Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) NV 4500 to G56 6 speed conversion !!!

[JBeasley]

I done a G56 6 speed conversion on my 97 and I love it. I actually completed the project about 9 mo. ago. I had done two 5 speed to 6 speed conversions before using the NV5600 but when I purchased my 05 in July of 05 with the G56, I knew I had to have one in my 97. They shift so much nicer and I liked the lower 6th. gear. My 5 speed had already been making noise for a while and it wasn't long before it gave out. Nobody was really any help on this conversion cause nobody else had done it. Some one else probably has by now, but at that time everybody I called was clueless. Peter at Southbend helped with the clutch and flywheel, but I still didn't know if my transfer case, the NV5600 crossmember, starter, shifters, back-up lights etc. or if it would even fit. With lots of lying on my back rolling back and forth from my 05 to my 97 I finally decided to give it a shot. It turned out that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is a little more involved than the NV5600 conversions, but it was well worth it and the cost was almost the same. I even used a 98-02 floor shifter console and 4x4 shifter. It looks like it came from the factory with a G56 inside and underneath.

 

[pete97]

Nice job. I did a auto to NV4500 in my 97 about a month ago and it was alot easier than I thought it would be.

 

[JBeasley]

Thanks! Could someone tell me how to post my truck profile with my threads. I went to the edit truck profile, typed everything in and saved it but it's not showing on my thread. A little help would be great.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JBeasly I have been waiting to see who would be first to put a G56 in a 2nd Gen. Nice work! Someday if I keep the '96 a long time I may do such a swap. I really don't like the big 3-4 jump as well as the wide 4-5th space when towing. Since the G56 is supposedly smaller and lighter than the NV5600 I figured it would be a reasonably straightforward swap. Do you have any driveline vibes or unusual noises? Tried 4-wheeling with it yet?

 

[JBeasley]

No 4 wheelin, but I pull a 13,000lb. trailer everyday and have had no problems. I don't have any noise or vibrations. The G56 is 3" shorter than the 5600, but it makes up that in girth. The G56 is wider and considerably deeper. A 2" body lift is a must to clear the top and even then it only clears by a 1/4". My truck allready had a body lift so that was no big deal. I haven't weighed them pound for pound, but I gurantee the G56 is just as heavy if not heavier than the 5600.

 

[Troutman]

I was just wondering... what did you do with your NV-4500 and was it trashed...

Thanks

 

[bighammer]

Thanks! Could someone tell me how to post my truck profile with my threads. I went to the edit truck profile, typed everything in and saved it but it's not showing on my thread. A little help would be great.

I checked and you have it all in your truck profile. Do a copy and paste into your signiture box. (I think just above profile?)


Did you have to make your own crossmember? I wouldn't guess a 2nd gen would work with a shorter trans, and the 3rd gen wouldn't fit the 2nd gen frame.

 

[JBeasley]

My 4500 had a broken main shaft and I allready sold it on e-bay.

I used a 2nd gen crossmember but I used the 98. 5 and up one. This is the wider one that accepts the 4500 or the 5600, I just had to redrill it to fit the g56. Thanks for the help on my truck profile I'll try that.

 

[Flinty]

JBeasley, what do you think of the after-market gear splitters available? I, too, dislike the huge spread between 3rd and 4th, but considering the price of a g56 and all the things that go along with a swap, the splitter is less expensive. Why did you go the transmission route instead of the splitter? Your advice is appreciated.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

JBeasley how did you locate a G56 and was it used? Can I ask what the transmission cost?

It sounds like it would be a tough fit without a body lift. Might be out of the question for a 2-wheel drive truck.

 

[JBeasley]

My friendly local Dodge dealer. It's not that easy though. I do ALOT of business there so they are more willing to help out. That being said, these transmissions were (maybe not now) hard to get because they were so new they didn't have very many laying around ready to ship. At that time you needed to have a warranty claim in order to even get one, but they somehow got one for me. It came all boxed up in a crate. Getting the trans. was the easy part. I spent alot of time on their computer searching for parts to make it all work. $3200 on the price of it. I thought that was cheap considering a reman, not new, but a reman 5600 will cost you atleast that and another $800-$1000 if you don't have a core. I also did not need a core, but again I can't say enough about how good my dealer helped me not only with getting the trans. but also the price. You don't want to know what that trans. lists for. I asked my dealer if he could swing maybe getting a few more in case I wanted to do some more conversions and he said he could. Now that I know what all is involved I'm thinking about getting everything and doing some more conversions.

