I have a 87 w150 318 4pd np205 the front axle is the disconnect style with a busted drivers side inner & outer shaft. The inner shaft is not easy to find. I have 76 trailduster chassis with the full time axles 354/355 gears. Could I swap these axles to the 87. I know fulltime axles aren't the prefered axles, but the truck see only mild wheeling.

Its not the full time axles, its the full time transfer case that is not preferred.

Out of a 76 Trailduster will be a Dana 44.

As long as spring pad width matches your springs and the u joints are the same, go for it.

Actually, it is the fulltime axles that are not preferred because of the unsealed unit bearing front wheel bearings. They tend to be weaker then the normal setup and have to be greased all the time to survive. Some have had issues with wide offset wheels and tires eating them like candy. The inner axle may be the same length but I honestly can't confirm it.

I say use the axles from the 76'. The only thing is i would check the splines on the axle shaft, one the axle to see if there the same splines,but first make shur there both 9&1/4 rears. As for the front swap everything from knuckles out, including spindles, outer shafts, hubs, rotors, and use tierod from doner truck also use inner shafts from doner truck. The 76' will be small bolt pattern 5 lug thats why u have to change rear axle shafts.

Thanks for the reponces, I'm also thinking about dropping in my 340 to my 87 as well. Its a pretty hot motor, RPM aluminum heads, torker intake, roller rockers, Crane 470/270 cam, Holley 660 center squirter. I have a 727 with 3500 stall converter but the 203 is behind it. I really would like to the 727 in my 87 with the np205 not sure how that would work.

A NP205 will not mount to a transmission that came with a NP203 behind it. Also, I would not ever use the old fulltime axles over the ones in the '87
W150. CAD axles can be had pretty cheaply and you can permanently lock the CAD and put lockout hubs on. I would never swap out the larger hub axles with the large bolt pattern and better bearings for the problematic fulltime axles.

Thanks for the reponces, I'm also thinking about dropping in my 340 to my 87 as well. Its a pretty hot motor, RPM aluminum heads, torker intake, roller rockers, Crane 470/270 cam, Holley 660 center squirter. I have a 727 with 3500 stall converter but the 203 is behind it. I really would like to the 727 in my 87 with the np205 not sure how that would work.

I would hold off on putting a high stall in your rig, had one in my 77' PW with a mild to hot 440 and i was replacing parts left and right. Something about that hard launch that didn't agree with axles and u-joints. That and you would save some gas!

I used to mud drag a few years back. that is why I have the 727 with 3500stall. The truck just sits now,its not street legal nor could it be made legal. Its early 80s dodge ram 50 body on top of the trailduster frame & drivetrain with 340 & 727 203. Ran modified class. bought the 87 to transfer drivetrain to make a street legal truck. Money is a little snug so i'm exploring some options. I'm not a fan 4sp so, so i would like to swap in a auto trans with a np205. The question would be do i look for a 727 that had a np205 behind it and use mine off the 4sp or find a np205 that came off a 727? Thanks for your feadback.

The NP205 is the same. I have taken several off 727s to put behind my 4 speeds.

I have a 87 w150 318 4pd np205 the front axle is the disconnect style with a busted drivers side inner & outer shaft. The inner shaft is not easy to find. I have 76 trailduster chassis with the full time axles 354/355 gears. Could I swap these axles to the 87. I know fulltime axles aren't the prefered axles, but the truck see only mild wheeling.

I ran the stock D-44s in my 440 Cu In Ramcharger with 35" then 38" tires for ~200K miles. As long as you grease the bearings every 3K miles you will have no problems. The Hub and axle assy is actually stronger than the lock out hub design. If you take one apart, look at the diameter of the outer stub shaft, and it splines directly into the hub/rotor assy. It is plenty beefy. The Bearings got a bad rap because no one maintained them when new. I actually drilled a hole in each of my wheels so I could grease the hubs without removing the wheel. When I bought the truck back in 86, I was concerned about the durability of the hubs, so I would actully bring a grease gun, and pump some grease in the hubs when I crossed streams, or deep mud runs, but as time wore on, I worried less and less about them. I changed them when the truck had 150K miles on it, only because I swapped in some 8 lug hubs from a 3/4 Ton Full time Dodge (They are Identical, except for the lug pattern) and swapped in a D-60 rear and the 38" TSLs. The bearings I removed were still the OEMs, and were still in good shape. The 8 lug hubs were available CHEAP (20.00 IIRC) from Military Surplus they were used on the M series Dodge trucks of the late 70s. The 8 lug hubs were still on the truck when I finally parted it out as the body had rusted into oblivion. Over the years the 440 grew to 505 Cu In ~ 450 HP and I regeared to 4.88s with an ARB up front, and I never had an outer axle or hub problem.

I personally think the unsealed Unit bearing, while not as strong as the tradional hub ( ONLY because the bearings are closer together, losing a little leverage ) is stronger and better (serviceable) than the sealed ones used on the new Rams and Super Dutys.

so i need the find the proper tail shaft from a 727 that had a np205 behind it.

I personally think the unsealed Unit bearing, while not as strong as the tradional hub ( ONLY because the bearings are closer together, losing a little leverage ) is stronger and better (serviceable) than the sealed ones used on the new Rams and Super Dutys.

I would have to agree with this. I still don't like the the full time system in a half ton because of the small bolt pattern but in an 8 lug configuration I would take them over the 2nd gen style bearing hub assembly.

so i need the find the proper tail shaft from a 727 that had a np205 behind it.

Yes, you will have to pick up a 727 from a part time, mated transfer case 4wd Dodge truck and completely disassemble it to remove the tailshaft and housing and then do the same to your 727 and reassemble it using the part time tailshaft and adaptor housing. You don't need a 727 that had a NP205 behind it specifically, since the transmission is the same if it had a NP208, NP241 or NP205 behind it. Look for a 727 out of any fullsize 4wd Dodge truck or Ramcharger from '81 to '88 or so without overdrive.

just foundout my transfer case is a 208 will that change any of the info i have been given?

just foundout my transfer case is a 208 will that change any of the info i have been given?

A Dodge 205 should just bolt right up to your trans if you have the 208 now.

Correct but I would double check that it is indeed a NP208. The earliest a NP208 was available was I think 1980 so if the '77 model has a NP208, someone has swapped the transmission and transfer case in. The NP208 is an aluminum chain driven case, the NP203 is a much larger cast iron chain driven case.