freight train

I know there has been alot of people who has made this switch! But in the end if they had it to do over would you???? I am very interested in buying a Adaptor kit and doing the swap myself! I havent heard any seriour complaints about the NV4500 on here. So I started calling a couple well known tranny shops up and down the East coast. Guys you would not believe what I was told!!! Just about everyone told me to keep my Getrag and rebuild with all new parts! Mind you all the shops I talked to have both trannies setting on shelves waiting to be purchased! They said that if a Getrag was built right it can hold just as well as a NV4500. And that the NV4500 has its own share of issues that are still plegging owners! And that most people complain its hard to get parts for or they cant hold up is do to the builders and/or opterators. I have had a Getrag around me for the last 16yrs! I cannot honestly say that its not a good tranny. Mine is having some syncro issues. But with 152k of hard working miles I dont think I can complain! If I were to look in the second gen section would I find alot of guys complaining about the 4500! I am not trying to bash either tranny! I want some input from fellow 5spd guy's. Thanks, Robert

archer39

very interesting topic. i am debating a swap from an auto to a manual. From what i have researched on the topic i came to the conclusion that they both have there faults. i am going to go which ever one i can get my hands on for a better deal.

peobryant

The major complaint about the NV4500 is the 5th gear nut. Once you deal with that, it is a very stout tranny. My brother's Nv4500 has held up to his 622rwhp, 1000+rwtq 12 Valve, for quite a while now. Thats another thing people don't think about. People say the NV4500 has just as many failures as the 'Rag, but how many Getrags are pushing 7,8,900rwhp out of them? None.

Also, I would think that the NV4500 has a lot more aftermarket items available then the Getrag.

The Getrag will do anything you want it to, and I would just rebuild the one you have in there instead of doing the swap.

Rick 12v CTD

This is what another user (a good tranny guy) had to say about the getrag on the other forum (I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him):

"I have seen the inside of a getrag. It isn't any different in design than just about any other manual trans. Oiling isn't the issue. Dodge bought a trans that was under rated for the application. The trans is called a Getrag 360. That 360 denotes the torque rating for the trans. It's rated torque load is less than our engines made in stock form. So anything you do to increase the HP/torque just makes the problem worse. The bearings are not rated for the load appilication. They run hotter and wear faster for that reason.

Over filling means it is just splash feeding more oil on them. That does help cool the bearings for a little longer life. It doesn't cover up the underlying problem of a under rated trans. "

This is what he said about the nv4500 when I asked him how it compares to the getrag.

"I haven't seen in writing what the 4500 is rated for. Threw its history in the Dodge line up it has not had any bearing issues. So in that area it was most likely rated properly. The issue it has is 5th. It is a poor design.

If you have to buy a NV4500 then pay to upgrade the shaft and 5th gear to make it trouble free. Then its cheaper to step to a 6 spd. "

freight train

Wow, I didnt know that about the Getrag. But to answer the one question about not seeing a getrag behind serious power. I have riden in a red/silver 1992 W250 reg cab that was at a TDR dyno meet and made over 1000 ft-lbs of torque! It was one of only 4 or 5 trucks there that managed to be over that mark! The truck had serious upgrades and wasnt the nicest but if anyone who might read this that remembers this truck knows I am correct! It was about 4 yrs or so ago! Did it hold up, I cant say for sure! The owner ended up selling it to buy a second gen truck. I doubt it did! But that kind of power, what would hold up? The tranny shops told me one main difference between the 2 was that the Getrag used cone bearings that needed to be shimmed correctly for long life and the NV4500 used regular bearings that didnt use shims! I was told several times that the shimming is the main issue that causes premature failure! I am still on the fence about the swap though! I want the best for my dually! Thanks for any advice guys!

SmokemS

find me a deal on 4500 and i'll sell you my getrag for cheap

peobryant

My point was there are way more NV4500's running over 100rwtq daily than Getrags. So you can't really compare failure rates, because the NV4500 is abused way more than the Getrag. In most cases.

freight train

I understand what you meant. But I also think that with the price of first gens getting lower the amount of younger kids buying them and throwing better turbo's and upgrading fuel/exhuast systems on them. That they are now beginning to see more power than ever! But to say that there are more hopped up first gen 5spd's than second gen 5spd's would be foolish! You are correct in that! They just sold way more second gens!

Featherman

What's a fair price for a good used NV4500.............

peobryant

Yeah, I would say the majority of 1st Gen 5spds were or are owned by older people, who kept 'em stock. Then when they sell it to a kid, he throws more fuel at it, and the tranny isn't ready.

pulltilbroke

I have a nv4500 in my truck, I got lucky it was already there when I bought it

But have driven many Rag trucks. I must say I like the 4500 better, it shifts nicer has more aftermarket support and is a stouter tranny. But in a mild truck I would say just leave the Rag in it

freight train

I have been keeping my eyes open! The best price is around $700 but that was for a used! Rebuilts can go up to $1500-$1800. In my opinion if I bought a used one I would send it out to be gone threw and have the 5th gear issue dealt with!

Mr. Big Ram

Did the swap in my '93 because the getrag was making some nasty noises out of the blue. Went with Blumenthals for mine, would I do another swap... yes sir!!! Real smooth shifting and just makes the truck fun to drive !!

pulltilbroke

Mine came from Zumbrota bearing and gear

archer39

will yours come with the downshifting grinding feature if i buy it from you???

but seriously i think i am going to go with the nv4500. Might as well do it right the first time even it cost more.