transfer case match

[cavdaddycj7]

I currently have a T-150 3 speed in my 85 CJ7 . Behind it is a Dana Spicer 20. I need to know what Transmission it would match up to with out having to swap transfer cases also.

 

[BusaDave9]

I was going to say your jeep would be a good candidate for a Jeep T-18 but then I looked over your specs and I'm a little confused. The T-150 and Dana 20 were installed in jeeps from the '70s. Did a PO install them? I am wondering what input shaft you have; what bellhousing? Did someone make some mods to get that tranny in there?
I could make some recommendations but I don't think you have a standard setup.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

The T150 CJ run started in 1976 and ended in 1979 so it is not stock to your 1985 CJ, nor is the Dana 20 as the Dana 300 started in 1980 and ran through 1986 but assuming you have what you think you have a T18 will work just fine. The only question is what bell housing do you have. If the bell housing that originally came with the T150 was used then it should be drilled for both the CJ T18 and the Ford T18. No matter what the Ford T18 and the T150 use the same bolt pattern. If you use the Ford T18 two things will be needed, a special pilot bushing (AA or Novak both sell them) as the shaft of the Ford version is a little shorter than the CJ version, plus the tail shaft will also need to be swapped out. (Again AA or Novak have the kits) Although harder to find a CJ T18 will be less messing around if you have the right bell housing but they tend to cost more.


Check this out:

http://www.jeeptech.com/convtrans/cjt18/

 

[BusaDave9]

Okay I see what is going on here. Your '85 came with a T-5 Transmission . A PO swapped in a T-150 and a Dana 20 . Both the T5 and the T150 have a 7.5 inch input shaft. The T150 is a much stronger tranny but it only has 3 speeds.
Saddle Tramp is right, installing a Ford T-18 will be easy to mate to your bellhouseing. The problem is the Dana 20. The Ford T18 has an output shaft that inserts into the TCase. The Dana 20 expects the tranny to have a gear on the output of the tranny. This whole gear fits into the TCase when they are mated. The ford T18 will not easily mate to your Dana 20. If you still had the Dana 300 it would work. You would still need an adapter. I have done that swap with an '82 CJ7 .
Saddle Tramp is right again that finding a Jeep T18 will be less messing around. It will mate up to your Dana 20 without a hitch. The problem is now mating it to your bellhousing. A T18 from a FSJ will have an input shaft too long. The link Saddle Tramp gave says a CJ T18 will work. That will be hard to find. Call around and search the internet for a CJ T18 from the '70s and remember you need a Jeep transmission with a 7.5 inch input shaft and a gear on the output of the tranny. It may be hard to find but it should be an easy swap. No adapter will be necessary but your drive shafts will need to be modified.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

When selecting a CJ T18 you have two versions. The 1972 to 1975 and first part of 1976 version have a 4.01 low gear (close ratio). Sometime during the 1976 model year Jeep switched to a 6.32 low gear (wide ratio) version. The right version for your jeep depends upon what you plan to do with your jeep and the gearing you have in the x-case and pumpkins but the most coveted version is the 6.32 low for crawling and may be what you are looking for as the Dana 20 has a rather “high” low gear at 2.03. As stated before if you find a CJ version of the T18 your Dana 20 will bolt right up but you do need to work out the bell housing.

I would check to see what bell housing was used with your T150. The original T176 uses the same input shaft length and Ford butterfly bolt pattern as the T150 so the original bell housing could have been retained. (However the input shaft sizes between the two transmissions are different, 1-1/8” vs 1-3/8” respectively, that effects the clutch.) The other possibility is that whoever did the T150 swap didn’t know and used the bell housing that came in front of the T150 thinking it was the right way to go. If so you may have a 1976-1979 CJ housing that had holes drilled and taped for both the CJ T18 and the T150. Check the pictures in the web page I gave earlier as there is one of the bell housing with the dual holes. It will be obvious if you compare to yours as most of the CJ T18 hole pattern is larger than the T150. The good news is that the T18 & T150 have the same input shaft diameter so your clutch will swap over.
If you go with the Ford T18 a special input shaft pilot busing is needed to make up for the shorter shaft of the Ford. (The Ford is 6-1/2” long while the CJ is 7.43”, = about 7-7/16”) Also the rear shaft has to be changed along with an adaptor that comes in a kit from Novak or AA. You will not have any bell housing issues however.

Your drive lines will need to be altered no matter which T18 you use as the length of the T150 is 9.25” while the T18 is 11.87”, too much difference to keep the driveline in the front together at full flex and too short in the rear to keep it from jamming together when compressed.