NV4500 swap is underway

[jonessmc87]

Funny you mention the clutch pedal feeling funny. My set up right now with the newer slave and early master has a lot of travel but the clutch acts quickly towards the very bottom. Being used to driving my dads truck with the sm465 and manual clutch, it feels completely different and weird. After almost a week now, i'm used to it. fifth gear isn't real noisy in mine, but all the gears have that awkward low rpm rumble like a 465 has. im still rocking the hole in the floor while i figure out my boot situation, so everything seems super loud.

[jbclassix]

Larry, you got any plans for making the t-case shift handles match the trans shifter?

[Zoomad75]

Looks Killer. Where's the pic's of the 8-track?

[jbclassix]

what thread are they? I will keep my eyes open for something... i have also re-threaded a few knobs.

[DirtyLarry]

Zooo,

It even came with a little bitty remote too


Jb,

I am not sure. I’ll have to take a look tomorrow. Now you got me wanting to make OEM knobs fit the ORD shifter.

[Zoomad75]

Nice tunebox. How's it sound? At least it looks like it's not overly complicated to run. Some of these new stereos need a degree in sound engineering to operate.

[jonessmc87]

Larry,
maybe i missed it, but did u post a picture somewhere of those new super bright LEDs at night. you got me pretty curious.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by jonessmc87

Larry,
maybe i missed it, but did u post a picture somewhere of those new super bright LEDs at night. you got me pretty curious.

Naw, I haven’t taken any pictures of them yet. I’ll grab some at night and post them up.

These are the bulbs I got as suggested by member Zoomad75.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...%2FWLED-x5.htm

Got the new clutch slave installed Saturday and the clutch works much better now. Works like it should! Between a replacing the slave that was leaking out of the bore and a much more thorough bleeding made all the different. You might want to try bleeding yours more when you get a chance.

Still waiting on my seats! Errrr

[coyote72]

Nice build! Your truck really looks great. I like the pic with the mountains in the background. Looks like there is some good wheelin in your neighborhood. We are thinking of moving to that area, sort of south from Denver. How do you like it?

[jbclassix]

Originally Posted by coyote72

Nice build! Your truck really looks great. I like the pic with the mountains in the background. Looks like there is some good wheelin in your neighborhood. We are thinking of moving to that area, sort of south from Denver. How do you like it?

Im gonna borrow your thread for a minute Larry... if you do move out here, you wanna swing up to Lancrapster and bring my sisters jeep out to me so i have something economical to drive? just kidding!

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by coyote72

Nice build! Your truck really looks great. I like the pic with the mountains in the background. Looks like there is some good wheelin in your neighborhood. We are thinking of moving to that area, sort of south from Denver. How do you like it?

Thanks Coyote,

You seem like a nice guy so I tell ya, it is a great place. I hate for this to be our first conversation but here goes……I am a native with a 6 year hiatus in Detroit years ago but don’t be surprised if you aren’t exactly greeted with open arms by native Coloradoans. Over the past 15 years there has been a mass outbreak of Californians and Texans moving here (mainly Denver....luckily we are 140 miles away from Denver) driving up our housing costs to ridiculous levels and bringing their liberal laws with them. Many of us aren’t real happy about that. So tell your neighbors CO is a terrible place where we still wear 6 shooters on our hip and are a bit trigger happy. You, however, are welcome to come here because you are a truck guy and obviously not a California bunny hugging pansy that would move here and push to close our trails, etc. But get rid of your California license plates as quickly as you can! CO doesn’t like CA like NH doesn’t like MA people moving there.

[Zoomad75]

So I'm sitting on my arse eating a chili-dog while I surf the net and my doorbell rings tonight. I look at my better half and think who's here now? Open the door and it's DirtyLarry and the distinct rumble of a 8.1L at the end of my driveway. Come check it out! I ditched the dog and grabbed my jacket. Our buddy Bill is sitting shotgun and Larry pushes the seat back and tells me to go take it around the block. With the disclaimer of "Don't Wreck IT!" being announced as I shut the door. He knows me all too well, or at least my heavy right size 14 shoe.

