Project “Polar Bear”: 1989 V2500 Suburban

[Chevrolado]

Hey Larry, why do you like manual trans in your trucks? Just curious.. You have so much knowledge on these things, so figured I'd pick your brain on your opinion on Manual vs Auto. You seem to lean towards Manual. Just wondering what your opinion/reasoning is for it.

 

[IdaSHO]

A manual is a simplistic approach. By design autos are more prone to failure simply do to complexity.

Still, I wont have another full-size with a handshaker ever again.

very nice build Larry. Looking good. :ylsmoke:

 

[Larry]

Hey Larry, why do you like manual trans in your trucks? Just curious.. You have so much knowledge on these things, so figured I'd pick your brain on your opinion on Manual vs Auto. You seem to lean towards Manual. Just wondering what your opinion/reasoning is for it.

Yeah, like IdaSHO said, manuals tend to be more simple, durable and reliable. Aside from that, manuals are my preference for off-roading as the driver has more control over what the vehicle is doing. :smiley_drive:

 

[Chevrolado]

Yeah, like IdaSHO said, manuals tend to be more simple, durable and reliable. Aside from that, manuals are my preference for off-roading as the driver has more control over what the vehicle is doing. :smiley_drive:

Ah, okay. Good to know. I feel the same way about general driving (my daily driver is a 5 speed manual trans), and I love it.. I just wasnt sure if there was further reasoning or anything for 4 wheeling purpose. Good to know though. Thanks.

 

[Larry]

NV4500 5-speed is done!

Had the week off for the Christmas Holiday and got the NV4500 swaperoo done! A NV4500 is far from a sports car transmission but compared to the SM465 it certainly is! Plus OVERDRIVE is such a beautiful thing! It is amazing how just a transmission alone can change the personality of a vehicle.

The dirty end of the SM465/NP241 before teardown

At this point, I had some major work ahead of me to rework for floor for the new shifter location, which is 6” further back on the NV4500

465 vs. NV4500 comparo. They are right on the money in length. The drive shafts were a direct fit as well as the trans cross member. I was even able to reuse the trans mount.

New Centerforce clutch installed

AA Bell housing installed

Getting ready to go to town!

Reused the original NP241 transfercase after Coloradobill took it apart too see how things looked in there.

The really nice thing about a 241 tcase is even a little wirey guy and pick them up to stab by hand. Can’t say that for the 205 in the K10

Then spent half day reworking the trans tunnel. Sorting through these details is where the big time gets burnt up.

Hacked up this trans tunnel to build the new one. Originally I had hoped to just swap on an automatic trans tunnel then cut in a new hole for the NV4500 shifter like I did on the K10. Ah, nope! The floor on ‘85ish and later trucks do not bolt off and they are shaped different than the old removeable tunnels too.

Almost final dealeo

No NV4500 swap is complete until you dump in $72 worth of super juice

Before tear down. SM465 transmission

After with the NV4500! :sombrero:

It took all day yesterday to install the ACC carpet. Damn Burbs have a 1000 holes to cut through the carpet and jute. What a pita! Replaced the carpet from barn doors to firewall. I bet I went through 20 razer blades trimming this dang carpet! That jute is dense!

Same knob I used on the K10 a few years ago when it got a NV4500. For some reason, I knew it was a good idea to buy two knobs at that time!

I put about 30 miles on it tonight and have to run some errands in Canon City tomorrow so that should be a good shake down run for it. So far so good….no leaks, vibrations, rattles, etc.

Now, it just needs more power! Might have to get busy and do something about that :elkgrin:

 

[zoomad75]

Dang you weren't fooling around this week were you! Looks good. Maybe I need to swipe it while you are out of town for the snow run next week!

 

[Larry]

Dang you weren't fooling around this week were you! Looks good. Maybe I need to swipe it while you are out of town for the snow run next week!

Yeah, it doesn’t look like it but I busted a hump from Sunday the 23rd through this afternoon but I did. The trans tunnel and carpet install ate a lot of time.

We’ll do another snow trip later….like after we actually get some snow! Maybe, Bill and I will get that True trac moved from the old K10 axle to the Burb by then.

See you in minyana. I’ll swing by the dealership tomorrow. Got to show Harlan how is trans rebuild turned out.

 

[warwgn]

That looks really clean, great job. I am not looking forward to my carpet onstall either!

 

[hoodshy]

That's just too slick. Great job. I wonder if drive shafts etc. would also be reusable if I put an NV4500 in place of the TH400 in my 88' burb? A manual 5 speed would be a great way to get overdrive. Of course there would be the extra work of getting the clutch pedal and linkage in.

