NV4500 swap is underway

[Meatman]

Holy crap!

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

Holy macro photo dude! Glad you were able to find the smoking gun causing the noise. That and it wasn't coming from the freebie nv4500.

Too soon to tell but this definitely was the cause of the majority of the racket. It looks much worse in these super macro pictures than it does in person. I still can’t figure out how we missed this when we resealed it.

Status on the camper…. Mine is next in line for completion after this Raptor! Got to have big blue ready to roll back to Denver the week of the 14th to pick it up!

Mine will fit inside the bed like this where the tailgate will shut.


I spec’d a much smaller side window though for fear the big one would easily get broken.

[Billhilly]

Was going to ask if you had seen those photos. I guess so. You painting your's blue? Inside toilet or no? You won't know yourself this summer with all the upgrades!

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by Billhilly

Was going to ask if you had seen those photos. I guess so. You painting your's blue? Inside toilet or no? You won't know yourself this summer with all the upgrades!

Nah, it is going to be gray like the Rhino lining on the rockers with some desert themed vinyl graphics. Blue looks good on the current topper but with a bigger camper, I think the body color blue would be too much where it would look like a big blue blob. It will have a removable cassette toilet, water heater and outside shower. Instead of a traditional RV type refrigerator I spec’d an aluminum National Luna Weekender 52 Liter Fridge/Freezer that will be mounted on the floor near the entry door (the idea is to keep all the heavy stuff down low to keep the CG as low as possible). The door will actually be offset to the passenger’s side to make room for this fridge/freezer. This is a badass fridge…..just like the ones you all use in the Outback!

You’re right! We are going to be camping in style this summer and won’t even know how to rough it anymore.

Here are a couple sneak peeks at mine.



Rounded corners above the cab instead of squared off edges.


National Luna Weekender 52 Liter Fridge/Freezer



If you remember the Turtle Expedition II truck from the old articles in FOUR WHEELER (back when they actually had articles worth reading). Well, that was my dream truck when I was a kid which you can kind of tell

[Zoomad75]

Sweet. Can't wait to see the finished camper!

[Billhilly]

Now you say about the Rhino lining colour I remember you mentioning that before. Sorry, shoulda looked back through. Pictures look good. I like how you've curved the front corners. To be honest I don't like the shape of the front they are putting on. It's certainly going to be slick when it's done.
Cassette toilet's are meant to be good, and the 12 volt fridge will be great. Pointless setting up with a mains powered/three way fridge when you are going to be set up for the 12 volt, and there ain't no mains where you go anyway!
Oh, (zero stress, just sayin) the 'Outback' is Lara's domain (the land of Oz), we're just the little dot in the bottom right hand corner. Over here you drive too far in one direction you quickly end up in the Pacific.
Have you seen these - http://www.frolisleepsystems.com/index.htm ? Meant to be pretty slick. Saves the mattress sweating as well.

[DirtyLarry]

Billhilly,

I hear you on cassette toilets being they are meant to be good, but the reality they really aren’t worth a s#!t…but better than nothing. Chances are this one will never get used unless by some far off chance the boss actually goes with me on a trip. I know where you are at and the Outback isn’t exactly in your back yard but it is much closer to you than us.

We got the tcase but back together today but didn’t have time to install it in the truck yet. Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll get it bolted in and go for a test drive. Also got the ’68 GMC going today after a 5 year hiatus sitting the corner of the shop. Zoomad75 stopped by this afternoon just in time to help get it fired up. Had to get it running as it is getting relocated to the front garage as the blue topper that is coming off is getting moved into the corner where the ’68 has been sitting. Got to make room for the new addition coming home!