Bill and I take off and I can say this, a nv4500 is no dump truck trans. The shifter is much more positive and slick to engage than a new 465 ever could. It's not quite like a rifle bolt in precision like a car with a quality aftermarket shifter assembly but it's pretty close. As I climb up in the gears I can hear the noise that Larry was talking about. The noise isn't consistent with speed. I can best describe it as more of a rattle. The noise is there as long as it's in gear, but will go away in neutral and the clutch pedal released. It's worse in 5th but still not obscene or loud enough to drown out conversation. It almost sounds it could be coming from the t-case, but it's hard to tell. He's going to drive it and play around with different t-case shift positions to see if he can isolate the noise between the trans and t-case.

Overall impressions.. This truck rides and drives like no 1978 ever did. The 8.1 pulls like a locomotive, shifts smooth and the rides smooth. I can remember riding in this truck when Larry first moved to Detroit and it was just running the 3/4 ton axles and buckboard wagon stiff suspension with 350/350 auto trans combo. Man what a difference. It's been a long time coming, but this truck is dialed in. I can't wait to see this beast shredding some snow soon! I got to say this, the seats came out great too. Worth the wait. Good job dude!

[jbclassix]

Larry, the described noise sounds familiar. One day when i make it down to Pueblo you can drive my tired old girl around and tell me if the rattle is the same.

[MTCK]

Awesome! Excellent execution on the upgrade project!

[Zoomad75]

I was almost done with the dog, no worries. The 4500 shifts very much like the nv3500 in my S10. Not surprising as they share some similar design characteristics. It's a fun truck to drive for sure. It should be a pleasant place to ride for a week at a time out in the boonies. I couldn't say that for the same truck we would bounce all over in to our one and only mexican joint in the burbs of Detroit for lunch. It's come a long way.

[duallyjams]

WOW not only is the interior really good looking but it's functional too. Worth the wait on the seats.After seeing your set up I might take your idea with the buckets and console for my truck.

[jltait]

Larry,
Is it noisy mostly or more so in 5th gear only? IF so did you happen to grab the Mainshaft 5th gear and rock it back and forth while holding the mainshaft? IT should have a slight press fit and not rock at all. If it does it may have the typical 5th gear wear. The only real fix for this issue is a new mainshaft and mainshaft 5th gear. My nv4500 has this issue so I am expecting it to be noisy, especially in 5th. Mins is currently a 2wd version and is staying that way for now, later I will covert it to 4x4 and will replace the 5th gear/shaft at that time. I do not have the funds for the 4x4 conversion but need the transmission now, so in it goes as is 2WD.
...Jason

[DirtyLarry]

Jason,

The noise rattle is pretty much always there but gets louder in 5th. When we had the trans apart everything looked fine so time will tell. I can live with the noise as long as it isn’t self destructing or gets worse. We’ll see in time.

A few better pictures of the interior. Was hoping to get some outside in the light but there is a 2 ft snow drift in front of the shop door. Truck will make it in and out fine, I just don’t feel like shoveling out the shop once the door opens.





1990 Suburban cluster


From this…


To this…


To this.....


To this…...... I sure don’t miss those Husky Floor mats, as they never allowed full movement of the gas pedal. I must have gained 25 more HP by being able to poke the pedal further down.

[jltait]

Larry,
I agree, time will tell. When I researched these nv's before getting mine I found they rarely succumb to a catastrophic failure with the proper lubricant level and type. Even the typical dodge 5th gear failure will usually still allow the transmission to function in all other gears. I did notice while carefully inspecting mine that it had a number of bearings that were not looking good with some scoring. However mine had lots of miles, nearly 200k in a heavy application that was towing to boot, and as previously noted my 5th gear is loose on the shaft. Everything else looked really good.

