Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) NV4500 5th gear shift

[MikeBennett]

I'm getting ready to buy a stock 97 extended cab 2wd CTD 1 ton dually. It's been quite a while since I drove anything with a manual transmission, so I thought I'd ask the NV4500 experts here a quick question.



The first 4 gears shift fine, but it seems like I have to push harder to get the shifter into 5th gear than the other 4: is this normal?



I drove the truck for about an hour, both on the freeway and city streets. There were no weird noises, no grinding (that I didn't cause ) or howling at full throttle acceleration or under hard deceleration. No jumping out of gear, no unusual rattles or vibrations in the shifter. Everything worked and sounded just like I thought a modern truck transmission should: much better than the old SM420 in my Landcruiser!



There was just more pressure required to get the transmission into 5th gear than any other gear: kind of a "push it a little harder and wait for the klunk as it goes into fifth. " It felt odd, not as smooth as the other 4 gears, but it may just have been my rusty shifting technique with the long throw. :-laf





Anything to worry about or could this be a precursor to the dreaded 5th gear nut issue?



Thanks for the help,



Mike Bennett

Madera, CA

 

[Dave M]

I have a 97 4x4 5spd and sometimes I have trouble getting it to settle into 5th gear. It's a long throw to hit 5th gear and I sometimes miss it to. Mine has been that way since I got it 4 years ago and I haven't had any trouble. I am also concerned because of the 5th gear nut problem and am considering what to do to eliminate a failure.



How hard is it to upgrade to a different mainshaft which I believe is a fix for it? Are there any adjustments to do or is it just a simple remove and replace or should this be done by a transmission shop?

 

[Mokerz]

My 97 shifts fine however in my 2000 I have to use more effort to get it into 5th, I too am curious as to what would cause that.

 

[K5IP]

Mine got a bit harder to get into 5th when I had the transmission upgraded to a fully splined mainshaft. It got smooth again after a few thousand miles. An oil change might help.

Rog

 

[Mokerz]

Actually I just changed the oil, it only has 600 miles on it, it does seem a little better but still tougher than my other one.

 

[CJ Johansson]

Sounds suspiciously like the 5th gear problem to me.

I had the dreaded 5th gear problem on my '98. It started out just being a little stiff to get it into 5th. Eventually, it changed to getting stuck in 5th. You'd try to down shift and it wouldn't budge. Had to work the clutch a few times with varying throttle to get it out.

Then one morning on the way to work, driving up a hill, heard a bit of a clunk and started slowing down. No more 5th. It did down shift to 4th easily this time.

I got a rebuilt unit from Standard Trans with the fully splined mainshaft. Haven't had a problem since (other than the "new" transmission was a bit noisier than my original one). That was about 70k miles ago.

-cj

 

[Boomer II]

It's not normal, I'm guessing what CJ said.

 

[GAmes]

When I lost 5th gear there was nothing at all abnormal about shifting, or anything else, prior to the failure. I was going down the freeway at 70, cruise control on, then nothing. Shifted down to 4th and drove home. The bad part was that I was in North Dakota when it came off.



I have gone through about 6 more rebuilt transmissions since then (no more 5th gear failures though). Every one of them shifted a little differently. I believe it is because of different preloads and shimming. If it isn't popping out of gear I wouldn't worry about it. If the 5th gear does come off, it is not the end of the world. You will still have 4 gears (plus reverse) that work.

 

[Boomer II]

When I lost 5th gear there was nothing at all abnormal about shifting, or anything else, prior to the failure. I was going down the freeway at 70, cruise control on, then nothing. Shifted down to 4th and drove home. The bad part was that I was in North Dakota when it came off.



I have gone through about 6 more rebuilt transmissions since then (no more 5th gear failures though). Every one of them shifted a little differently. I believe it is because of different preloads and shimming. If it isn't popping out of gear I wouldn't worry about it. If the 5th gear does come off, it is not the end of the world. You will still have 4 gears (plus reverse) that work.

Lets see, the first time I lost 5th I was in Grand Junction CO headed home pulling a goose neck with my Jeep in it.

Second time I was 50 miles out of Dallas headed to NM.

Third time I was 30 miles this side of Amarillo headed out with the Jeep again on a 3000 mile long vacation. That made for a very long trip.

Fourth time I was coming home from work. Installed a 6 speed so there will be

no sixth time.

 

[Kughn]

I lost 5th gear and reverse. It's stuck in 5th now and I am going to buy a reman from blumenthal or standard. does anyone recommend one or the other. I think that I want to go 1 3/8 input W/ fully splinede shaft and a mu13-1. 375 con FE clutch to handle the power up grades. I run a 97 4x4 #10 camplate 4" straight exhaust W/5" lift & 35" bfg's

 

[GAmes]

I lost 5th gear and reverse. It's stuck in 5th now and I am going to buy a reman from blumenthal or standard. does anyone recommend one or the other. I think that I want to go 1 3/8 input W/ fully splinede shaft and a mu13-1. 375 con FE clutch to handle the power up grades. I run a 97 4x4 #10 camplate 4" straight exhaust W/5" lift & 35" bfg's

You will receive first class service from either one. I have used Standard for all my rebuilds, and they have stood behind their product longer than the warranty period. The also carry Southbend clutches.