Ok guys,

Well i just found out that my 98 NV4500 dose not have the updated fully slined shaft.
While crusing down the freeway @ 65 mph with a horse trailer in tow, pow! Then loss of speed. At that point I knew what it was, so i shifted into 4th and continued on at 50 mph.
I am in the middle of a move from Jacksonville Florida to Pocatello Idaho. Right now I am in Pensacola for school until the 1st of December. I need to get this tranny fixed. So my questions are, how much is this going to cost me? And dose any one know of any good tranny shops here in pensacola Florida.
Thanks guys.

Bob

 

You had a "BOOM" when you lost 5th gear?

A good shop should only charge you $300 +/-

All they have to do is order in the updated nut, and possibly while you're in there, look at 5th gear itself. A lot of towing could have worn it to the point that $35 for a new 5th gear isn't a bad investment.

The good thing is that they don't have to take apart the whole tranny like on a Ford - the shaft will slide in and out freely.

Make sure the shaft isn't tore up (shouldn't be) get a bunch of Loc-Tite and crank those set screws down.

That "Boom" has me worried though...

 

Well it was more of a loud pop, than boom. I drove it 250 miles after that, just in 4th.
So is the nut upgrade good enough? Or should I get the new shaft?
Any one know of a good shop in Pensacola Florida.

Bob.

 

if it got loose the mainshaft is most likely worn. putting a new nut on does not seem to fix the problem for more than 10-15k miles if you are lucky..... if you catch it before the gear comes off putting an updated nut is helpful but if it came off plan on $$$. id try and find an nv5600 when my 5th gear came off for the 5th time. i sourced a nv5600 for $1000 on ebay. the 5600 can be found reasonable. i think the swap cost me around 2600 and it was worth

 

I had a boom also on my '02. Wasn't expensive to fix at all. It won't hurt it to drive in 4th, it's just annoying. Especially with 4.10's!

 

if you need to get yourself out of a pinch you can install all your old parts as long as any thing isnt damaged, retorque the nut and tack weld it to the mainshaft. might sound like rigging it but you can go back later and replace the nut and mainshaft with the updated parts.

 

thats a good idea. But I have until December to get it fixed. i would rather getting it done right now, than later. especially sence i still have a trailer to pull from here to Idaho, in the winter.

 

Call this place and ask them http://www.standardtransmission.com/ they come HIGHLY recommended on here.
I just put one of their NV4500s in my truck.
STAY AWAY from Blumenthals. Their NV4500 lasted me 8 months and 3 of that the truck was getting worked on.

 

My mainshaft wasn't worn at all.

I did buy a new 5th gear - and torqued the set screws to the point of stripping them.

There is enough Loc-Tite on there to hold the Titanic together.

I don't see it coming off any time soon.

 

Mines came off 3 times now, $500 to get it fixed in a shop and they never seem to order the updated nut for it, My truck is staying a 4 speed till someone else decides to fix it for me

 

If I were in your shoes (depending on funds) I would call http://www.standardtransmission.com/ and either order a reman tranny OR order a new 5th gear, updated nut, and 5th gear tools. Then GREEN locktite the updated nut and torque it to 300 ft lbs.

The reman should last you the life of the truck, but will likely run you around $1800

The new gear, nut, and tools will run around $300. This fix could get you as little as 30k miles or last the life of the truck. How long it lasts will depend on the condition of the tranny, and how many times its spit 5th gear (every time 5th is spit it shock loads and thrusts the mainshaft). One key thing to making it last is NEVER oppperate the truck in 5th gear below 1600 rpm... I try to keep mine above 1700 in 5th. Instructions for this fix can be found on www.dodgeram.org

Hope this helps....Josh

 

I live in Pensacola. You might ask Pee Wee, at Pee Wees 3415 Barrancas Ave. 850-458-4113. He has been around for a while and can most probabbly point you in the correct direction. I can also ask at work who does our transmissions. If I can help with anything drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.
Mike