Haggar

The NV 4500 uses a very specific lubricant. I would try draining and adding the correct fluid. (not cheap, but neither is another tranny)It does sound synchro related, but happening suddenly in all gears simultaneously smells more like clutch disc dragging, or not fully disengaging. (disc separation, slave cylinder leaking, master cylinder bleeding by.) An overnight test would be park it somewhere flat with nothing in front of it or behind. Set parking brake. Push clutch pedal to floor and hold it there all night. (you can do that, though it is rather boring, and your leg gets tired.) I suggest a stick propped against seat. In the morning put in first or reverse, release parking brake and start truck. If it moves the SLIGHTEST bit shut off (quickly!) and start diagnosing if it is the clutch actuation or clutch itself. Any difference if you double clutch? Any difference if you match engine speeds during shifts?All dying together just seems odd. Could be fluid related too. The clutch and fluid touch all gears.HagPS add an exhaust brake. apparently HUGE difference for stopping. Hope mike will chime in here. Hope to be installing mine in a couple weeks.

Rick,You gotta share!!!! But weights and such get funny. Lots of differences between straight weights and modifieds (like the 85-140). It also depends on what you are doing. heavy weights, for no reason, can make a large impact on efficiency. So not only are you using more hp than necessary (therefore less mpg) but you are also increasing the temp of the fluid.The ultimate goal is to provide a layer of oil (between the teeth) that won't extrude under the pressure, and allow metal to metal contact. The hypoid gear set has a LOT of shear and is heck on the long chain hydrocarbons. The fluid also provides the cooling, so it needs to maintain throughout a large temperature range. (It would be easier if we were just lubricating all the bearings..... they are EASY) some engineer somewhere just HAD to take that rotary motion and turn it 90 to everything. and then said "hey let's do gear reduction here too!" and then someone said "lets make this thing quiet!" Give me large straight cut gears and ear plugs any day!!!Hag

Bret,Thanks!!! I hadn't noticed from the pics before that the core slips out without splitting!! lol. I may split mine still though as I KNOW its nasty inside. Lots of fine red clay from construction sites. So I may totally disassemble it.Hag

That doesn't look like an easy place. I am going to roll under mine at lunch and try and peek there to see what is going on.Hag

Drill the end, fuse together, you must then patch. (stopping the existing crack helps, but the chances your weld by itself will be as strong as the base is slim, so you need to build a strong "bridge" over the broken area.) It is a great idea to look at other trucks to see if they are starting to have similar problems, to see if your patch needs to cover a longer area.Think about how you make your patch and try to avoid putting welds perpendicular. Fish mouth the patch so the welds are at a 30 to 45 degree (you get significantly more shear surface for a given height.)If you possibly can, have someone laser out (or water jet) (or just shear) the patches for you (torch systems sometimes add too much heat) and have them formed to the shape you need on a press brake. (This will make the angle or EL shape)My frame was cracking where the steering box is trying to tear itself out of the frame rail....that is where I thought this was headed.GL Hag

Sorry guys,I whined too early, most of it became more apparent at the end..... lol Sorry.I didn't know the stick came apart like that!!!! (but it was much more obvious as you showed later in the video!!!) (Mike I really like the hanging by the "oh snot" handle, that just seems perfect!)Rogan, Do you think it was worth it to remove entirely? how many more connectors and such to remove all? This is going to take time for me (no quickie) as I may do the exhaust brake and manifold and right front fender simultaneously.Thanks!!!!Hag

Guys,The heater core in my truck is toast, so will be changing it soon. (It will be 2 weeks from now or a bit more.... too much going on and the tractor is in the shop too....)I have studied Mike's video, but still have a couple questions.1. From the picture it looks like the steering column is dropped. Yes? (anything other than bag to watch out for?)2. I have a 5 speed. I can't tell, but it looks like Mike removed the shifter and part of the center console?3. Is there anything else I should do whilst having the dash out? I can't think of anything.(and you are right I have cheated and not looked at the FSM yet... edit noticed later that mike said the column was "layin" on the seat.)Thanks for the help!!Hag

lol,(sorry if I missed the sig. I swear it wasn't there earlier, sorry about that.) 99 should be PCM regulated.)It is what the factory manual calls the alternator. We are getting really technical, but it is truly a generator (an alternator is a special form of generator.) I would look right on the serpentine belt where the alternator would normally be.Hag

Rooster,Can't tell exactly what year truck you have, but the PCM provides voltage regulation (through the field and source from the "generator", ACCORDING to the FSM the capacitor and the diodes are in the "generator". The "fuse" is a 140 amp fuse in the PDC (power distribution center) It is a large one that IIRC is screwed in and in a big green or red box. I think the lid shows it as FUSE GEN.HTHHag

My 01.5 has CAD and rear discs. I need to double check my build date, I THINK it is December of '00, where most places list the 01.5 as starting in January of '01.

