OD manual tranny

[Mikel2]

Are there any OD manual trannies that would bolt to a 360? I hear about people with CJ's using NV4500s, what bellhousing do they use?
Thanks.

[TexasJ10]

I have been accumulating parts for the NV4500 conversion for quite awhile now. You have to purchase an adapter no matter which way you go. If you use the Dodge NV4500 you can simply purchase a spacer that goes between your exisitng bellhousing and the NV4500. You may even be able to make this spacer. You need 1" of additional space becasue the input shaft on the Dodge is about 1" longer than stock.For a Chevy NV4500 you need a whole new bellhousing. All of the adapters are available from Advanced Adapters, but they are not cheap. I think the stock Dodge NV4500 also has a 23 spine output which I think is the same as the NP231 used on later model jeeps and the same as the NP229 and 208 used on a lot a full size jeeps.

[looch]

Mikel2---that Chief of yours has got the ultimate drivetrain. In my opinion, that is the best stock drivetrain ever to come in a 4x4. I am glad to see that the Chief package was available with it (someday a setup like that will be mine for the toying). I understand about the OD, but that 4 speed you have is a pretty awesome gearbox as is. Just some praise--not much help.

[jeepbob]

International used the Clark 5spd behind the 232 and 258. The Clark was available with many gear ratios and can be found in many 50's to 70's trucks both lt and med duty. Most of the lt duty IHC trannys were granny low and OD 5th. Performance Gear can help you with adapters and bellhousings or even whole set ups.

[Mikel2]

Thank you guys!

[Panther]

Mikel,
Best OD for that set up would be bigger tires!
Seriously, with the T18, it's often difficult to use first gear because it's so low, many start in 2nd. You wouldn't lose must if you went from say 33s to 35s but would gain in that shifting to all gears would take place at higher speeds. For example, when my scrambler had 33's, T18 and 2.73 gears, 4th was like an OD and I shifted at around 50-55mph. I could even use 1st gear!

I like to look at final drive ratios to see the numbers. Here's what my jeeps ratios look like for first gear and 4th or 5th.
80 Chero 33s, T176 1st 3.52 X 3.31 = 11.6
So 11.6 low and with 4th gear, 3.31 high.
Terrible first gear and ok highway.

82 Scrambler 33s, T18 1st 6.32 X 3.31 = 20.9
20.9 low and 3.31 high. Good all around set up.

84 CJ7 35s, T5 1st 4.02 X 4.56 = 18.3
18.3 is an ok low and with .86 OD is 3.92 high.

I guess my point is that although the OD does provide a higher gear, the granny tranny provides more gear "range" from low to high then most trannys. So you could get away with tall gearing in the diff or larger tires and it would not really affect your low range. I have to really ride the clutch at times in the cherokee because my first is so tall. And even though my CJ7 has an overdrive it neither as low or high as the scrambler.

I'm sure getting bigger tires is probably not practical but it's something to think about when you look at the final ratios.

I know the NV4500 is nice with either the 6.34 or 5.61 first gears and like .73 (or whatever) OD but I agree with everyone else, you have a pretty good set up.

Also question for you since you have the only T18 in a WT I have seen. Is you rear diff centered or offset like the QT?

Lee