plus. Its also a manual, and hope to have a level engaged pto. / winch, front and rear that would make for at least 6 sticks. figured that would be a good theft deterrent ...

however its your rig, so go for it.

SquareRoot said:

Shift levers are manly. Push buttons are not.

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Ok....gotta know the setup you've got there. What TC you got?