5th Gear Nut Finally Gives it Up!

[Ross]

No load, 65 mph, flat ground, just minding my own business..... then it felt like someone pushes the clutch in! RPMs climb just like revving the truck in neutral.
Luckily, I was within 5 miles of home.

Now, the question is, who has the "best" fix for the infamous 5th gear nut? Does DC have a permanent fix yet? My brother has had the dealer fix his twice (once at 65K and then again at 95K) at a cost of 450. 00 per incedent. I don't want them to touch my truck unless I'm sure their methods have improved. My truck has 80K on it, so I guess I should be glad it took this long.

For those of you who have done this yourself, is it very difficult? I'm willing to give it a shot.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Go to TDR Issue 30, p. 36. My friend at the dealership can do the nut for around half what you quoted, but that is a temporary fix once it has come off, because of damage to the shaft and splines.

 

[Ralph Edward]

I lost fifth gear on the way to Houston two weeks ago. Went to dealer and talked to their trans. tech. He told me to buy a new nut kit, which included a nut washer and tube of loctite. He said I would have to have a special spanner wrench to tighten the nut, He let me borrow his. The kit cost arround $34. 00. You will need a 11 or 12 point 10mm socket to get the bolts out of tail housing on trans. Then it's just a matter of droppin drive shaft unbolting trans from cross member jack up trans. and remove tail housing. The Kit gives instructions on installation of nut.

 

[Ross]

It's a 98 3500.



[This message has been edited by Ross (edited 01-08-2001). ]

 

[Ross]

I've just talked to the Parts dept. at the local Dodge dealer. He says that you "must" replace the fifth gear when replacing the nut. Is he full of it? The nut is 39. 00. The gear is 309. 00!!!!! What's Up?

 

[Paul]

I think he is full of IT, or they would sell the gear and nut together as a kit.
Go here for the tool; http://www.spxmiller.com/


------------------
Paul A. Schmidt
95, 4X4, SLT 2500, 5 spd. , 4. 10, 270 hp. ,675ft. lb. TST, AFC spring kit,215hp. injectors,16cm2 turbo housing, Pacbrake, Walker muffler,
GearVendor O. D. , CenterForce Dual Friction clutch.
Eastern PA.

 

[Ross]

Joe:

I've read the article in Issue 30: It's great. You always put together very valuable information for the readers of the TDR. I realize that merely putting in a new nut is only a temporary fix, but after talking to Standard Transmission, I'm afraid that that's my only choice for now. The cost of the new mainshaft kit (485. 00) plus labor to install it (4-5 hrs) is likely going to run me about 1,000 bucks. For $34. 00, though, I can get back on the road and defer the other costs til the next time it fails #ad


Does anyone know where I can buy a Miller tool (the funky wrench do-dad for the nut)?

 

[ftb87]

What is the year of your truck?

Frank

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01 White, Quad Cab,Short Box ,Sport SLT+,5 speed,4X4,line-x ,Nerf bars,fiberglass tonneau cover

 

[drawson]

I the nut from standard trans better than the upgrade DC nut?

 

[Ross]

drawson:

I talked to Standard Trans yesterday. They told me that their nut is the same as Dodge's. They even gave me the Dodge part number. Their mainshaft kit (includes new 5th gear & fully splined mainshaft) is a definite upgrade over the NV4500 stock piece. The price for the kit is also very reasonable. Unfortunately, it takes a skilled transmission person (according to them) to install (which I am not), and they estimate the labor to be 4. 5 hours, with the transmission sitting on a bench. Therefore, it would take me at least 1,000 bucks to get back on the road, as apposed to a 35. 00 quick fix. I'm going the cheap route, at least for now. #ad

 

[MikeR]

Joe Donnelly,
Going back to what you said about the damage done once the gear has already come off...
If I bought a used 5spd truck that hasn't lost it's 5th gear yet,do you think the shaft would be okay if I went ahead and replaced the nut with the new version rather than waiting for it to fall off?
Or is it pretty much you won't know until you take the tail housing off kinda deal.

-Mike

 

[Ross]

Well, I installed the new style lock nut last night. It took me and a friend 3 hours. We could have done it faster, but we took off the fifth gear yoke and synchros and we didn't need to. Also, as luck would have it, the gear/synchro assembly "came-from-together" on reassembly, and we had to monkey around with it for a while #ad
#ad

We did not replace the fifth gear. It was in very good condition, as was the mainshaft. Very little wear was evident; and to think the local dealer said "you must replace the gear too!" BS!
At any rate, it saved me a couple hundred bucks on labor, and 309. 00 on the gear that they would have installed!

Sometimes being your own warrantee station is a good thing!

 

[jsimpson]

What's involved in replacing fifth gear synchro while in there?

 

[BPINE]

Hey Mike, that's what I did with mine about 30 k ago and all is well so far. I think it is still only a tempory fix but better than nothing. I kinda wish I would have just left it alone, it took all me and Nowel had to break it loose with 4' of pipe on it. Also the 5th gear just slid right off which is not good. We will see how long it lasts, I pull pretty hard in 5th ( never under 2 grand though ) gear and don't plan on cutting it any slack. I now have 82k on the truck so we will see.

 

[Jack in Alaska]

Mine went out at 72000 miles near Vancover, Wash. heading to Mexico. The local dealer got me in and out in 4 hours. Under warranty. Now I have 90000 and it is still ok. Hopefully it will stay that way. I do keep the rpm's up(over 2000) when towing as the mechanic told me.

 

[John Berger]

Ross, did you lose any lube when you took the tailshaft housing off?

 

[Ross]

lube loss

John:



It's hard to remember (it happened about 1. 5 years ago..... who dug up this old thread????), but if memory serves, only a small amount in the tail housing (less than a quart). It's constructed to drain back into the main pan, I believe.



Just an update, that fix occured at 72,000 miles (about a year and a half ago: 1-07-1), and I've now got 108,000 and still going strong. The rig is hardly ever unhooked from the trailer, so hard towing is all it ever sees... .



I have developed a 5th gear vibration between 58 and 62 mph. Same speeds in 4th gear don't show the vibration. It's a pretty significant shake. I'm expecting the worst. If I can just make it though the summer... ... ...

 

[dmagenau]

My dad just lost fifth gear in his. The stealer took the back of the transmission off and put a new nut on from what i understand. They charged him $300. 00 to fix it and i don't think they put anything else in it. Where can i get ahold of Standard Transmiision to get that upgrade kit?