ww2dodge.com Forum

Hi Gordon
... It came from North Devon with the 1.96:1 T/Fer Case installed. I wouldn't know it was from a Power Wagon except that it has the ratio cast on the housing. I have no information as to why it was installed, whether it was considered an upgrade or was available when a replacement was required.
David

That is certainly unusual. There wouldn't be a lot of PW cases in the UK at that time as PWs were never big here. I suppose there is an off chance it started out as a PW case and someone has put WC internals in it. Not sure if the cases themselves are identical with different internals.

I'd guess most people here know the theory, but just in case... The logic is that the single speed case gives you the ordinary four forward gears, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Fitting the 1.5:1 WC 6x6 case gives you half gears, so you have approximately 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4.

Fitting the 1.96:1 PW case gives you a new ultra low gear, call it 0, and then approximately 1, 2, 3, and 4 again, albeit with two different lever settings for each, so there is no real advantage apart from the new ultra-low bottom gear which the PW needed to double as an agricultural tractor and do things like pull plows. Using it in 0, low/low, would reduce the stress on the gearbox on a very heavy pull.

I don't have the weights listed, but to me the single speed case weighs the same as a gearbox / transmission, and the PW / WC 6x6 case weighs as much as a bare engine block.

Send me your email address Ian and I will see what I can do.

Dave

So with the higher ration diffs that I have, I am hoping that the 1.5 low range in the transfer case will give me back my low gear or something close to that. I will do the math to see what it works out to.

Just got to quieten it down a little!!

Ian

the 1.96 is the better case. you cant have too low of gears offroad or when using the truck as a tool. the only situation I might consider the 1.5 to 1 case is if I was running a diesel. the 1.96 tcases are plentiful in N. Amer. from free to to 250 USD. FYI the M37 also uses the 1.96 NP200 tcase. all the cases themselves are the same just different gear sets. The M37 case uses different yokes but all else same

Thanks for the input Kaegi,
unfortunately the PW or M37 transfer cases are all but extinct in New Zealand, and the cost of shipping x USA these days is prohibitive. I will perservere with the 1.5 case.

Crs

Ian

I bet you could find one in Oz but even shipping from there would probably be kinda pricey

True, but I suspect the 1.5 case will turn out fine.
I'm not sure how many PW's or M37's ended up in Oz, and I'm not really planning and really serious offroading in the Carryall, I just want the low gear for steep hills.

Ian

Gordon_M wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2019 8:16 am

Hi Gordon
... It came from North Devon with the 1.96:1 T/Fer Case installed. I wouldn't know it was from a Power Wagon except that it has the ratio cast on the housing. I have no information as to why it was installed, whether it was considered an upgrade or was available when a replacement was required. David

That is certainly unusual. There wouldn't be a lot of PW cases in the UK at that time as PWs were never big here. I suppose there is an off chance it started out as a PW case and someone has put WC internals in it. Not sure if the cases themselves are identical with different internals. I'd guess most people here know the theory, but just in case... The logic is that the single speed case gives you the ordinary four forward gears, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Fitting the 1.5:1 WC 6x6 case gives you half gears, so you have approximately 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4.

Fitting the 1.96:1 PW case gives you a new ultra low gear, call it 0, and then approximately 1, 2, 3, and 4 again, albeit with two different lever settings for each, so there is no real advantage apart from the new ultra-low bottom gear which the PW needed to double as an agricultural tractor and do things like pull plows. Using it in 0, low/low, would reduce the stress on the gearbox on a very heavy pull.

I don't have the weights listed, but to me the single speed case weighs the same as a gearbox / transmission, and the PW / WC 6x6 case weighs as much as a bare engine block.

Hi Gordon:

Late in WW II, the military Dodge 6x6 trucks WC-62 and WC-63 were delivered from the factory with a two-speed transfer case having the 1.96 low range gearing. This late war change is mentioned in "Engineering of Transport Vehicles, 1942-1945" written by the Chief of Ordnance - Detroit. This book is undated but was written after September 1, 1945, as changes up to that date are included in this book, which is reproduced and sold by the MVPA.

On page 212, the description of changes made to TRUCK, 1-1/2 TON, 6X6 [Dodge G-507 from] (1 October 1944 to 31 May, 1945) includes the following:

"(2). Transfer case low gear ratio changed from 1.50 to 1.00, to 1.96 to 1.00, to provide increased tractive effort, better grade ability, and improved performance, particularly for towing the 105 mm Howitzer, M3, and the 57 mm anti-tank gun. 2/7/45"

I imagine 2/7/45 is the date this change was released for production, so assuming some time was necessary to acquire the necessary gears, revised case, etc, it may have taken a few months before the change in the transfer case low range gear ratio reached the production line.

Nevertheless, it did enter production, as documented in ORD 9 SNL G-507 dated 1 September 1945, which on page 173 lists two transfer cases for the Dodge 6x6: CC-927382 and CC-1089371. The second transfer case is used in my 1945 T233 Utility Truck, which has the 1.96 to 1.00 low range gear ratio. It is also the transfer case used in the 1946 WDX Power Wagon, as established by its appearance the 1946 and later PW Parts Lists.

It is my understanding that in order to distinguish this later 1.96 low range transfer case from the earlier 1.50 low range model, the number "1.96" was cast in relief into the rear exterior of the second transfer case. That number also appears on early PW transfer cases.

So with these little known but actual facts, it should no longer be surprising to find a transfer case with the 1.96 low range gear in a late 1945 Dodge WC-62 or WC-63 truck. Warmest Holiday Wishes!

David:

Do you have, and if so can you post, the serial number and date of delivery of your Dodge 6x6? If so, that data might help us learn when the transfer case with the 1.96 to 1.00 low range gear ratio was in production during 1945. Thank you.

Unfortunately Fred the nomenclature plate was completely illegible. However the frame number is 82027687 which appears to place the truck in late 1943 production which would negate the 1.96:1 transfer case being an original fitting.
From the information you have uncovered it is quite possible this T/fer case either came from a later 62 or 63 being broken up for some reason or was a depot spare for the later trucks disposed of in post war sales.

David

David:

Thank you for the truck's serial number and 1943 production date. Is there any indication that your 6x6 might have been rebuilt postwar while still in service, such as a depot rebuild plate on the engine? As you note, the 1.96:1 transfer case might have been delivered very late war or post war as a depot spare part. Merry Christmas!

Fred
The truck has been messed with by somebody, or somebodies but I don't believe it was during its service life.
The engine has no number on the raised pad provided and is fitted with what seems to be the remains of a cold start system where fuel was injected into the inlet manifold at three points.
The cargo box is not original to the truck either having the short L/H sidebox mismatched to a short running board. The short running board I would assume was original. The cargo body shows signs of having undergone a French rebuild.
This vehicle has had a checkered history but I don't think can tell us much about it.

David