Care and feeding of NV 4500???

[Robert101]

Hi,

I have a 1999 with a NV 4500 with 45000 miles on it.

Question...

What should I be doing to maintain it??

I have not done anything to it yet.

How often should fluid be changed??

I do not tow very heavy loads very often and heavy for me is around 4500 lbs.

Thank You

Also... . what would be the weight limit for towing in 5 on this thing??

 

[Bumble]

Welcome Robert,
I can't answer most of your questions and would like to know the answers to them as well. But, on the weight limit towing in 5th, the general feel seems to be whatever weight you want... so long as the engine isn't lugging. Empty I don't go into 5th (NV4500) until 50 mph. Moving anything larger than just the truck it's 55 mph. The engine and trans seem to do fine at that speed (no shudder or other strange vibrations).

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2001, 3500, 5sp, 3. 54LS, 4x4, pyro and boost on the A-pillar, 165 watt backup lights, Thomas powered on-board air system, Grovers.

 

[Sled Puller]

Change the lube once a year. Or about 30,000 miles.
The Eaton splash filter is cheap and can't hurt also.
Ditto on the no lug advice above. You can feel the whole truck groaning when you shouldn't be using fifth!
Absoulutely do not try "no clutch shifting".

You may want to fix 5th gear before it comes off.
Mine made it to 90,000 when I fixed it. Looked fine, but had the clutch out anyway. I never lugged in 5th, that may be the secret .
Do a search when you have a few hours spare time!
Gene

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1997 Cummins Dodge 4x4 "One Piece At A Time" Bombed & Amsoiled. Amsoil Premiere Direct Jobber, Member of: NRA Business Alliance, GLTDR, WANTED: Wrecked Dodges.
www.awdist.com

 

[Robert101]

What is there to fixing?? 5th... I know it has been talked about a lot, but I am not up to speed. Any particular TDR issue?

Thanks for help

Robert

 

[Bumble]

Robert,
Some people have had trouble with their 5th gear coming loose from the gear shaft because the nut basically unscrews. It seems the NV4500 comes from the factory (at least Dodge) without a fully threaded nut shaft. Over time, and with vibration and applied torque, the nut may come off, in which case you will loose 5th gear. It sounds like in the vast majority of cases, if this happens to you, you can still drive the truck, you just won't have 5th gear anymore. Different "fixes" have been tried (welding on the nut, denting the nut onto the shaft, using a form of thread locking compound), but so far the best solution has been to replace the 5th gear shaft with a fully threaded shaft. The fully threaded shaft give much more gripping surface for the nut to hold on to.

Some people are worried about it happening to their trucks... I'm not. It's up to you to decide how you feel about it.

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2001, 3500, 5sp, 3. 54LS, 4x4, pyro and boost on the A-pillar, 165 watt backup lights, Thomas powered on-board air system, Grovers.

[This message has been edited by bumble (edited 04-19-2001). ]

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Check Technical Topics in Issues 30, 31.

 

[Robert101]

Thanks 4 the replies...

I am fortunate enough to be living near Ft. Worth and will make the visit to Standard in the next year, just to check out their products in case i need one someday... ?

Thanks
Robert101