So, I know it is not that easy to adapt many two wheel drive transmissions to four wheel drive applications. Things like differences in spline count on output shafts, etc. always ruin people's plans. Anyhow, I was wondering if the same were true on the ZFs. Can you pull the tailshaft housing off a 2WD ZF and install an intermediate adapter to bolt on a transfer case with little to no additional mods?

Big reason I ask is I know where there is a busted ZF (very cracked bell housing) that still has the intermediate adapter on. If I could grab that adapter, might be easier to find a 2WD ZF and mate the two. No particular project in mind for this. Just a potential swap in to something one day.

http://classicbroncos.com/ZF_Transmission_Swap.shtml

Great, now you've got me thinking about a ZF someday. Thanks.

That does sound like a good option, especially since they actually came behind fords. Lots to change out, though when you figure in diffs and stuff. I'm hoping someday to go to 37's too, not much ability to go lower than 5.13s, would spin pretty low revs on the highway. That said, it looks like the 5 speed ones are only about 50lbs heavier than an NP435. I'd guess durability isn't that different, too, given advances in metallurgy and manufacturing in the last 20+ years.