Transmission/Transfercase Options

[Jeep Craze]

Hey all, I pulled my trans/transfercase today to replace a Squealing Throwout bearing. Well when I got it out and looked at it, I noticed that the Bellhousing is cracked from the top to the bottom, and the adapter in front of the trans,behind the bellhousing was cracked too. I have the T-176 and NP 208 setup. My question to you all is what 5 speed can I get w/ what transfercase for the j-10 360 w/ driverside drop. Or isn't there a 5speed w/ a long enough input shaft available? Thank you Craig

[kyjman]

I run the T-5 5 speed in my J-10 with the 258 I6. I've been in it a few times and its almost what a world class T-5 would be. You can go to www.4speeds.com (http://www.4speeds.com) clicl on the 5 speed section and then the "ultimate Jeep W/C 5T-5". His units run about 1200.00 you may find one in a salvage yard for about 700.00. Replace you clutch and pressure plate while you got it that far down<<<<<< suggestion only.....good luck

[Jeep Craze]

Hey Kyjman,
Thank you for the reply......The T-5 you are running, is that out of a CJ? do you know? I was thinking of that. I see you are running the stock np208 Transfercase. What are the differences as far as input goes from the tranny to the transfercase or is the bolt pattern/spline count the same from the t-176 to the T-5? Thank you again craig.

[Sycho15]

An AX-15 from a '90 or newer Wrangler or Cherokee. Check for one with an exterior slave cylinder to make future replacement much easier.

You can keep the NP-208 with this transmission.

[Jeep Craze]

ok, the ax-15 from a 90 or newer wrangler/cherokee you say would work w/ my current transfercase. What about the bellhousing? Thak you craig

[kyjman]

The bellhousing in my truck will accept a T-176 bolt up. The 208 will bolt up to the T-5 or the T-176.....As for the tranny, my truck came from the factory with the 5 speed in it. It not a good tranny for heavy off road use, but if you just putt around its ok. Within the next year I'm getting one of the world class T-5's from 4 speeds.com....pricey but worth it I think. I ran a T-176 for about 3 months in 2000, but with the axle ratio I need 5th gear to keep engine rpms down. Also if you do change to a T-5 you will need to modify both front and rear driveshafts, and move the crossmember to lineup with the tranny mount bolts. If I remember right, I had to shorten the front shaft and lengthen the rear for the 176, so for you to do the T-5 you may have to shorten the rear shaft and lentghen the front....ALSO....your bellhousing may have to be drilled and tapped for the T-5 bolt pattern...but the holes should be sort of pre-drilled so alignment wont be a problem. As for the cracked bellhousing you are running now, thats your call. Mine has a small crack and a couple of places where a throwout bearing came apart and tried to come through the casing...Good luck bud...

[Jeep Craze]

Hey kyjman,
Thanks again for the info. If you say that your bellhousing originally from the t-5 fit the t-176 then I wouldn't see why it wouldn't fit the otherway around. As for my bellhousing, I am not useing it, I have already decided that. I am not gonna go through all the pains of having to pull it agian to replace what I already have out. And you say that the NP208 case bolts right to the back of the T-5. Would I need a t-5 from a FSJ or would the one's in the CJ's fit? Thank you Craig

[Sycho15]

The AX-15s bellhousing will bolt up to any AMC 6 or 8 cylinder engine.

I believe the T-5s in the CJs had D-300 x-cases behind them. That means the NP-208 will bolt right up as well.

[Jeep Craze]

ok, do we (not including me) know which transmission would be the better of the two. Both were behind the 6 cylinder. But the ax-15s is behind a 4cyl. too? Thank you Craig

[Sycho15]

The 4-cyl got the AX-5, which is considerably weaker than the AX-15. I'm not really sure which is stronger, but my guess would be the T-5.

[derf]

One alternative to the T-5 would be an NV4500 from a late model Chevy pickup. You can get a replacement bellhousing from Advance Adapters to mate it to your engine. All the passenger drop Chevy t-cases should bolt right up. The only question would be driveshaft length.

