NV4500? opinons please

[cahoove7]

Have a question for those of you with the knowledge to answer. We are considering to use a manual transmission instead of the 700r4 that we were previously set on. What manual trans would be good for our application? It will be a street queen, but will probably do a few trail rides, not very often as we live in Nebraska. Want it to be able to get up and go as well. I have heard the NV4500 is a pretty good option. Let me know what you guys think. Engine is a 350 sbc with 400 hp and 400 torque.

build thread:
Father Son 1977 Fj40 Resto

 

[spotcruiser]

I like mine. It's behind a 96 5.7l Vortec and in front of an Orion 4:1. The low 1st is not used very much in low 4, but it's nice to have when I need it. The 27% overdrive is nice on the highway. You do need to run the specified synthetic oil. If you buy one used, you probably want to rebuild it.

 

[Hack]

We are considering to use a manual transmission instead of the 700r4 that we were previously set on. What manual trans would be good for our application? It will be a street queen, but will probably do a few trail rides, not very often as we live in Nebraska.

Without going through your build thread, I have to ask: Why not stick with the 700R4? For what your use plans are, it seems more appropriate. Unless you just gotta 'shift gears'....

Trust me, I would have put a Ford AOD behind the Ford 5.0L in my CJ5, if I'd had the driveline room for it. Instead I have a Ford T18a, which is basically a 3 speed manual transmission on the street. And no overdrive.

 

[Kleatus]

They're heavy, require a ~600$ adapter to use with the stock t case, and most used ones you're gonna find have seen heavy use and will need refreshing.

That said, they're plenty stout and are pretty straightforward to rebuild for a reasonable price. Should be easier to find them in your neck of the woods than most places too.

I would add that there's a couple variations out there (early and later GM, Standard and HD Dodge, etc.) so if you decide on one get it in hand first to make sure you have the right bellhousing and adapters.

If you really don't need the OD and want a manual consider the stock trans, easier to make things work.

Nothing wrong with a properly built 700R4 either..

 

[cahoove7]

I like mine. It's behind a 96 5.7l Vortec and in front of an Orion 4:1. The low 1st is not used very much in low 4, but it's nice to have when I need it. The 27% overdrive is nice on the highway. You do need to run the specified synthetic oil. If you buy one used, you probably want to rebuild it.

Without going through your build thread, I have to ask: Why not stick with the 700R4? For what your use plans are, it seems more appropriate. Unless you just gotta 'shift gears'....

Trust me, I would have put a Ford AOD behind the Ford 5.0L in my CJ5, if I'd had the driveline room for it. Instead I have a Ford T18a, which is basically a 3 speed manual transmission on the street. And no overdrive.

They're heavy, require a ~600$ adapter to use with the stock t case, and most used ones you're gonna find have seen heavy use and will need refreshing.

That said, they're plenty stout and are pretty straightforward to rebuild for a reasonable price. Should be easier to find them in your neck of the woods than most places too.

I would add that there's a couple variations out there (early and later GM, Standard and HD Dodge, etc.) so if you decide on one get it in hand first to make sure you have the right bellhousing and adapters.

If you really don't need the OD and want a manual consider the stock trans, easier to make things work.

Nothing wrong with a properly built 700R4 either..

Liked the 700r4 but kind of want a manual now because I think it will give it more of the "classic" feel. It will see the interstate so I would like the overdrive. We plan on buying a used transmission and rebuilding it no matter what model we go with.

 

[White Stripe]

I would do either a sm465 or stock Cruiser 4 speed and use 3.70 gears in the diffs. The 3.70s would make 4TH Gear like a overdrive.

 

[1911]

I would do either a sm465 or stock Cruiser 4 speed and use 3.70 gears in the diffs. The 3.70s would make 4TH Gear like a overdrive.

A really good combo (that I run in mine) is a Toyota H41 transmission, 3.70 diffs, and 33" tires. The H41 has a lower 1st gear than the H42, so it is easy to get rolling from a standing stop, even on a hill, with the bigger tires and taller diff ratios. In 4th gear (still 1:1 like the H42), you are only pulling about 2600 rpm to go 65 mph.

 

[Downey]

History has shown:
(1) Automatics are better hill climbers.
(2) 700R4's have lower first gear and overdrive high gear.
(3) Torque converters are torque multipliers, clutches are not.

 

[onemanarmy]

A really good combo (that I run in mine) is a Toyota H41 transmission, 3.70 diffs, and 33" tires. The H41 has a lower 1st gear than the H42, so it is easy to get rolling from a standing stop, even on a hill, with the bigger tires and taller diff ratios. In 4th gear (still 1:1 like the H42), you are only pulling about 2600 rpm to go 65 mph.

this is what I run (with the factory 2F)

Installed some 3.7 diffs from a FJ60 into my FJ55 wih the factory 4 speed

Can run 60-65 reasonably comfortable

in your case though, you'll have to buy an adapter to use ANY manual behind the V8, so might as well use the manual trans you want.

Read the NV4500 Wiki page, good info.

 

[White Stripe]

The thing about running a sm465 is that they are cheap on craigslist all day long and extremely strong and they are meant to go behind a chevy motor. Classic cruisers makes a nice plate adapter to adapt the sm465 to a toy tcase. A 4 speed would keep your setup shorter so your driveline in the rear can be a decent length. It would also be a inexpensive route. The NV4500 is nice, but it is a bit longer, and more expensive to install. If you are going to be cruising down the freeway like 75mph or more, then I would get a 5 speed. 75mph in a cruiser is about tops I want to go though, more than that and I feel like Im doing light speed in the millennial falcon, if something gets in my way at that speed, its dead.