Your interior really looks great!! The seat upholstery really look a lot better.
JLT

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

1990 Suburban cluster

Ah, I noticed the other day that it has almost been 10,000 miles since the NV4500 swap was complete. These miles aren’t cruising around town miles but traveling on off-road adventure trips around Arizona, Utah and fishing trips to the local mountains. With almost 10K on it, it still works just as nice as it did right after the swap in March of 2011. I still love it!

[snj8198]

Your interior turned out sharp Larry. You gota be proud to cruise in that.

The damper that JLT mentioned is what my friend Tim put in his after granading his 1st NV. The replacement (used) trans is much quieter with the damper.

[Billhilly]

Hey Larry,

Truck is looking great! Just jealous really. OD is going to be great behind that motor. I see you (the cleaner version) over on Expo and was going to ask about your camper, but I guess if I wait a month all will be revealed. Going to be a slick camping setup for sure.

Bill.

[DirtyLarry]

I took the beast on a 300 mile shakedown ride to Denver and back today for final measurement for the upcoming Phoenix Camper that is getting built. Man, the only place I want to drive this truck now is straight off a cliff! I cannot live with this transmission noise so something is getting done this weekend. It is so loud doing 75-80 MPH you cannot even hear yourself think. Heck, even at 55 to 60 it drives you batty. I don’t think I can stand to drive this back and forth to Denver next month to pick up the camper when it is done. The more I listen to it I do think the cheap $25 Craigslist 205 transfercase needs a closer inspection. I noticed the noise is there in 4th gear at high speeds as well as high speeds coasting in neutral. I swear this noise got worse on this trip.

Other than the brain rattling noise, it goes down the highway great and the seats are very comfy. No problems, no vibrations, no leaks….nada…just lots of noise.

Here is a sneak peek at Casa Bigassgas8.1 as some of the frame work is laid out.






It will have a lot in common with this camper but with a shorter top and without the overhang. Mine will also have full body paint.


And a lot in common with this Ruby. Mine will be narrow and hug the body like this.


But it will fit completely in the bed where the tailgate will shut like this one

[Oilbrnr]

That sucks. Nothing like getting everything buttoned back up, to find out you have to tear back into it! Think one of those cheap stethoscope things would help you figure out what is the culprit by listening on the sticks while driving? I know the sound will telegraph, but it might help narrow it down a bit...

Then again, neutral coast with the same noise as 4th (non-direct) would point me to the TC as well.

The Phoenix Campers look very nice (though their web site could use some web design TLC :-) )!

I take it that the Happy-Jac's are going to be removable on yours if you go that route? I can't imagine that they'd stay attached for long during serious offroad adventures!

Curious as to why you want it to be inside the tailgate though? Does the Ruby version open to the interior? Makes me wonder about a K5 version... a 2011 Chalet!

BTW, went to In-n-Out just the other day for a Double-Double Animal Protein Style. (gotta limit the carbs you know ) DTC Corp. is just a few miles away from TWO!

[DirtyLarry]

Yeah, it sucks having to rip it back apart but figured it would happen anyway for some reason or another. Actually, I was counting on an oil leak more than this. Stethoscope would be nice but we are going one better. Trying to get our hands on a set of GM dealer chassis ears with leads that you clip to several locations and listen to each individually while driving. That should be the cat’s meow.

You’re right about Phoenix’s website! Four Wheel Campers website sucks even more.

And you also right, that the jacks will be coming off about 2 minutes after I get it home. Once the camper is on…it is staying there. We will have to pull it off at least once as we are installing an air compressor and 5 gallon tank on the driver’s side between the wheel well and front bed wall.

I mainly wanted it to fit completely in the bed for two reasons. One, the tailgate will make for a nice porch and the other is the security knowing the tailgate will add a little bit of barrier in case it ever tries to escape while making a steep climb. In a few weeks the rear bumper is getting reworked to add a double swing tire carrier and fuel can holder. It will open barn door style.

Here is one they did on a K5 a while back. The exterior is still made of the old corrugated aluminum siding that I cannot stand. The bed above the cab on mine will be even with the front of the cab and not hang over like this one.



I am headed to CA in a few weeks and look forward to getting my next In and Out fix! Yum!