Speaking of that….here are a few more baby pictures of the Phoenix




This is my buddies sweet Ram Charger. If you look closely you can tell this Ram Charger and my K10 are built by the same two guys.... the two trucks have a lot in common. He just finished up reworking his rear bumper this week to add a basket for Scepter cans. This Ram Charger is awesome. ¾ ton drivetrain, ARB’s air lockers front and rear, 12,000lb Warn winch, on-board air and many other goodies. The only thing it is lacking is power....the 5.2L is a bit underpowered and will eventually get replaced with something more substantial. He will be reworking my rear bumper shortly to add a tire mount and fuel can basket as well. It will look just like his for the most part. The plan is for us NOT to pull the off-road trailer anymore when we go on our long distance adventures. The trailer gets to be a hassle on tight trails.

[Altec]

Man, I would love to have a glass top like yours, and you are taking yours off. haha.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by Altec

Man, I would love to have a glass top like yours, and you are taking yours off. haha.

It might be worth the shipping to buy it considering this top isn't made anymore. I can vouch this lid has held up to everything he's tossed at it.

It was pretty funny to walk into the shop this afternoon and hear a 396 waking up from a 5 year coma. It took a little coaxing but the vintage rat sounded better than it did the last time I saw it move. That was when we both were serving our tour of duty in Detroit and we were throwing our normal block party for the Woodward Dream Cruise. (beer, burnouts and burgers not in that order!)

I'm bummed the snow run for tomorrow got nixed but I'd rather see the beast back in operational form for the run to pick up the K10Casa next week. Besides my customer's from the Westcliffe area say there's only snow accumulation in the trees. Pretty dry and windy up there for weeks.

Just give me a shout tomorrow if you need a hand taking the lid off the truck.

[ryanroo]

Dirty Larry,

hello from a bit west and a bit south.

just wanted to say that you have a clean truck and i love the build plan.

i have done the 4500 swap a few times, most recently on my M715. i was reading this thread and laughing about how you were having trouble finding the round pattern 205. i had the same issue when i was putting the jeep together. i waited and waited and finally found one on ebay. it was $250 but i had to ship it from Maine...

then of course, days after getting the case from maine i found and bought an 86 K30 parts truck with the same case in it.

anyhow, if you are in the san juans for some wheeling you will have to let me know. we try to get up in the high country as much as possible once the snow is gone.

Ryan

[DirtyLarry]

Altec,

Don’t worry… I am only taking it off to replace it with something better that has more room. I thought about selling the topper but it seems that everybody on the classified section of this board and Craigslist peeps think all used toppers should go for $300. Ah, that ain’t happen ‘in with my topper that was over $2500 just 4 years ago so I’ll just keep it.

Thanks ryanroo, I might be interested in that round pattern 205 if you want to get rid of it. If this NV4500 shoots craps I’ll probably go after a reman unit that I would be nervous about cutting the mainshaft like I did on this AA kit for fear it would void the trans warranty. If things come to that someday, I think I’ll go to a round 205 or a 32 spline NP241. That all said, I am keeping my @y@s open for a round 205 or 32 spline 241 just to have around in case.

The good news is the tcase repair did correct about 80% of the noise. I can actually hear the radio while doing 75 MPH now! I think the remaining noise is typical high mileage NV4500 noise. I can live with this. Also found there is a very small trans leak coming from somewhere up high, possibly the trans cover or shift tower. Got to check into that after I make the trip back to Denver to get the camper next week. I’ll start a thread on the Phoenix soon.

[Altec]

If I wasn't a broke butt wiper, I'd be more then willing to pay $2500 for one of those tops. Best looking one that was made. At least, that I have seen.

I'm considering trying to find a soft topper. Since I would kill myself trying to pickup a glass top by myself, plus storing the glass top would be a pain for me I thing canvas is the way to go. Just having trouble finding good soft options...

