well ever since I have had my drivetrain 5th gear has always been questionable but it still worked and I have been driving truck for over 4 years.

well this weekend I was towing about 10,000lbs and BAM 5th gear is gone..

downshifted to 4th and made it about 15 more miles then it let go.

had to get AAA to tow the truck home.. so now I am on the hunt for another getrag or nv4500.. the joys of stuff breaking..

here is setup I was towing..



questions: been doing a bunch of reading and searching and it looks like if i want a nv4500 I need to find a HD one from a newer dodge.. is that true? or can it be from a chevy, etc ?

 

Geez Ken, that's too bad. I don't think you're overloaded by any stretch of the imagination. When you think about the sorts of abuse someone like, (not to single you out Andrew! ) pulltilbroke gives their equipment, it's kinda surprising yours would go.
I don't know about the the HD version, but wouldn't an NV5600 be better for towing?

 

Man that sucks....

You need a NV4500 from a cummins truck, I think the V10's are that same as well. I have not been able to determine through my reading on-line if the chevy diesel units will work. I believe there was a thread about chevy NV4500's not too long ago ad someone posted some info about it. If I remember correctly there is input shaft differences and such. Can be MADE to work?

I've been considering the NV5600 as well, but with the price of a core, then the limited aftermarket support for parts, I think I will live with my NV4500 for now. If I really get tired of that big drop between 3-4 I would rather go gearvendors, then I'd have a 10 spd!! Or I might consider one of the Allison 6 speeds?

 

Either of those choices would be totally sick!

 

Dang, that sucks big time!

If you want a Getrag, I've got a parts truck that has a new one in it with only 10 months (or less) of usage on it. It was sitting for almost 5 years. When I picked it up 2 weeks ago, I loaded the truck onto the trailer under it's own power. It shifts smoothly into all gears. It's a long way from where you are, but if you want it, PM me and we can work something out.

 

Jim, yours is a D and his is a W. He would need stuff from his tranny to make it work, which he may have fried.

 

Whoops . Always details .

 

I toasted my tranny too a couple weeks ago... it really sucks.

First noticed it was going out. Drove for a while, lost 3-4, then kept driving, then finally lost 2. Had to make it to Calgary though... it got me there... barely. Now it's sitting, and will sit for a while. I got no money

 

Hey...Just wondering what you noticed, feel, noises etc to let you know 5th gear was/is going.

My NV4500 makes all kinds of noise on the hwy in 5th. It sure sounds like a gear is rattling. Also the only time it's quite, or close to it, is when I'm accelerating hard on the flat, or up a hill, or just coasting down a grade. If I'm just cruising and holding my speed it has the gear rattling sound, and a higher pitched grumbling noise.

Thoughts?

Also I remember reading through the archives one night, and someone said you can pop off the tailshaft and access the 5th gear nut without pulling the entire tranny? If I did this could I tighten and pin it this way?

 

my 5th gear has always had a problem coming out of 5thgear.. I had to move my hand in a "?" design to get it out of 5th, but tranny has never made noise. and when 5th went out it went from quiet to loud grinding noise to BAM and it was gone.

 

I would look at that sooner than later. Yes you can pull the rear housing and inspect/ replace 5th gear(s). You should check for alot of end play in the mainshaft too. The problem is, if 5th gear is loose, anything but replacing the gear and mainshaft is just a band-aid. Not that I wouldn't try it.

 

I'd recomend a 5600. One of my local wrecking yards sells a '6 speed conversion kit' I gave them my 47rh as a 'core' and had to fab up some stuff, but where you're already a manual it should go a good bit easier.

 

any idea what the 5600 came out of?

 

Save your money and get the best rebuild you can for that Getrag. The NV4500 problems too.

 

I think to rebuild mine myself it was 1200 with a new stock sach clutch. Thats bearings, seals, input shaft, 3rd gear, 3-4th syncro and shift forks. I cant remember what else I did but 80,000miles and still holding up great. However I dont tow that often. I would see what let go and then go from there. I looked into the swap when mine broke but NV4500's or 5600 cheaper or easier to find atleast where I'm at and when I looked.