Auto to Manual Trans Swap?

[dooce]

How hard and what all is needed to swap from an auto trans to a manual trans. I already have the cluth pedal assembly. What else will I need? Been trying to find a 4wd manual trans, and they seem kinda hard to come by. Looks like this might be the only way.

[79gmcsierragrande]

I thought of this thread when I read you post. Of course if you’re not going to get a trans with a hydraulic clutch it won’t help you. But in case you do…



http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=300087

[dooce]

I would be going with a Saginaw or Muncie, probably Muncie.

[old Rusty C10]

i know when i tried to put the stick in the 76 cab after a newer automatic cab swap i had to make some holes in the firewall to get the clutch rod to go through it wasnt too bad.. I had the old cab so i was able to make a template as to where to make holes

[DirtyLarry]

I swapped out a TH350/NP205 for a SM465/NP205 about 10 years ago on my K10 when I still lived in Detroit. A buddy and I actually bought a complete donor truck in working order for $1000 in back home in Colorado then I drug it to Michigan returning from a vacation to CO one summer then swapped everything from truck to truck. Well almost everything…I kept my automatic tilt steering column and bought another automatic steering column to put back in the donor truck.

It was actually less work to turn the donor truck into an automatic than it was to turn mine into a manual but having a complete truck to pirate parts from made it a very easy swap. After we got it done we sold the donor truck for $2000 to a dude from Ohio. He couldn’t believe how clean a rust free CO truck was for being 25+ years old. So, basically we split the money and I got all my SM465 swap parts for free. Here shortly my K10 will be going through a NV4500 5 speed swap now that the 8.1L project is coming to a close.

[Russell]

NV4500 swap is a breeze too!

Pulled the 32 spline SM465 / NP241 combo out, bolted the NP241 to the back of the NV4500, and bolted it straight back in. The mounts are the same, don't even have to slide the crossmember anywhere. Both combinations are close enough in length that you don't have to change your driveshafts either.

Only real complications is the NV4500's hydro clutch, and having to move the opening in the floor for the shifter to come though. The shifter is well placed once installed though, don't violate your middle passenger with any gears, nor do you slam your knuckles into the dash.

I'm down to getting my hydro clutch hooked up and replacing the floor hump.

[79gmcsierragrande]

I'll be swaping out my muncie for a NV4500 some day. The Muncie's a good trans but with a 3.73 in the rear I'm out of gears at 30mph and Hwy speeds are 75 out here. I also think if you're going to go through the trouble might as well get the overdrive.

[sav_x69]

what is a good donor for a nv4500

[Nachos82]

Russell or DirtyLarry, you guys think you can make up a good post about the details to switch from SM465 to NV4500? I plan on, as many other guys probably to do this swap in the near future. Have not seen much info on it though in real detail.

[Pyrotechnic]

What do you do about the automatic steering column ? I thought that the automatic columns had a provision where the steering wheel would not lock unless the truck was in park and the key turned to the lock position as a safety feature.

How did the manual steering columns handle this ?

[Russell]

Nacho82, my swap is nearly done, but I try to remember to make a writeup covering some of the details.

I too went into the swap with some very sketchy details, less a single article that explained swapping one in a M1008 with a 6.2L / TH400 / NP208 in it. I had read that by the time the mid 80s had rolled around that GM had all of the combinations made to the same length, and once I learned that the TH400 / NP208 driveshafts bolted straight up to their NV4500 / NP208 combo that mine would work out as well. They mentioned that their mount had come from a SM465 / NP208 truck, which I happened to have in my truck already.

As I mentioned earlier, the toughest part of this swap is definitely the hydroclutch stuff. While I am confident I can make it work properly, I still haven't done it yet and can't say for sure.

[DirtyLarry]

Nacho,

It is not easy to put together a method to swapping in a NV4500 as there are a few different approaches you can take depending on your budget and available part pickens. You can use a Dodge NV4500 and NP205 with a GM input shaft, GM NV4500 with a NP241, use an Advance Adapters kit with either, etc, etc, etc. Same with bellhousings, you can use an aftermarket piece with a mechanical clutch fork linkage or a stock GM bellhousing with hydraulic. Do some internet research and you will find a decent amount of info out there.

The NV4500 I have is a Dodge piece with burnt up bearings so I have a few different ways I can go with this project. I also have a 2wd 4L80E laying around that I might entertain reworking to use as well although I am not much of an automatic trans fan in a 4x4 (the reason I ditch the TH350 to begin with). Whichever way I go, I will definitely go with a NP205 transfercase with a fixed output yoke. No slip yoke NP205’s or aluminum tcases for me.

Pyrotechnic,

Both the manual and automatic steering columns have the steering wheel lock. The lock feature is actuated by the ignition switch not the shift lever. However, on the automatics the shift lever has to be in Park in order to lock the steering wheel whereas the manual can be locked anytime the ignition switch is turned to Lock in order to remove the key. My truck still has an automatic steering column with a tachometer mounted on the shifter stub (I couldn’t find a tilt manual trans steering column at the time of the swap). The truck always thinks it is in Park so the lock works fine….I just don’t have an operational neutral safety switch which is scary now that I have a fuel injection engine that starts at the flick of the ignition switch. It get's exciting when I start in in gear and forget to step on the clutch

[Pyrotechnic]

Thanks ! Great info, I've never driven one of these trucks with a manual transmission. Wasn't gonna do a manual swap but I was considering a slap style automatic shifter on the floor...maybe.

[rcbildr]

I did that swap in my 85 Suburban. The 700R4 went out and I found a 32 spline SM-465 with the clutch linkage for a great price. Later on my dream is to install a gear vendors overdrive, but for now that is just a dream. I had to buy a different crossmember for the transmission and a different imput gear for the t-case, other than that the install was pretty easy.

[gchemist]

http://www.nv4500.com/

[Hdexter]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

i know when i tried to put the stick in the 76 cab after a newer automatic cab swap i had to make some holes in the firewall to get the clutch rod to go through it wasnt too bad.. I had the old cab so i was able to make a template as to where to make holes

Is there anyway you can send me the template? I need to know where to cut th hole for the master cylinder for the clutch on my 88 crew cab dually still the sqaurebosy style I just cannot find where to put the master cylinder and if the rod is supposed to be angled or straight cause the master sits at an angle in the firewall as far as I know
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[D13]

Talk about back from the dead! 10 year old thread!
All 86 up cabs had 2 firewall dimples where the clutch master bolts on. Drill those, measure the location and size needed for the master to pass through the body, hole saw it out, and swap your pedal set. Pedal ratios are different hydro vs mech clutch. Then its hoses and bleed, bleed, bleed.