Edit: Done! Who would want a D24 t-case support strut?

[1971ford]

Struts are done. Should be able to grab the hardware for them tomorrow.

PM me with your information (Name, Address) to claim yours, I'll give you my paypal email, and once I receive $75 I'll get the strut "kit" on its way!
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I was asked to leave one unpainted
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I took each strut assembly and bolted it in my highboy to be sure they are all ready to rock. Here is mine bolted in for good.
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One big advantage a NP205 has over a D24 transfer case is the NP205 has a support strut to keep the t-case from slinging back and forth. If you have a D24 you probably know what I'm talking about. When under load or you give it a good amount of gas the D24 will swing back and forth doing no good for any of your drivetrain. I have a Cummins and 37's so I'm sure it's even worse for me.
So if you don't have the money or desire to swap to a NP205 right now, like me, how about supporting the D24, like the NP205 is?

Right now I'm making 2 supports. 1 for me, and 1 for someone else. If there are others thinking this is a great little investment I can whip up many more. They bolt on top of a factory bearing cover on the D24. Just remove the bolts, install the strut with longer bolts in same location, then drill two holes on the bottom of the frame for the frame-side of the strut. Haven't gotten that far yet, but that's most likely what's going to happen.
This strut utilizes a thick piece of rubber in between two 3/16 plates to keep the transfer case rubber mounted. Also if you're going to add the strut I would definitely swap out the t-case bushings at the same time. This strut will help those new bushings live much longer as well.

I will have pictures up later today of one of these things. Sound like something you'd be interested in? Not sure on what the cost would be quite yet... but not a whole lot. I can lock a price down later today after I finish one. A guesstimate right now would be $70 shipped with the strut (painted black), plate, rubber, and replacement grade 8 bolts for t-case and frame. to anywhere in the US. Installation should be fairly easy (hardest part would be drilling two holes) and should be less than 30 minutes.

[hazelnut]

Ill buy the other one from you. Send me a PM with info for payment.

[averagef250]

Cool!

[1971ford]

So there is at least some interest... if others are interested and think they would buy one, post up so I can get a rough count on how many I should whip up.
They are taking a little more time than I thought but not too bad, and the hardware cost is more than I thought (Just under $10 for the grade 8 hardware... the only local grade 8 provider). May fine tune the price to $75, but no more than that. Still haven't finished the first strut as I was offered an opportunity I had to jump on, so was gone most of the day.
Here's some pictures of some of the materials and maybe it will help you get a basic idea of whats going on.
My boss at the shop has been running this same transfer case strut setup for at least 10 years on his highboy with no issues... so hopefully there won't be any bugs to work out. Although, there are minor changes to the struts i'm fabricating to clean them up a little.
I need to put a jig together if I'm going to be making many of these. That or swap each one onto my truck before they get shipped out to be certain the holes and angles are just right.



I have another idea on how to make this strut, it consists of one of the 4"x4" plates bolted to the t-case over the bearing cover with tabs off that, to mount a 2" OD poly bushing. Then run the tube off that bushing to the frame like the other plan. Hmmm

[stover]

Sign me up for one.

Stover

[1972hiboy]

yeah id be down. I havent had a problem with it yet but im always carrying alot of weight and if I can keep things in their place im all for it.

[CrypticRacer13]

You know im still down for the trek to your place to snag one for mine!

[1971ford]

Good to see interest. The more the better, as all profit will go straight into getting my truck on the road again. It's been 7 months since I've driven my truck! I'll make a jig off my first strut and fab up a few more. The way I'm going to do this is I will fabricate the strut then once completed I'll put it up for grabs or to the next person in line. I won't be taking in money before I have another strut boxed and ready to go. I have never been so busy in life as I am right now so I can't crank these things out like I'd like to, but i will definitely continue to make more.

105 degrees out so got off work early and worked on the first strut. Here is the first strut. Gotta run right now but I'll rough it up and shoot paint on it and put all the pieces together so you see exactly what you get.







Mike's getting this one after I finish putting the "kit" together and make a jig off this one. He will ensure there are no bugs and whatnot, since he has a running,driving highboy.

[CrypticRacer13]

YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!

[1972hiboy]

sweet

[davesoehren]

i would want one but i need to know price to St. Joseph, Mo.

[1971ford]

Made another support strut after work today...

I'm going to grab the materials and get them ready at work tomorrow for 4 more support struts, making a total of 6.
One for me, one for Mike (crypticracer13), hazelnut, stover, 1972hiboy, and davesoehren assuming everyone is still interested by the time they are ready to ship out (within a couple days..)
After work, my goal is to fabricate the 4 struts so I have the 6 complete struts. I'll hopefully be able to run and grab the hardware by the end of this week making them ready to ship.
If more people are interested down the line and beg me enough I may make another batch but this is it for now, I am starving for time to work on the '69 but starving for cash even worse so figured I'd sell 5 of these and stop there.

[stover]

Ryan,
I am still interested. Give me a shout when mine is ready.

Thanks, Stover

[sopikp1]

I'm interested, nice work!

[1971ford]

Things didn't go as planned so I wasn't able to knock out all the struts thursday, but I was able to spend a couple hours making the parts for 6 more struts today at the shop, and started putting them together just now.

Kevyn, saw your reply before heading down to the shop... decided to get materials for a couple extra. I am stopping here though.
I have two done and made parts for 6 more. Total of 8.
One for me, one for crypticracer13, hazelnut, stover, 1972hiboy, davesoehren, and sopikp1

That leaves one extra. Anyone want to claim that one??