[BLAZERMAN]

I know round pattern 205s are getting hard to come by..this might be an alternative if you cant locate one. http://www.northwestfab.com/tcaseadapters.html

[jonessmc87]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

The good news is the tcase repair did correct about 80% of the noise. I can actually hear the radio while doing 75 MPH now! I think the remaining noise is typical high mileage NV4500 noise. I can live with this. Also found there is a very small trans leak coming from somewhere up high, possibly the trans cover or shift tower. Got to check into that after I make the trip back to Denver to get the camper next week. I’ll start a thread on the Phoenix soon.

good to hear larry. usually when its a leak up high its the shift tower because a lot of people take those four bolts out and remove the shifter to fill fluid from the top side. those square rubberish/plastic units loose their ability to "squat" over time and it just seeps out there. My roomates dodge does the same thing and he has only had it off two or three times since the truck was brand new.

[70custom20]

I just stumbled across this thread when I googled "Chevrolet nv4500" It is a great thread with a lot of useful info. My rig is a 70 chevy K20 that I plan on doing the nv4500 swap into. My truck is 99% street driven, and from time to time used as a tow rig for my drag car. As far as using the NP 205 with the coarse 10 spline output shaft in my application, does anyone really forsee any problems, other than some slop in the coupling? Or would trying to find a 27 spline 205 really benefit me?

[MrBeast]

Larry, just parused the whole thread, looks like you have a mighty fine truck coming togeather.

I did not see if you used the dodge or the GM tranny, but the dodge NV4500 had issues with the 5th gear nut backing off, and the gear failing. They would get noisy first and then going down the road 5th gear will just stop working.

[70custom20]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

Larry, just parused the whole thread, looks like you have a mighty fine truck coming togeather.

I did not see if you used the dodge or the GM tranny, but the dodge NV4500 had issues with the 5th gear nut backing off, and the gear failing. They would get noisy first and then going down the road 5th gear will just stop working.

From what I was told the 5th gear issue was addressed in the trannies after the '96 model year.

[DirtyLarry]

70custom20,

I don’t foresee any problem using a 10 spline 205 with an Advance Adapter NV4500 kit. Except, as you mentioned, a good deal of driveline slop is typical with 10 spline adapters. I sold my 10 spline 205 and went with a 27 spline 205 to help get more spline counts in the coupler for that reason. I would have rather had a newer round pattern 32 spline 205 with a less intrusive AA NV4500 kit but I couldn’t find a round 205. Sometimes I wish I would have just settled on a 32 spline NP241 until a 32 spline round 205 popped up especially after having to rip the 27 spline 205 out after 300 miles to replace a cog. BTW.....welcome to the best GM truck site on the internet!

GM and Dodge both had the 5th gear nut issues. The vibration of the diesels made the condition worse and being most Dodges are diesels made it appear it was more of a Dodge issue. The reality it is an issue across the board for all NV4500’s sooner or later. The NV4500 I am using is a 1998 K3500 trans from behind a 7.4L that the nut had just started to back off where the coupler between 5th gear and the actual nut was starting to spin around. That said, I don’t think the 5th gear issue was corrected in 1996. In fact, I don’t think it was ever completely resolved.

[Zoomad75]

Keep in mind also that by using the AA 27 spline kit, the nut is eliminated anyway. It's replaced with a bolt on collar installed after the last 4" (APPROX) of the tail shaft is cut off. I don't see that collar backing off at all unlike the stock nut.

[DirtyLarry]

Yeah, that is one neat thing about the 27 spline to NV4500 AA kit. The nut goes adios while the transmission tailshaft housing to tcase connection holds the entire contraption together and 5th gear in place. In time, we’ll see how good that works out in the real world

[jbclassix]

Larry, do you have the 27 spline input gear you need yet? If you are still looking for one, I have one and I'm looking for a 10 spline. (sorry, I didn't have time to read back through and see if you found one)

[jbclassix]

camper updates?

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by jbclassix

camper updates?

Yeah, link here to camper thread.

[Joe Chasse]

DirtyLarry,

THANKS for the picture of the hydro-boost plumbing setup!

Joe

[6thcav]

i have a 72 k10 i want to put an nv4500 behind a big block chevy 396 is it possible