 

[Rock40]

X2 for above. The NV4500 is cost prohibitive to say the least. It's also long which will likely result in a very short (and expensive) custom rear driveshaft. I'd opt for the SM465 myself with the proper adapter and run the stock Toyota transfer case. Your highway cruise will not be as good comparted to the NV4500 but if you run 33"-35" tires the rubber overdrive will make up for most of it. You obviously have the HP to make up for bigger tires and stock differential gearing.

 

[Tokamak]

History has shown:
(1) Automatics are better hill climbers.
(2) 700R4's have lower first gear and overdrive high gear.
(3) Torque converters are torque multipliers, clutches are not.

Jim,
How does the automatic act when going down steep hills. Brakes only?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

An FJ40 has such a short wheelbase that a short 4 speed really is the best option, but the others can be made to work.

With a SBC conversion, the motor can go forward a bit, so that helps make the combo fit in the available real estate.

But if you want old school feel, and SM420 or SM465 would give it to you with a nice short drivetrain. I've driven an SM420 for 10 years and it isn't as bad as people make out and off road, it's the bomb.

 

[Downey]

Jim,
How does the automatic act when going down steep hills. Brakes only?

Someone makes a sprag gear torque converter that would provide engine compression hold back on hill decents, but I haven't used one, have no info on it?????

 

[cahoove7]

thanks for all the input! Mud members really do give you options/ ideas, but it sure makes it harder to decide

I would do either a sm465 or stock Cruiser 4 speed and use 3.70 gears in the diffs. The 3.70s would make 4TH Gear like a overdrive.

A really good combo (that I run in mine) is a Toyota H41 transmission, 3.70 diffs, and 33" tires.

History has shown:
(1) Automatics are better hill climbers.
(2) 700R4's have lower first gear and overdrive high gear.
(3) Torque converters are torque multipliers, clutches are not.

this is what I run (with the factory 2F)
Installed some 3.7 diffs from a FJ60 into my FJ55 wih the factory 4 speed
Can run 60-65 reasonably comfortable
in your case though, you'll have to buy an adapter to use ANY manual behind the V8, so might as well use the manual trans you want.
Read the NV4500 Wiki page, good info.

The thing about running a sm465 is that they are cheap on craigslist all day long and extremely strong and they are meant to go behind a chevy motor.

X2 for above. The NV4500 is cost prohibitive to say the least. It's also long which will likely result in a very short (and expensive) custom rear driveshaft.

Jim,
How does the automatic act when going down steep hills. Brakes only?

An FJ40 has such a short wheelbase that a short 4 speed really is the best option, but the others can be made to work.

 

[onemanarmy]

I like mine. It's behind a 96 5.7l Vortec and in front of an Orion 4:1. The low 1st is not used very much in low 4, but it's nice to have when I need it. The 27% overdrive is nice on the highway. You do need to run the specified synthetic oil. If you buy one used, you probably want to rebuild it.

well, this guy has done it, so he should really be the only one that matters if you really want the NV4500, since that is what you explicitly asked about.

I'm wanting the 5.3/NV4500 setup in my FJ55, but that is by far the most expensive V8/manual trans combination

 

[ryanwk628]

well, this guy has done it, so he should really be the only one that matters if you really want the NV4500, since that is what you explicitly asked about.

I'm wanting the 5.3/NV4500 setup in my FJ55, but that is by far the most expensive V8/manual trans combination

Ive see NV4500s rebuilt for $2000 and then it would take $1500 in parts from AA to make it all fit.

 

[pb4ugo]

I purchased a pretty clean 40 about 25yrs ago that someone had installed a carbed 350sbc and 1st gen GM NV4500 w/the lower 1st gear. It has the stk t/case and 4:11 gears along with 32" tires. I drove it periodically for about 2 years and I took it on a trail ride once. I then put it in storage. It's just in too good of shape to beat it on the trails that we prefer to be on. During the time it has been in storage I was more into trail riding and upgrading the trail 40 w/gearing and lockers. Maybe 5yrs ago I pulled it from storage and drove it around a little bit during the summer and then finally parked it in the shop. I enjoyed driving it, OD is great and it's sort of cool reaching for 5th gear. It performed well off road considering it did not have any lift or lockers in it. At the time it was geared lower than my trail rig. I'm slowly adding a 4" lift , 4 wheel disc brakes, scout steering and installing 3.70 gears, so it will be street friendly, but still could be used as a capable trail rig. In the future, it will probably get ARB's in it too. I'm hoping to be able to cruise around 1900 rpms in 5th at 65mph once it's back on the road.

 

[Kleatus]

You could also look at a Ranger overdrive unit, they're available with Chevy pattern on the front and Toyota on the back so it becomes your adapter (to retain the stock transmission.)
BTW here is what an NV4500 and AA adapter to stock T-case looks like size-wise; my T-case is moved back around 2.5" if I recall.

 

[too tall]

I have a truck with a 5.7l vortec and a NV4500 . I mated it to a split case . I really like the transmission , I think I had to source a hd dodge one at the time to get the adapter that would work with a split case and then converted the input shaft to a chev one . A bit convoluted but it works well . Not sure how long a regular one piece case would hold up to 400hp ?