Tranny swap?

[boulder]

Just wondering if there is any1 on here that has swapped in a 5 or 6 speed manual instead of a 47re? is it possible and wood it be worth it?

[Rogan]

Yep, I did it on my '96. It's quite easy, straight-forward, and IMO, it was WELL-WORTH it.. :)If you have all your parts gathered, then it should take about 12-14hrs or so, provided you don't run into any issues I did, but wasn't earth-shattering..However, I see your sig says you have an '01. Not 100% sure on any PCM issues you may or may not encounter, if any..

[mr.mindless]

I bet there's a PCM difference as well as possibly an ECM difference on the ISB (24v) and newer trucks.

[jonathan1950]

So I swapped in a 5 speed in my 99, I did a lot of research and purchased most of the parts before I started. It is very straight forward, the cabs for the auto and manual are the same, so the pedals just slide in, there is a hole for the clutch master cylinder, the only thing I had to do is cut a hole in the floor for the shifter. I would recommend a 5 speed, from what I have read the 6 speed is hard to find parts for and is no longer being made, also low and high gears are almost the same ratio, only that the ratios are closer in the 6 speed. I picked up about 6 mpg with manual, but more importantly the reliability of the manual. There where several people that suggested selling my truck and just buying a manual, but I like my truck I just did not like the automatic. The only issue I have is my abs light is on, but I can live with that, I have read that others that have done the swap had no issues while other have had pcm issues. I would say go for it, if you can get a donor vehicle of the same year would be best, but I found parts on ebay, local junk yards and on forums like this. Do some research and if you are like me you will find that it is not that hard and I think that it was well worth it.

[mr.mindless]

What are your uses for the truck? DD and light towing the 5sp is great. Tow heavy and you'll miss the extra gear split. 3-4 is a big jump in the 4500. If you tow heavy with a modded truck, expect grief from a nv4500. A friend of mine with an identical truck to mine is gathering parts for a Fuller 6sp swap after stripping teeth from 5th just like I did. His truck sees local driving with a mini excavator behind it 90% of the time. NV5600 is getting harder to find, no doubt. That took it off the table for me - cost of a 5600 swap was on part with the RTOO9513 I did. Difficulty obviously pales in comparison but that's a minor detail. A G56 6 speed may be the better answer but I have no intimate familiarity. I've got one friend with a trouble free unit in a high mileage third gen but he's only had it for a couple years and doesn't put many miles on. Not sure about the cross member situation; didn't the nv5600-g56 changeover come with the second-third gen swap?

[boulder]

Ya I'm pullin around a 30' gooseneck with a 10 000lb skidsteer on it. So the combo wood be about 16000 lbs. with the mods I've done to the engine it really seems up to the job but I've been tossing ideas around bout transmissions. Either a built auto or a 5 or 6 speed manual. Is there mods that wood need to be done on a standard as well to stand up to 500 horses?

[jonathan1950]

I am sure that other will have some suggestions, but the one thing that I know you will need to upgrade is the clutch. I still have a stock clutch, even though I have 75 hp injectors, but I try and be as easy as possible so as that I do not slip the clutch. At 500 hp you will need a better clutch than stock. I am not sure about the guts, maybe a better input shaft, but as I said there are others that will have a better idea about the inards of the trans. Good luck if you do decide to do this mod, I would do it again in a heart beat if I got another auto that I liked.

[pepsi71ocean]

its personal decision IMO, a built automatic will do just as much good, it is a night and day difference towing.i wish i took a few videos of my 99 before i had to pull the trans on it, but i can tell it handled the loads quite differently.

[Rogan]

As stated, I swapped my stock 100k mi. 47RE ('96 truck) for a nv4500, and it was nigh & day difference. I used a stock clutch, and had mild mods done to the 12V (boost elbow @ 35psi, #10 fuel plate, 3K gsk, bhaf, 4" exh, 7" single stack)My '01 has OE nv5600. Sometimes, I wished it had a built auto & e-brake.

[mr.mindless]

Boulder, that sounds awfully similar to my buddy's setup, and not too far from my own. Plenty haven't had issues, obviously, but too many for my taste. I'm sticking HD.

[Rogan]

when i destroyed my nv4500..

...the first time.. ;)

..the 2nd time.. LOL

Can you say "too much torque?" HA!

[boulder]

are you sayin Rogan that i only got a 50-50 chance of liking the 5 or 6 speed? i'm sorta leanin toward just gettin my auto built to a stage 4 or something similar just short of a race tranny. since this thing makes my living it needs to be reliable:pray:. not sure whats right now:shrug:

[pepsi71ocean]

don't go with a race unit, talk to Goerend, or Garmon. and ask for a towing, HD unit. tell these guys what your doing with it and you will not have any issues.Personally, Goerend has lock up ability in all forwards gears, which is a plus if your tran braking, or need to lock it up.

[CSM]

don't go with a race unit, talk to Goerend, or Garmon. and ask for a towing, HD unit. tell these guys what your doing with it and you will not have any issues. Personally, Goerend has lock up ability in all forwards gears, which is a plus if your tran braking, or need to lock it up.

Goerend will nicely tell you to get bent. They sell parts only at the moment, and there is a wait list on that. Unfortunately for us, they are a victim of their own success. I am going to give ATS a try, since I live in Denver.

[pepsi71ocean]

Goerend will nicely tell you to get bent. They sell parts only at the moment, and there is a wait list on that. Unfortunately for us, they are a victim of their own success. I am going to give ATS a try, since I live in Denver.

I went with DTT, and if my trans gets sorted out then i'll be happy. Let me know how ATS is, i have heard some really mixed reviews about their tranny's.

[jonathan1950]

The ranch that I work on bought a Ford F-550 with an automatic. They had to have it rebuilt once, granted it was only a stock rebuild, but it did not last too long. The next time the boss had a six speed installed. I am not trying to sway you to a manual, but after putting in a manual in the truck it pulls way better. I am sure that you can get a great auto for your truck, cajflynn runs an auto and pulls heavy loads all the time, so you know they must be good, I guess that I just like a manual. Which every way you go, I hope that it works for you. Just do research, this site is great for that, and find what is best for your application.

[CSM]

I went with DTT, and if my trans gets sorted out then i'll be happy. Let me know how ATS is, i have heard some really mixed reviews about their tranny's.

I have as well, but I think I have an advantage since I am 20min from their shop, and they won't charge for installs. They also pretty much said as long as I don't disconnnect my cooler lines and drive it they will cover any breakage in the trans except for shafts. The rest of the trans shops in Colorado kinda suck... most either don't want to work on a non stock trans, or they say things that just don't make sense in terms of modifications and "how the valve body works."

[boulder]

Any1 using Suncoast parts? i see a lot about ATS and Goerend and Garmon but not much Suncoast stuff. I thot they where pretty good to!?

[Rogan]

are you sayin Rogan that i only got a 50-50 chance of liking the 5 or 6 speed? i'm sorta leanin toward just gettin my auto built to a stage 4 or something similar just short of a race tranny. since this thing makes my living it needs to be reliable:pray:. not sure whats right now:shrug:

Nope, not saying that at all. I LOVE my manual trans. But.. If I could afford a built auto + exh. brake, I'd swap with a quickness.. Mostly because I'm old and getting tired of shifting LOL

[98whitelightnin]

Suncoast make great units and as bad as I want a Garmon, there is a very reputable builder 15 minutes from me that uses suncoast parts. What about swapping to a G56, they still make and use this trans so parts shouldnt be hard to come by.