PW Levers NV4500
This modification deals with mounting the Power Wagon Transfer Case and Ebrake Levers on a NV-4500. It also addresses the now blocked transmission lubrication fill hole.
Many people, as I have done, have opted to use the original NP-200 Transfercase and either drive from the traditional right output or drive off the Ebrake drum to a centered rear axle housing. When using the NV-4500 on a Cummins 4B series, length is a critical issue to allow room for the intermediate propeller shaft. The Dodge Versions of the NV-4500, 2 wheel drive transmission have a rear tail cone that is way to long to use without moving the NP-200 to the rear. This would also increase the rear drive shaft angle. In my opinion, the only NV-4500 that allows keeping the NP-200 in the OEM position is the 2 wheel drive, GM Version NV-4500 with the short Tail Shaft. This will allow room for the intermediate propeller shaft and not moving the NP-200.
In 2000, when I re-powered the Power Wagon with a 318 with a NP-435 Transmission, Ray at Helitool sold adapter plates to allow mounting the Transfercase shift levers and Ebrake on the NP-435 using two drilled and tapped bosses and a tab to a PTO port bolt. This worked excellent and in fact it will work with your NV-4500 since it too has 2 drilled and tapped .375" x 16 unused mount bosses.
To utilize this Helitool Adapter plate, all that is required is drilling one hole .375" and cutting off about .500" of the adapter that sticks up past the top of edge of the NV-4500. Instead of using the PTO port bolt for the lower stay, I fab'ed a piece of .250" x 1.5" stock that goes from the adapter plate to the right lower transmission mount bolt. Its that easy to modify this plate for a NV-4500.
However, New Venture did not engineer the GM, NV-4500 or any NV-4500 for that matter for this arrangement. The problem is that the Transmission oil fill port is directly behind our now placed Transfer Case Shift Levers and Ebrake. One would have to remove the entire lever assembly to check or add transmission oil. There is another simple fix!
The Transmission oil fill is tapped .750" Pipe Thread. Remove the .750" pipe plug. Go to NAPA and buy a Weatherhead .750", 90 degree hydraulic street elbow. The part number is 3400x12. You can NOT use a standard plumbing street elbow as its to long. The hydraulic elbow is square and sits close the male pipe threads. You will also need a .750" x 9.0 inch piece of pipe, threaded one end only. For test fitting, dont use pipe thread sealer yet. Screw the street elbow into the oil fill port on the NV-4500 and tighten so that the angle is close to what you see in the pictures. Then try to screw in the 9.0" piece of pipe. You will probably find that the casting ridge on the NV-4500 Case just above the oil fill port sticks out about .030" to far. Take a angle grinder and 'love' off about .030" and you will now be able to screw the 9.0" piece of pipe.
To be sure your angle is correct now mount the Helitool Plate with levers attached to the 2 drilled and tapped bosses on the NV-4500 standing it off the case using 1.0" spacers. You MUST use spacers. If you have the new fill pipe at the correct angle, mark it. Then remove and install thread sealer. I use Permatex Anaerobic Sealer # 51813, I also use Permatex Anaerobic Prep on the threads # 765-1154. Now with sealer on the threads, screw in the Street Elbow and align to your reference marks, then screw in and tighten the .750" x 9" piece of pipe. Now using 1.0" spacers, mount the Helitool Adapter plate to the NV-4500. Use a temporary spacer at the bottom to hold it parallel to the NV-4500. Now fabricate your lower stay from .250" x 1.5" stock, bend a tab and drill a .500" hole for the transmission mount bolt. Fit this in place and cut to the proper length and weld the free end to the Helitool Adapter Plate. Buy a .750" rubber expansion plug for end of your new fill pipe. Adjust the Ebrake and T case shift rods per the Dodge Manual and your good to go.
Since your using a GM Version of the NV-4500, this also mandates using the GM/Cummins Flywheel Housing Adapter. This adapter has a 7.5 degree tilt built into it. Its your choice if you mount the engine off at 7.5 degrees and have the NV-4500 level or mount the Engine level and have the NV-4500 tilted 7.5 degrees. I decided to have the transmission at 7.5 degrees. I will over fill the NV-4500 by 1 quart to keep the lube level on the high side correct. Your new fill tube can also be used to check level. Make a dip stick and mark it for the level you desire. From then on, you can dip the transmission to check level. I leave it up to each person on how to access the filler. You can remove the transmission cover, make a door or other type of opening in the transmission cover, your choice. Using the 1.0" spacers will center the levers in the slots on the transmission cover as seen in the pictures.
If you even think you may be doing a NV-4500 Swap in your PW, M37 or WC and using the original levers, I highly suggest you contact Ray at Helitool; www.uglytruckling.com and inquire about buying the adapter mount plate to mount the levers on a NP-435 transmission. The pictures below show the entire process. |
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