A two wheel drive would be no problem as long as you don't mind your truck being lifted 2".

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Yeah I'm not interested in lifting the truck. The 3rd Gens have more room under there so that's why they fit under there.

$3200 is a very good if they are somewhat available for that price.

 

[JBeasley]

JMariaccio

Sorry I did not reply to your thread. I guess I over looked it. I have looked into the gear splitters. The reason I do not want the gear splitter is mainly because the 5 speed simply will not last. I had fixed so many 5 speeds before I done my first 6 speed conversion, I would have saved money if I would've put a 6 speed in the first time. Ever since then as soon as the 5 speed goes out a 6 speed replaces it. I pull 10 to 15 thousand pounds every day and I always have squeezed as much hp as I can out of them and still keep the egt's with-in reason so I'm sure that's alot of the reason a 5 speed never lasts for me. Don't get me wrong a 5600 is not bullet proof by no means and the g56 is to new to tell what it's going to do (looking good so far), but I have yet to have any problems with a 6 speed. I've had 2 5600's and 3 g56's with zero problems. For the way I use my trucks I am simply money ahead to do the conversion. You can spend a chunk of money on a 5 speed and it will last a little longer, but if your going to do that you may as well do the conversion. I'm a little leary of the gear splitter anyway. The gear vendor is the only one I am familiar with. A friend of mine put one in his truck and he had a lot of problems with it. He pulled campers with it and ran alot of loaded miles. If you don't pull alot and keep your hp down I'm sure a 5 speed with a gear vendor would be fine, it just would not work for me. Hope this helps.

 

[Woodenhead]

JBeasley,



How's the G56 shifting compared to your 5600 and what fluid are you running in the 5600? You mention 6th gear is a little lower, any idea what the ratios are for the G56?



Nice work on the conversion, it's one thing to do it when the trails already blazed but being the first is impressive.

Once my 4500 fell apart it was a tough choice for me whether to do the 5600 or a well built 4500. Now everytime I hook to my boat or a trailer I'm glad it's done. I had Quad4x4 do my conversion, I wonder if he's going to put a kit together now for G56 conversions once they become more available since finding a 5600 is near impossible any more.



Mike

 

[EricBu12]

Hey all, this looks like a older thread, any updates on this conversion? I read a 2" lift is needed for the G56. . is that true with the stock 4x4 2001 as well? What was about the total price to do one on a 4x4?

 

[JBeasley]

A 2" body lift is needed up to 03. The 03's have a wider floor hump. I done this conversion for around $5000. 98 and up would be cheaper though because they allready have the wide cross member, the newer style center console, also the internal lever in the transfer case would not have to be changed to the 98 up style (forward for 4L Back for 4H), this has to be done on the 94-97. You could also use your 4x4 shifter and trans. shifter. You would just have to change the plastic insert on the trans. shifter to the g56 shift pattern. Not having to buy all this extra stuff would save about $500, so $4500 would do a 98-02 and that is figuring in a southbend clutch. Hope this helps.

 

[CTD12V]

Congrats on the trailblazing, JBeasley! Thanks for posting the info. I have been wondering about a G56 swap ever since the article about the G56 was printed in TDR a few issues back.



If the floor hump was wider or cut out in the 2nd Gen trucks, would a body lift still be necessary? Is the clearance tight all along the transmission to body, or just at one point? You figured about $4500 on a 98 and up--that does not include the body lift, right? Also, did you have to change the length of any driveshafts?



Thanks for answering our questions. If you ever have the time and inclination, a detailed write up and some pics of the G56 under the truck would make an excellent thread or article for the TDR magazine!!



CTD12V

 

[BTighe]

i like this idea. just came out of an 06 and my 02 is an auto



can it be done without a bodylift?

 

[CTD12V]

BTighe, your 02 should be the 2nd gen body style, so based on JBeasley's posts, it will need a body lift. HOWEVER, if the transmission hit the floor at only one point, maybe a little "hammer remodeling" might provide the necessary clearance. That's why I was hoping JBeasley could give me an answer to my question in my post above, but it looks like he may not be checking this thread anymore.

 

[BTighe]

heck i dont have a problem with having the sheetmetal cut out and redone. i hate body lifts. with all the cash and work involved especialy since i have an auto now, i dont think its gonna be worth persueing.