1977 K10 4- wheel question

I have a question about how to use the 4-wheel drive in the 77 k10. I just recently pulled it from the junk yard got it running again, so i could use it as a vehicle i could use for camping/hunting. Im really confused about how it all works on old vehicles. It has a 203 transfer case the shift looks like. 4 wheel low lock, 4-wheel low, N, 4 wheel Hi, 4 wheel hi lock. The vehicle has hub lockers on the front. I put them on free, put it in 4 wheel high, and the front wheels don't do a thing. What the hell do those hub lockers do in the front. It also seems that it likes to get stuck in 4 wheel Low, and 4 wheel low lock. So the questions are, How do I get the 4 wheel to work, What do hub lockers do, and what is hi lock and low lock, could it be my transfer case. Im new to all this stuff so Im still learning. Also I could use some input on what all to put on the vehicle, 350 engine, 10 bolt front, 12 rear, th 350 tranny, 203 transfer case, 35'' wheels.


Jon  

Your problem is that someone modified your 203 and it is no longer full time. They did not come with lockout hubs either which is the big clue that it has been modified. 4hi is now 2wd high, 4 lo is now 2wd lo and 4hi loc is now 4wd hi and 4 low loc is now 4wd lo. The binding in "loc" is because of torque bind on drive line between axles. Try shifting it out on a slick surface or reversing drive directions for a few feet and then shifting.  

Thanks! what do he hubs do though, do I need to lock those when I shift into 4wd?  

Yes  

thanks!  

lol, of course the front tires arn't gonna move if your hubs are in the free position, that means there free from the axle thus even if the t case is in 4 wd and the front drive shaft spins, the front tires wont move unless you put the hubs in the lock position!! they lock into the axle so that the power is transfered to the tires........ i wouldn't be so quick as to say that you np203 has been converted to part time since my 78 k5 came with the 203 and was still full time even thought i had manual locking hubs..... if you want the 4wd to work like the factory inteded it to then leave the hubs in lock and drive the truck in 4 hi unlock on the street and in lock 4hi or 4low when off road.... that all you needed to know  
Solid axle chevys can't be beat!
My dream truck: 73-91 chevy 3500 crew cab srw with dana 60/14bolt, 6 inc long travel lift with KING shocks, 37 inc tires and a 24v cummins diesel, nv5600 and np205

My nickle is on it being converted. A lot of them were. There was several conversions for it but most were poorly done but there was one out back then that added a extra control to Tcase and allowed part time AND fulltime operation. It was pricey though.  

This is pritty helpful. Ill have to experiment a little more it kinda hard to find mud around phoenix,AZ right now though lol. We got plenty of sand though. You guys got any suggestions of new parts? I want to put a 4-speed on it and a 12 bolt front and 14 rear so my diffs don't get all messed up with the 35 inch tires.  

theres no such thing as a 12 bolt front and 10 bolt and 12 bolt rears are equally weak nither is really stronger than the other, you dana 44 will be just fine with 35s, but do put in a 14 bolt in the rear either 9.5 semifloater or the 10.5 full floater, also you won't gain anything going from 3 speed auto to 4 speed stick as the stick had an extra low 1 gear, overal top gear ratios are the same 1:1 no overdrive on them  
Solid axle chevys can't be beat!
My dream truck: 73-91 chevy 3500 crew cab srw with dana 60/14bolt, 6 inc long travel lift with KING shocks, 37 inc tires and a 24v cummins diesel, nv5600 and np205

The reason it is so hard to shift into 4 low lock and 4 high lock is the shifter. When the full time 203 is converted to part time a new shifter with plates is installed, These plates love to get dirty and gummy really fast and need to be cleaned frequently and at least once a year taken apart and cleaned throughly and then reassembled.  This will take care of the problem until they become dirty and gummy again,    How do I know this? I have a 76 chevy with a 203 that was converted to part time with 3/4 axles and it does the same to me,  on a plus note with that shifter it can be a real pain to get it to shift into 4-wheel drive if its cold out plus the fact that it does not like to shift very easy anyway.  

I have the same truck also with locking front hubs, except mine wont shift out of 4 wheel low??? maybe someone can help me out? would that mean low fluid? when i try to shift outa 4 wheel low it stays in neutral the whole time. also are you supposed to shift outa 4x4 when your in park of moving or i nuetral?  

Try shift with tranny in neutral and coasting at a few MPH or with engine off and in neutral at stand still if it still will not shift.  

ok well i tried that and nothing, it stays in nuetral. When im stopped if i have it in gear and try to switch outa 4x4 it grinds gears. I just got this truck and am hoping i didnt get myself into some trouble.  

You cannot shift ranges with power applied, it will grind. They are not synchronized. Even in neutral with a automatic at a stand still enough power leaks through to spin gear when shifting ranges. This is why you try to shift in neutral with engine running while coasting at a few MPH.  

ok ill try that out and see what happens, thanks a lot