AWESOME!!!!(hook the sway bar back up!! )I love what rock crawlers do!!! That is so cool. Axle articulation at its best!!!I didn't even think of the lateral abilities of those joints!!! Too Sweet!!! (I must not turn my daily driver, pull rig into a rock crawler!! I must not turn my daily driver, pull rig into a rock crawler!!I will go do my punishment in the dunce room.Hag

Rogan,WOW!!! that is a nice setup!!!! 47 seems like a steal. That must be an oft used size!!!Mohok,I think you will be fine. A cross shaft rebuild is what is needed, and I am sure you will be happy with the rubber. It should last another 10 years or so.Hag

2 wheel drive or 4? there is a big difference in the bushings and cost and availability of control arms etc.2 wheel drive, at 300+ bucks replace the bushings and ball joints. that is some jack. (on some cars, gm S10/S15 comes to mind, but many others. assembled control arm was like 69.95 with free shipping.... lol buy a cross shaft kit and ball joint and install it for that.) you can buy the whole upper or lower control arm as cheap or cheaper than buying a new ball joint and bushings to rebuild it. (especially when you factor in the time to grind out the old rivets and make drivers to press the bushings out etc.) The 4x4 is different. Depending on year, it can be hard to find the replacement control arms. (replacing the bushings is a total pain, but doable) you can find the arms for the small diameter bolts, but not the larger diameter bolts. finding the correct bushing is a pain too (I think it is one of those 01.5 things and is actually never shown but in the 02 parts catalog) I feel lightnin's pain, on a 4x4 I might put poly on the axle, but frame side is getting rubber. I like a softer ride and absolutely cannot stand squeeks!!!!!!!!!!!! The impala is driving me nuts, and they are greaseable. (4x4 control arm bushing is significantly easier replacement than 2x)Hag

Mohok,To test the tie rod ends, I wrap my hand completely around the rod end without gloves. I make sure that I am touching both the tie rod AND the steering knuckle. I then have someone slightly move the steering left and right. I am trying to feel for ANY relative movement. The steering knuckle and tie rod should move together. The tie rod can rotate just a bit, but you should never feel the tie rod move and the knuckle stay still. Close your eyes if you need to. You can do it with tires up or down. I like to do my preliminary check on the ground first then start lifting the truck up. The tolerance limit is zero. Zero relative movement. (yes you can drive it if it wiggles, but know you are on borrowed time. Mainly you are killing tires and adding to the loose driving feel.)I do the same procedure with ball joints. Put my hand on both axle and knuckle, and have someone pry the wheel up and down. Wheel bearings are between rotor and knuckle. etc. Pitman too.Track bar is harder. Hand on bar and axle (or frame) have friends jump up and down on bumper, flexing the front suspension. WATCH YOUR FINGERS!!!If you are worried about this, go to a mom and pop alignment shop that will let you get under with the technician. Tell him what you want to learn, and he should show you. Once you get a feeling for what the relative movements should be, they are much easier to spot.HTH Hag

Interesting.....The parts list doesn't give diameters, but spline counts..... sounds like you ran into the same thing that lightnin did..... Weird.... Ok, searching through the quad4x4dotcom and drivetraindotcom There are 2 versions of the DHD and one of DLD with respect yoke diameter. By looking at the extension bushing diameters, the early DHD had the same slip yoke diameter as the DLD. Later DHD had a much larger slip yoke diameter. (sorry I don't have exact dimensions at the moment...) (now, just because the diameter was the same, it does not necessarily mean the spline count was the same....) (and from this, the DHD has 2 different extension housings....)wow.Hag

Kerley,Just recently I have run into this with my battery charger. (is your a Schumacher?) If my battery is really drained the stupid thing will show "full charge", but on one of them which had a dead cell, only would charge to 10.7 volts. I no longer trust the charge gauge on the charger and check with a volt meter.The parasitic draw will absolutely kill the battery. I have gotten to disconnecting most if they are not used on a regular basis. Adding a battery minder might help (trickle charger). Some of my trucks just don't hang out conveniently near plug ins. Have been considering a photocell type one that plugs in the cigarette lighter. (won't work on the Honda, the lighter is not in the charging circuit with key off.....) HTHHag

Lightnin,Looking at the parts lists (which encompasses GM, Dodge and Jeep), there were apparently 4 different input spline counts, and 2 different output spline (on main shaft) counts and two different lengths. I think the length difference is the DLD vs DHD. (making a real swag here!!! not known for a fact!!! Yet.) So according to my swag the DHD's came in two different output spline counts!!! (or the DLD did...) No wonder it is so confusing!!!! apparently the front case adapter in NOT interchangeable between the GM and CHry versions. GM is clocked a bit different.So far, so good!!! Drove it to work this morning, nothing apparently pouring out. Hope to hose down the underside this afternoon to really see. WOHOOOO!!!!Hag

