std. trans for towing?

richie 2 · 02-19-2014, 12:08 PM

need some input please. my 88 chev 1 ton dually...I can aquire a factory 5 spd. o/d manual trans for it. just local/open trailer bracket racing towing....think it will work? tks.

tj310 · 02-19-2014, 08:54 PM

It will work fine but in my opinion may not be worth the bother. I much prefer driving and towing with the stick , but my latest 454 fuel injected project didn't impress in the fuel mileage. I assume you have a good working 400 ? I would sure be interested if you go for it , because I've never done back to back testing---Trevor

richie 2 · 02-19-2014, 10:46 PM

yes the stick would replace the th400. I like the O/D 5th gear deal and no converter slippage...the local trans guy in town figures she'd hold up. I don't know if you could get that trans with a 305ci or just with the 4.3ci V6 motor...model year of '88

Rob Petrie E395 · 02-19-2014, 11:09 PM

Is it a NV3500 5 speed transmission? Aluminum case and looks like it splits in two. If so they put those in alot of 1 tons and they seemed to hold up just fine. Back then I went to GM training on them and have only had to work on 1 since then. Before that they had I believe 245 and 265 4 speeds in them which are both easier to work on and a little stronger. But either will work if you can source all the parts to put them in. Be aware if its a NV3550 the input shaft and output shaft are different as they were the same transmission but made for Dodge trucks. If you currently have a TH400 with the lockup torque converter I would stay with it. I dont think you will gain much by switching especially if you do mostly local stuff.

richie 2 · 02-20-2014, 08:41 AM

the stick originally came out of a V6 chev so the input shaft shoud be good Rob. it has the integral bellhousing. currently my th400 does not have OD. I need to see what rear gears are in the dually ...ill get that info. my '77 BBC ramp truck in the 80;s had the large cast iron 4spd...that was half the was fun getting there. I believe I can locate the hyd. slave and pedals required and fab the crossmember and driveshaft to complete the job. the bottom line is for the same price I can freshen up the 400 and converter or switch to the 5spd. and be ahead with 5th gear on the highway.

richie 2 · 04-05-2014, 07:57 PM

Rob #23049617 is the ID number on the case....it has the GM bolt pattern. ive read elsewhere max torque applied is 300 ft. lbs.? my 383ci motor will surpass that number...

james schaechter · 04-06-2014, 10:45 AM

A friend of ours had an 89 chevy 2500 2wd ext cab with that trans. It never broke. It had a wimpy first gear which was no issue with the open trailer, but a hassle with his 26 ft enclosed. We found a NV4500 5 speed. Same trans that was in my 97 2500 ext cab. Much better choice if you are going to bother changing. He found one on line and we picked it up for him. I think he paid 600 for it. Bigger clutch, trans and a granny low.
I tow many times with my 2002 gmc 4wd duramax crewcab stick. 6 speed. Seems like I get one lr two better than similar set ups with the auto. I get 20 mpg combined driving around the chicago suburbs. As high as 24 on the highway. My old 97 350 vortec with 3.73s and the nv4500 got about 15.

richie 2 · 04-06-2014, 02:58 PM

tks james...I need to determine if the #23049617 is in fact a NV3500 unit.

Alan Roehrich · 04-06-2014, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richie 2

tks james...I need to determine if the #23049617 is in fact a NV3500 unit.

If it came from a V6 1/2 ton truck, it is not likely an NV3500, it is instead likely the light duty Getrag/Muncie, and the bearings in it are not likely to be happy between a 454 and a trailer.

02-19-2014, 12:08 PM	#1
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 918 Likes: 321 Liked 157 Times in 73 Posts	std. trans for towing? need some input please. my 88 chev 1 ton dually...I can aquire a factory 5 spd. o/d manual trans for it. just local/open trailer bracket racing towing....think it will work? tks.

02-19-2014, 10:46 PM	#3
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 918 Likes: 321 Liked 157 Times in 73 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? yes the stick would replace the th400. I like the O/D 5th gear deal and no converter slippage...the local trans guy in town figures she'd hold up. I don't know if you could get that trans with a 305ci or just with the 4.3ci V6 motor...model year of '88 Last edited by richie 2; 02-19-2014 at 10:50 PM.

02-19-2014, 11:09 PM	#4
Rob Petrie E395 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodlawn IL Posts: 1,093 Likes: 162 Liked 219 Times in 79 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? Is it a NV3500 5 speed transmission? Aluminum case and looks like it splits in two. If so they put those in alot of 1 tons and they seemed to hold up just fine. Back then I went to GM training on them and have only had to work on 1 since then. Before that they had I believe 245 and 265 4 speeds in them which are both easier to work on and a little stronger. But either will work if you can source all the parts to put them in. Be aware if its a NV3550 the input shaft and output shaft are different as they were the same transmission but made for Dodge trucks. If you currently have a TH400 with the lockup torque converter I would stay with it. I dont think you will gain much by switching especially if you do mostly local stuff.

02-20-2014, 08:41 AM	#5
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 918 Likes: 321 Liked 157 Times in 73 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? the stick originally came out of a V6 chev so the input shaft shoud be good Rob. it has the integral bellhousing. currently my th400 does not have OD. I need to see what rear gears are in the dually ...ill get that info. my '77 BBC ramp truck in the 80;s had the large cast iron 4spd...that was half the was fun getting there. I believe I can locate the hyd. slave and pedals required and fab the crossmember and driveshaft to complete the job. the bottom line is for the same price I can freshen up the 400 and converter or switch to the 5spd. and be ahead with 5th gear on the highway. Last edited by richie 2; 02-20-2014 at 08:44 AM.

04-05-2014, 07:57 PM	#6
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 918 Likes: 321 Liked 157 Times in 73 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? Rob #23049617 is the ID number on the case....it has the GM bolt pattern. ive read elsewhere max torque applied is 300 ft. lbs.? my 383ci motor will surpass that number... Last edited by richie 2; 04-06-2014 at 02:56 PM.

02-19-2014, 08:54 PM	#2
tj310 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dresden On. Canada Posts: 460 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? It will work fine but in my opinion may not be worth the bother. I much prefer driving and towing with the stick , but my latest 454 fuel injected project didn't impress in the fuel mileage. I assume you have a good working 400 ? I would sure be interested if you go for it , because I've never done back to back testing---Trevor

04-06-2014, 10:45 AM	#7
james schaechter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 1,928 Likes: 1,071 Liked 1,212 Times in 249 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? A friend of ours had an 89 chevy 2500 2wd ext cab with that trans. It never broke. It had a wimpy first gear which was no issue with the open trailer, but a hassle with his 26 ft enclosed. We found a NV4500 5 speed. Same trans that was in my 97 2500 ext cab. Much better choice if you are going to bother changing. He found one on line and we picked it up for him. I think he paid 600 for it. Bigger clutch, trans and a granny low. I tow many times with my 2002 gmc 4wd duramax crewcab stick. 6 speed. Seems like I get one lr two better than similar set ups with the auto. I get 20 mpg combined driving around the chicago suburbs. As high as 24 on the highway. My old 97 350 vortec with 3.73s and the nv4500 got about 15. __________________ James Schaechter 3163 STK

04-06-2014, 02:58 PM	#8
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 918 Likes: 321 Liked 157 Times in 73 Posts	Re: std. trans for towing? tks james...I need to determine if the #23049617 is in fact a NV3500 unit.