Upgrading to 5 speed

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

As I'm cruising down the highway I look down at the tach and contemplate how nice it would be to have one more gear to lower the RPM's.

I currently have a 4-spd SM465 mated to a 205 transfer case. Is their a quick and easy bolt in 5 speed trans or trans and transfer case combo that can be used to upgrade my current equipment?

[x ReAcT x]

Oh i know how you feel, I have a 4 spd manual in my truck and i swear if i go past 55mph the engine will blow up. Im in the proccess of getting a RAMJET 350 which is basically a small black V8 and putting a T5 tranny on the back. Its a 5 speed, 1-4 is normal gearing and the 5 is an overdrive gear for highway driving that way you can keep the RPM's low. I dont know too much about this transmission but im in the proccess of learning more about it my mechanic. Im not to familiar with transmissions, just my 2 cents. Ill check back if i can come up with anything else.

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

What transfer case are you mating it with? Just looked at one on ebay. Looks like the shifter is near the back. Do you have bucket seats or do they make a linkage kit?

[rcbildr]

You could go with an NV-4500 or NV-3500 or install a gear vendors overdrive. I wouldn't trust a 4x4 t-5 because as far as I know they were in the s-10 blazers behind a v6.
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[Mr. 250r]

T-5 in a 4x4? not my first suggestion although it works great in my iroc lol as far as 5spds go look for the nv5600 or get the zf-s650 6 spd if you can afford it or re-gear the truck

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

With the NV 3500, 4500 and 5600 it looks like the shifter comes up further towards the back. Won't that become an issue with the bucket seat? Would I stick with the 205 transfer case or would I need to mate it with a newer version. I'm really looking for an easy, yet reliable plug and play 5 spd that I don't have to make drive line mods. I'm in a remote location with no easy access to outside supplies or vendors.

I use the truck to haul loads of firewood, gas cans, propane and supplies to a remote location. Trips start out on the highway and end on a 4x4 trail with loose and often snowy conditions.

[classicundercar]

no swap like this is so much 'plug and play' it is going to take some fab and effort (not that you're not willing to put in the effort!)

great thread documenting a NV4500 install:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=431033

[martindc1]

What is your final drive ratio? What engine? My 67 has a 250 and 4.57 final drive ratio. The best thing I did for highway rpms was put on a cherry bomb that we found in a junk pile.

In all seriousness though it would be nice to get a nv4500 but on the other hand I could buy a lot of gas for what that swap would cost. Unfortunately there is no simple solution besides just putting up with it. There is also the option of a ranger 2 speed auxiliary transmission that goes in between the engine and transmission. You'd then get a .75 overdrive and the ability to split shift with a heavy load like an old highway tractor. But then there's the issue with relocating your transmission and transfer case shifter plus lengthening your front drive shaft and shortening your rear one.
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[x ReAcT x]

Originally Posted by The Grand Pooh-Bah

What transfer case are you mating it with? Just looked at one on ebay. Looks like the shifter is near the back. Do you have bucket seats or do they make a linkage kit?

Is your truck a manual or a automatic? If yours is a manual we got the same exact setup. I know for fact we have the same transfer case. I was doing some more research on that transmission and you all are right, on the T5 the shifter is not in the right place and i dont know how well itll be able to handle all 400lb of torque from the engine. So now im back to square 1. Have you had any luck on finding something? if so let me know ha

[Mr. 250r]

Seeing as its found behind o so many 3rd gens including mine go to thirdgen.org they will most likely have the most information on a t5 and what it can and cannot do
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[Davebud]

Originally Posted by The Grand Pooh-Bah

With the NV 3500, 4500 and 5600 it looks like the shifter comes up further towards the back. Won't that become an issue with the bucket seat? Would I stick with the 205 transfer case or would I need to mate it with a newer version. I'm really looking for an easy, yet reliable plug and play 5 spd that I don't have to make drive line mods. I'm in a remote location with no easy access to outside supplies or vendors.

I use the truck to haul loads of firewood, gas cans, propane and supplies to a remote location. Trips start out on the highway and end on a 4x4 trail with loose and often snowy conditions.

I believe Lokar makes a cable shifter that would allow you to keep the shifter in its stock location.
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[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by classicundercar

no swap like this is so much 'plug and play' it is going to take some fab and effort (not that you're not willing to put in the effort!)

great thread documenting a NV4500 install:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=431033

You really should read that thread listed above. T-5's are ok transmissions for Camaros, 4banger S10's and Mustangs. They are not suited well for a full size 4wd truck. Besides that I'm not sure if anybody makes an adapter for a t-case that would work with one of these trucks.

A NV4500 is the best choice for the swap. NV3500's are not as strong and they lack the Granny gear the 4500 has. No it's not plug and play. But if you are out in the boonies I sure wouldn't want T5 or 3500 trans being the weak link. I've wheeled in DirtyLarry's K10 before and after his 4500 swap and I can say when done right like he did, it's bulletproof. By the way, the shifter for a NV4500 is pretty close in location to the sm465. Meaning you don't need to have bucket seats to run one.

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

So it looks like I need to start searching for a NV4500 to take the place of my SM465. I need the granny gear for going down my driveway, especially when I have a load. What vehicles used the 4500 and what transfer case were bolted to them? I'm thinking I will have better luck looking for a vehicle that someone is parting out and maybe pick up a NV4500 with the transfer case already bolted up.

[x ReAcT x]

The NV4500 goes behind some deisel engines. The thread below has a guy putting one behind a 6.2 deisel so you know those things are bulletproof.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=381424&page=2

[x ReAcT x]

If you go with the go with the 205 transfer case its not gonna bolt right up. Most likely there will be some cutting involved. Take a look at this thread. Guy did a great job and has tons of pictures and info. check it out
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=381424&page=2

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by x ReAcT x

If you go with the go with the 205 transfer case its not gonna bolt right up. Most likely there will be some cutting involved. Take a look at this thread. Guy did a great job and has tons of pictures and info. check it out
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=381424&page=2

With the correct round pattern 32 spline 205, it bolts right up to a 4500. The correct 205 was used in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks up to 91 in square bodies. If you can't find that 205 (which is fairly rare but out there) you can use an Advance adapter kit to run an easier to find 27 spline 205.

4500's weren't ever offered in Square bodies. They were offered in the next gen of GM trucks (gmt400's) from 92-99. Some of the early GMT800's had the nv4500 an option behind 6.0l gas engines too. Problem is with either, the t-case drop is on the wrong side for a square body.

One other option for a t-case that would bolt in would be a 241 from a 88-91 1 ton. It is a chain drive case, but they have been known to still be fairly strong.