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  • eaton roadranger 10 speed swap onto 5.9 Cummins

       (4 reviews)

    Me78569

    Big thanks to aub1895 over on CF for lettings us save his writeup on an Eaton 10 speed swap

     

    Quote

    I did a write up 2 years ago on this swap, but now the photo's are no longer visible thanks to photobucket. I received a request for the photos and I couldn't go back and edit my post or get anyone from the forum to return my messages, so I'm reposting this write up.


    So, I've blown up 3 of my stock transmissions and decided it was time for an upgrade. I have a P-pumped 24v with twins, and I haul heavy loads regularly, so I wanted to put a 10 speed in. I got the Road Ranger, oil cooler and driveshaft from a local junk yard. The transmission is rated for 1,400ft/lbs, so it should hold up to the abuse. I decided that I wanted to keep my stock bell housing and adapt it to my transmission, instead of using a SAE bellhousing, for several reasons. First, I have a southbend dual disk clutch that I really like. Second, I would have a lot more expense into buying a SAE flywheel housing adapter, flywheel and clutch. Third, a SAE bellhousing would take up more space and I would have to make a mechanical linkage for the clutch. I used a np205 divorced mount transfer case, and built my own mounts and driveshafts. 

     

     

     

     

    I had to reroute the exhaust because there wasn't enough room for it between the frame rails. This is a convoluted stainless elbow I made up to mate the primary turbo to the exhaust brake 
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    Primary turbo + exhaust brake
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    I had to put an air system on the truck so I upgraded to an air actuated exhaust brake.
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    Modified exhaust
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    The tank for the air system
    The air system runs the transmission, exhaust brake, horn, air suspension and air ride seat. 
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    Desiccant air dryer
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    Air system installed
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    Air system installed
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    I had to upgrade to Optima Yellowtop batteries to run everything. 
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    Stock RR bellhousing
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    Road Ranger transmission
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    Beginning milling the adapter plate
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    Turning the adapter ring
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    Adapter ring
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    Adapter ring + dodge bellhousing
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    Adapter ring + adapter plate
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    Step bored pockets for the twin countershafts in the back of the adapter plate
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    Front of adapter plate
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    Adapter plate installed
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    Adapter plate + adapter ring installed
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    Adapter plate + adapter ring installed
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    Milling the dodge bellhousing
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    Milling the dodge bellhousing
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    Dodge bellhousing installed
    I bought a nv4500 bellhousing from advanced adapters for the project
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    Concentric slave cylinder mount
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    Concentric slave cylinder mount
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    Turning concentric slave cylinder mount
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    Concentric slave cylinder mount
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    Concentric slave cylinder mounted
    I had to do a lot of research to find this slave cylinder, but it really simplified this conversion. It's out of a Mercedes Atego. I found an 1.750” input shaft for this transmission and had one of the techs at South Bend Clutch send me new set of clutch disks with 1.750” hubs in them. The input shaft had to be shortened, and I had to machine the flywheel to fit a larger pilot bearing.
    I was really impressed with the service from South Bend.
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    When I got the slave cylinder I had to test it with different master cylinders to make sure that it had enough throw. The stock dodge, Mercedes Atego, and high capacity tilton master cylinders all failed. The only one that I could find that put out enough fluid was the high capacity Wilwood, but it didn't fit on the firewall where the old one was so I had to make some modifications.
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    I had to take about 0.125” off of each of the fingers of the clutch diaphragm to make enough space for the input shaft. 
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder adapter
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    Master cylinder installed
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    Removing old transmission
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    Removing old transmission
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    Installing RR Transmission
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    Transmission mounts
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    Transmission mounting bolts
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    Transmission cross member
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    Rubber washers cut on bandsaw
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    Transmission mounts
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    Transmission mounted
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    The transmission mount goes over the transmission, so that I dont have to remove it when I take the transmission out, and it's on less thing to have hanging down under my truck. Plus, it seemed like the best attachment point for the transmission. There was little clearance on the top of the transmission, so I placed the cushioned mounts between the cross member and the frame.
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    Transmission mounted
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    Rebuilding the np205
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    Rebuilding the np205
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    Rebuilding the np205
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    Np205 rebuilt
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    Twin stick shifter
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    Np205 mount
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    Np205 mount
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    Np205 mounted
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    Building driveshafts
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    Building driveshafts
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    Driveshafts
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    Transmission to transfer case driveshaft installed.
    I used the driveshaft from the semi, shortened it down, and welded a 1410 weldable yoke on the transfer case end. I got the weldable end yokes for this project from DennysDriveshafts.com. They have a great selection of driveshaft parts, and everything is well organized.
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    Transmission oil cooler from the semi
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    Transmission oil cooler from the semi
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    Modified tunnel before cover is installed
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    Air seat, cover and twin stick shifter installed
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    Everything installed + mud
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    I've been running the transmission for the last month and a half hauling some heavy loads, and it's work flawlessly. I'm very pleased with the results.

    I hope this information is useful to somebody. I read a lot on this forum and don't post very often, so here's giving back.

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        JAG1

           3 of 3 members found this review helpful 3 / 3 members

        Absolutely amazing

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        Dusty Edmonds

           1 of 1 member found this review helpful 1 / 1 member

        This is what I want to do to my 97 ram 2500 12v. I pull a large gooseneck and need a gear in between each gear that the nv-4500 just doesn't have.  I would like to pick your brain on a few more particulars of what you went thru on the trani swap. I own a machine shop so machining the adapter plates is no problem. Nor is the new trani tunnel a problem (lots of hot rod sheet metal experience). I would appreciate a reply. 

        Thank you

        Dusty Edmonds

        Dusty's Machine, Marine, and Hydraulics

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        Tractorman

           1 of 1 member found this review helpful 1 / 1 member

        These trucks should have had an eight or ten speed manual transmissions available from the OEM.  Putting a 10 speed Roadranger behind a twin-turboed 5.9 is an excellent combination.  Great design and installation - I wish I could drive the truck!

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        leety

          

        This is a beautifully execute installation.  This is art adjacent.  Great write up!

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