What is too heavy for the nv4500?

[lschleif]

I'm going to move up from a travel trailer to a 5th wheel. The gvw of the 5th wheel will be about 13000 lbs. Those of you towing with the 5 speed how has that worked out for you? I have 3. 55 ratios so 4th is running about 2200 at 55 mph and I don't want to overdue 5th gear pulling too hard. Will this be too heavy for 5th gear?

Thanks for the advice,

Larry

 

[CAPTPHIL]

Larry,
Leave her in 4th, turn 2500 and she will be fine. The 5th gear will not stand the load, 4th is running on the main shaft which means it is not under as much stress. I paid big bucks to learn this with 98. 5 transporting boats for 450000mi.
Good Luck Capt Phil

 

[RVTRKN]

Thats the best part about the CTD, you can run at max RPM all day long. Keeping it at 2500 RPM is good advise, stay out of 5th, unless you are on a slight decline. I Keep mine in 6th gear, (look at sig) unless I encounter an incline and then downshift to 5th. I also like to keep my RPM's within 2300-2500 RPM when climbing no matter what gear I need.

 

[GAmes]

My personnal 5er weighs about 13,000 and I regularly tow other trailers that are in the 8000 to 11,000 pound range. When I had a NV4500 I towed in 5th gear, 1800 rpm was 60 mph. I went through a lot of transmissions for one reason or another, but the average life span was about 100k. I found that the killer was trying to pull hills with over 20 pounds of boost while still in 5th. The life of my last few NV4500s was increased by shifting down to 4th whenever a hill put me over 18 pounds. Now that I have a heavier duty transmission I still shift down when the needle approaches 20 unless the top of the hill is near. I personnally couldn't stand running at 2500 rpm all day, I had to when my original transmission 5th gear came off and I didn't like it one bit.

 

[MLee]

Flat and slight inclines don't effect it to much. But when you LUG it, to much incline and to low of RPM causes the viberation that effects the 5th gear. I watch the rpm and speed-o- and keep it up when it starts to drop and pick up 4th around 1900 rpm. You just have to feel whats right and drive the truck the way it likes to be driven and kept happy.

Don't Lug it in the higher gears.