In the 32nd issue of The Rodder's Journal there is a story about the Rolling Bones shop taking a trip to Bonneville. All of the cars in the article have "new Chevy truck 5 speeds" in em. Anyone know how much of a woopin' these tranny's can handle?
If the Rolling Bones crew are using them you better bet they have done their research......you can probably push on them hard.
those are probably T-5 they are referring to. Do a search on here and enjoy the read. The World Class units are strong - mustang & camaro, the others are from S10 pickups.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169265 If you're going to beat on it, most recommend the WC T-5. Behind a Flathead or stock SBC, I bet you can get away with the s-10 T-5. JH
just swapped a t5 into my 34 chevy for my trip to bonneville, I wish I would have done this years ago, it was easy and cost 200.00 total, it is not a world class unit but as long as your not bangin gears it will hold up along time
Im not positive but i think they were using the nv4500 which is a really rather beefy five speed. It's wicked strong, but itd have to be modified for flats use since it has pretty steep gearing. nice and small though, only about 12.5 inches long.
A chevy truck tranny that is getting some use in hot rods is the NV 3500 which can be found in newer [90-95] 4.3 powered s10 trucks, and 4.3 powered, 1500, 1/2 ton chevy trucks. This tranny comes in two versions, both 5 sp overdrive, but one has a granny 1st gear, and I haven`t been able to find out how to ID either. I have a NV 3500 in my 48 sedan, but don`t have it driving yet. I figure I have a 50/50 chance of a granny low gear.
Because I am building a stock-ish but stout 1-ton 50's pickup, I went with a NV4500 to go behind a 392 hemi. Chevy and Dodge used the NV4500's in their 3/4 and 1-ton trucks until recently. The bolt pattern, input shaft and tail housings are different between the 2, but basically the same inside I think. Not sure of all configurations, but mine is an OD unit and was remanufactured using a Dodge case, but Chevy input shaft and is an older case that uses a mechanical speedo cable instead of the later ones that had electronic. I want to keep my original speedo so that is why I went remanuf. A brand new one wasn't that much more, but was only available with the electronic speedo sender. I had Wilcap make the trans. adaptor. The bellhousing is a beefed up Chevy pattern made by Advance Adaptors (Jeep and 4x4 suppliers). I got the trans. and bellhousing from Advance Adaptors and the adaptor, clutch and flywheel, etc. from Wilcap. The NV4500 is a pretty big and heavy trans. For a car, I might suggest a T-5 or something like that. An NV4500 in a car might not work that well specially and definitely not for a car with clearance challenges. My truck is mostly stock, so no where near the ground.
If the transmissions are out of the trucks, put em in 1st gear and turn the input shaft by hand one turn. Count the tailshaft revolutions. The tailshaft will only revolve part way and not make a full turn. The non-granny 1st trans would have a 1st gear ratio of something around 3.00/1 or so . . .meaning the tailshaft would have only move 1/3 of a turn. You can double check by counting input shaft turns while watching for one full turn at the tailshaft. A granny trans would be a lot steeper in 1st. The exact - or close enough - ratios are probably available somewhere. If the transmissions are in good shape you won't have any probs turning it by hand. Use a red rag on the input shaft to cushion the sharp edged splines. While you're at it, go through all the gears this way. I was ready to take a Corvette 4-speed home and found nothing happened in reverse. The idler gear was shelled. What kinda guy breaks a Corvette trans in reverse? Nothing against the Vettes, I like em, but some people....
If you're looking at buying one from salvage, check for metal in the oil or lack of oil. I'm using a 1997 4.3 s-10 5 speed in my A project. I haven't got it on the road though. I chose that transmission based on driving customer's trucks. One customer had shelled out one transplanted into a full size Chevy pickup. I think he drove it like it was stolen while pulling a trailer.
You can also do it the other way - turn the output shaft exactly one turn & count the input shaft revolutions - in the example above w/3.00:1 ratio, it should turn 3 times for every 1 revolution of the output shaft...
***Also, when you research these kinds of transmissions you will find that they are "rated" for torque that is possibly WELL under what your engine produces.... BUT KEEP IN MIND that these ratings aren't just torque alone. A transmission out of a 3600-4500lb truck that will take 275lbs of torque will be able to handle SIGNIFICANTLY MORE in our 1500-2200 pound hot rods. I'm running a Super T-10 4 speed transmission behind my Rocket 371. The transmission is only rated in the mid 200's for torque capacity, but research and discussion with others running this transmission has shown that they will stand up to more when the car is light. As aforementioned though, just don't go banging gears.... and if you plan to, make sure you're damn good at shifting!
Just ask glassguy he ran one in the Jerkery I think he left some of the parts to it on the highway he he
Unless this is for a different car...and you aren't going to drive it like I think you are. A 500 horse Hemi with suspension and tires that are made to hookup. You will ruin that transmission like a bulldog raping a poodle! Hahaha.
NEWSFLASH! THIS JUST IN: If you plan to DRAG RACE your transmission that isn't BUILT for DRAG RACING, don't expect it to hold up! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Torque ratings for trannys vary somewhat with mfgr & application, but recent general use seems to be 100,000 miles continuous rating. So short-term ratings, shock ratings, & ultimate ratings may be vastly different.... Abuse anything & it will break.
A transmission shop qutedme for a s-10 5 speed, $1000, big ones, told me he would have to drill all four holes for the tranny to bolt to my chevy bell housing, probably have to cut the driveshaft, but will the mount be in the same place as the one on my 58 chevy del-ray? Also need a shifter and a hole in the floor board, probably be cheaper to go to a 3;08 rear gear instead of the 3;36, Lloyd
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