Guys,I thought I would post this up since I had trouble finding the information anywhere online in one place.Our transfer case models are either NP 241 DLD or NP 241 DHD. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to whom got which, though I suspect that more DHD's were installed in the 3500 series. My TC is the 241 DLD. This has the "2 part" or "2 piece" tail shaft extension. (the DHD had a 1 piece extension)BE careful. I have found sites that say the 241 DHD uses the same extension housing, but that is totally impossible. Don't buy into it. also a guy on ebay has an extension at a good price, but each time you click his links, it takes you to 2500 and 3500 diesel quad cabs that apparently got NP231 TC according to dodge part numbering.... the Dodge pn book is a bit misleading too.... apparently our tc is called a "shift on the fly"... but either way it says the 231 got installed.... I have yet to see a 231 behind the cummins or V-10, but it maybe could have been an option...I have found that many of the other NP 241s (especially the NP 241C that is a gm part) use the same extension housing, only differing in output seal. (the dodges use the extended boot, GM does not, I will probably use the Dodge part in my GM ones from now on!!!) There are two casting numbers that work on our (may be more, but these are the only ones that I have found.) C-16258 and C-17460. I had places tell me these were interchangeable and had places that said they absolutely were not. They are interchangeable to the best that I can measure. The 17460 is a modification of the 16258. I could be wrong, but the number is later and I consider it better. The only difference I can measure, is the output support bushing on the 17460 is not as close to the seal as found on the 16258. The 16258 is a PITA to remove the seal, as the seal tool does not have enough room to hook between the bushing the seal so you cannot hook the seal. The 17460 moved the bushing slightly toward the front of the vehicle. This does two things, there is more room for the oil between the seal and the bushing, and ease of replacement.One thing I have noticed, the 241 does not have as many drain back holes as the 231 (the 231 has what looks like 4 the 241 has only one). I lost the orientation of the drain back hole under the pilot bushing. I assume that the tail shaft extension fills with some fluid and the helix in the bushing will cause a pressure differential. edit: I found that the orientation is fixed. The 4 bolt pattern is not a square pattern. The tail shaft extension will fit properly in only one orientation.Check your bushing!!!!! I thought mine was "fine". Compared to the new one, it is 0.015" larger..... That may have been where that slight drive-line vibration was!!! should know this weekend.Hopefully I will no longer be a rolling superfund site!!!Will try to post a few pictures up.GL HTH Hag

ahhh, trying to find a front end guy that will shoot straight. I think too many of the newer guys just know how to read the computer, and if it is only telling them half the story, they don't understand suspensions well enough to realize it is only a half answer.I definitely got the guys to do a 4 wheel alignment on mine, as it is (was) a 4WD and wrecked. I wanted to know the relative position of the rear axle to the front axle. (both in parallel offset, and angular) (I have an adjustable track bar.) and all the suspension mounting points were mangled.In a 2wd most of the wear should show up in a normal alignment. On the 4wd the longer 4 link suspension may not show up, as all the steering is in the axle knuckles.It is pretty close, although my thrust angle is still a bit wrong. (I could have some bad rear spring eyes, or my frame is tweaked... lol imagine that.)Keep looking for a good tech. It will take awhile to find them, but don't lose their number when you do!!!Hag

Like Bearing said.Just by jacking up the tranny you can change the transmission mount (on a 5-speed... but IIRC it is the same mount on an auto, so there should be room.)GL and this is late enough you probably have the truck washed, and sipping a beer.Hag

Cowtipper,How are you getting to it? I noticed I have diesel on the bell housing and transmission, but presently using that to clean the ATF that the transfer case is spewing out. (TC is winning by the way, about 1 qt per 100 miles.... bed, rear diff, trailers will never rust..... ever...lol... people don't tailgate long either!!!)I took a peek and still trying to figure out how to touch it, let alone get tools on it?Thanks for your input!!Hag

John,You might want to take advantage of the two lower hooks then. I don't see why you could not build a rack that "hangs" (not really hanging, but getting longitudinal support) on the front of the bed between the cab, and tension it by using J-hooks to connect to the front hook places in the bed.You are not carrying weight, you just need to keep from scratching the roof.Hag

lightnin,It seems to be mechanically connected to the arm rest. Does it try to escape when you open the arm rest cover?Thanks so much for the pictures!!! Hmmmm.Neat shifter ball !!!!.Hag

lol,I like to also. Never saw the faux pas or double entendre as I wrote it. Hard to see that close to the vest!Hag

Wow,Context is everything isn't it!!!!!Doh.....:doh:Crawls back under rock until further profound statement is realized.