Just another option to consider...

[FSJeeper]

Better and cheaper would be a Ford T-18 or NP435 with a drivers side NP205 or NP208. You use the stock T-176 bellhousing, install an advance adapters pilot bushing for Ford, use the Ford clutch disc, and bolt it all up and never worry about it again. Only problem with this setup is you have to shorten the front and lengthen the rear shafts and the shifter is very close to the dash.

I had a T-5 once and had nothing but trouble with it. To build it right to WC specs, it would have cost me about $900.

[Sycho15]

Just to confuse you a little bit more, I once had the opportunity to buy an NV5500 5-speed that had been converted to 4x4. First gear was 7:1, and 5th was 1:1 :D

[derf]

Originally posted by Sycho15:
Just to confuse you a little bit more, I once had the opportunity to buy an NV5500 5-speed that had been converted to 4x4. First gear was 7:1, and 5th was 1:1 :D According to New Venture's web site (http://www.newventuregear.com/transmissions.html), they don't make an NV5500. Only the 4500 (5 speed) and 5600(6 speed). Are you sure it was a 5500? Maybe they stopped making it and I just hadn't heard of it before...

[Sundowner]

I know a guy who sells brand new NV4500's for $1000, fresh in the box. that would be a hell ofa lot better than a T-5. He's also got NV5600 6-speeds for $1300(?). the 5600's need more adaptin than the 4500's but anyhting used behind a diesel can't be that bad.
If anyone is interested, his email address is: topgearok@hotmail.com

[Panther]

NV4500 would be a good swap and 1000 is the cheapest I have heard of. If you can mate a Dana 300 to it then you should be able to also do the NP208. I would not consider the T5 behind a 360. First you need the bell housing spacer/longer input (which doesn't exist for T5) and 2nd, it just won't hold up.
The pics I have seen of the NV4500 have the shifter in the back of the case so you should not have clearance issues that usually require the BH spacer to position the shifter back. Or you could go with the Jeep T18/208.
http://www.panther4x4.com/t18a.htm

[Heimeken]

Sundowner, give your bud my e-mail and he has a sale. That's a good deal.

Nevermind... got too excited and didn't read the e-mail at the bottom.

thanks

[ September 11, 2002, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Heimeken ]

[64Trvlr]

Originally posted by FSJeeper:
Better and cheaper would be a Ford T-18 or NP435 with a drivers side NP205 or NP208. Good idea except neither one is a 5 speed. I'm going with the NV4500/D300.
:cool:

[Sycho15]

It was an NV-5500. It was a 5-speed. This was a few years back and the guy had found the tranny in something big- don't know what, and had sent it off to be converted to fit a chevy and an np-205.

He could have been BSing me, too, just trying to sell it to a fool... tongue.gif

[Jeep Craze]

Thank you all for your replies, I wanted to go w/ a dana 300 case on a t-5 but came up w/ the tranny being to weak, and the drop was on the wrong side. Then I decided to go w/ an ax15 like suggested and a newer transfercase.....then I sat and just gazed into the land of the jeeps. And I thought......ok...new trans... 400.00 new transfercase 300-800 dollars depending on model and condition next was the driveshafts......80.00 each for new u-joints, lenghthen or shorten and rebalanced. I figured it wasn't worth it for the type of driving I do. I mean if I were driving down the highway everyday for work I could see the 5th gear benefit. I drive 7 miles to work and 7 miles home. fastest is 55 and that is for exactly 7/10 of a mile. Other than that it see's 55 on about 3 trips a month for about 12 miles.I use my 2002 s-10 crew cab when I go far away. But Not because I don't trust the J-10 its because of comfort reasons. Thats why I would like to find a wagoneer But I have to get rid of my 2002 S-10 first. THank you again to all for you input but I will just stick w/ what I have. I am gonna rebuild the tranny,transfercase and new (used) belhousing and fix the adapter/spacer and I am gonna be at 400.00 complete. Craig