Michael

 

[Larry]

That's just too slick. Great job. I wonder if drive shafts etc. would also be reusable if I put an NV4500 in place of the TH400 in my 88' burb? A manual 5 speed would be a great way to get overdrive. Of course there would be the extra work of getting the clutch pedal and linkage in.

Michael

Thanks!

Well, if it is any consolation, I know another guy from another forum that went from a TH400/32 spline 205 in a ’88 crew cab 4x4 to a NV4500/205 (reused his OEM tcase) and he did NOT have to rework the driveshafts at all. With yours already having a TH400 means the tcase behind your TH400 would already be the right 32 spline to mate to a NV4500. Aside from the trans tunnel work all you would need to do is install the pedals, clutch master and slave, which are not difficult. Half the battle is finding a ’85-’91 square body style hydraulic “pedal box” as they call it where you get the clutch pedal and brake pedal in one assembly. Luckily, my burb already had the hydro clutch pedals as OEM equipment. This assembly also has the rods for the hydraulic master cylinder mount. I went through that swapperoo on my ’78 K10.

Go for it! Life is too short to live with a gas hog automatic trans, and one without overdrive no less.

If you are seriously considering this I know a local salvage yard with at least 4 more ’85-’91 trucks with hydro pedals in them. Lemme know and I can PM you their phone number.

 

[Rot Box]

Very clean and professional--looks great :bike_rider:

 

[hoodshy]

Thanks!

Well, if it is any consolation, I know another guy from another forum that went from a TH400/32 spline 205 in a ’88 crew cab 4x4 to a NV4500/205 (reused his OEM tcase) and he did NOT have to rework the driveshafts at all. With yours already having a TH400 means the tcase behind your TH400 would already be the right 32 spline to mate to a NV4500. Aside from the trans tunnel work all you would need to do is install the pedals, clutch master and slave, which are not difficult. Half the battle is finding a ’85-’91 square body style hydraulic “pedal box” as they call it where you get the clutch pedal and brake pedal in one assembly. Luckily, my burb already had the hydro clutch pedals as OEM equipment. This assembly also has the rods for the hydraulic master cylinder mount. I went through that swapperoo on my ’78 K10.

Go for it! Life is too short to live with a gas hog automatic trans, and one without overdrive no less.

If you are seriously considering this I know a local salvage yard with at least 4 more ’85-’91 trucks with hydro pedals in them. Lemme know and I can PM you their phone number.

Thanks Larry. Sent a PM. Yes, I am serious about sometime doing this auto to manual swap. But, heads up, my automotive experience is not as extensive as say yours. Never rebuilt an engine or dropped a tranny, but I believe it's about time to gain some of that experience and is one reason I bought the 88' burb. My experience at most has been replacing alternators, tune ups, pack wheel bearings, etc.

Like many I'd love to eventually put a cummins in, but that is probably too much effort and money at this point. Plenty of other things to do before I get to that. I'd like to put a nv4500 behind the cummins any way so doing the th400 to nv4500 swap first and getting some more miles out of the small block wouldn't be a waste of effort or parts I believe.

I don't have an nv4500 yet either and they are getting harder to find? Any particular one I am looking for? What years of make/model donor vehicles in a salvage yard am I looking for? I need to drop the transfer case some time anyway. It's got an oil leak.

The 88' burb I got a couple of weeks ago is in okay shape. I posted a couple of picks in another intro thread. It also needs some replacement rear leaf springs. Has about a 1 inch sag on the direvers rear side.

Well, I should hold off on sharing more about my burb, this is your thread

If you have any particular links to forum posts that would help me with the th400 to nv4500 swap feel free to send them. I have done some searches recently but don't recall if I saved anything that I found.

Michael

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Nice job; you do like your mannys. I hope you have a heated garage otherwise this project is aptly named. :sombrero:

 

[Larry]

Nice job; you do like your mannys. I hope you have a heated garage otherwise this project is aptly named. :sombrero:

Oh, yeah...me love manuals! The shop is well heated and well stocked with warm beverages. Well, beverages that make you feel warm anyway ..and sometimes silly. :elkgrin:

Not sure if the work space where magic happens is a heated garage, shop, or neighborhood bar. Pretty much all of the above

 

[BBslider001]

Oh, yeah...me love manuals! The shop is well heated and well stocked with warm beverages. Well, beverages that make you feel warm anyway ..and sometimes silly. :elkgrin:

Not sure if the work space where magic happens is a heated garage, shop, or neighborhood bar. Pretty much all of the above

Excellent words of wisdom said here....and really nice job on the swap Larry! Makes me wanna do somn to mine this weekend, but just not sure what yet.