Talk me out of this...

[79K15 HIghSierra]

Saw a NV3500 5 speed 4x4 trans come up on Facebook marketplace...for $250. Are these any good? It says it worked fine when taken out. Worth the trouble of swapping out my sm465?

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Was it behind a GM, or Dodge, see below? they are longer, so both drive lines will have to be modified, around here very expensive. See below:

• 1993[1] New Venture Gear releases the NV3500. Externally the earlier GM units look like the NV3500; however the internal components were extensively redesigned.
  • The HM290 and 5LM60 units have a complicated arrangement of 4 shift rails. The NV3500 has one shift rail.[2]
  • There are two designs for the 5LM60 input shaft and bearings (input shaft and main shaft). The first design 1988–1990 has a ball bearing with a roller bearing behind it. The second design has a much larger single ball bearing. The first design bearings are reputed to be failure prone.[3] The updated input shaft and bearings carried through to the NV3500.
• All 5 of these transmissions can be interchanged as a complete unit with the following caveats.
  • "Drop-in" interchanges between GM S (S10 etc.) and C/K trucks will require modification of driveshaft length and crossmember placement. GM S models have a longer tail-shaft than C/K trucks.
  • Master & slave cylinder bore sizes went from standard to metric in 1992 (Master: 11/16"->18mm, Slave 13/16" ->20mm)
  • GM and Dodge transmissions will not interchange.
    • The case and bellhousing are one piece with differing, engine specific, bellhousing bolt patterns.
    • Dodge uses Dodge specific input shaft length, spline count, and pilot diameter.
    • Dodge output spline count differs from the GM units.
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Venture_Gear_3500_transmission

 

[Shorty81]

Keep the sm465. Best truck transmission going.

 

[Cemack]

I’ve got the Sm465 in my 78 gmc. Don’t like it much because of the throw between gears. It is a very good transmission though. I’ve also got an NV4500 in my 1998 gmc and like it about better. It’s just nice driving it. It must be a good transmission as well to have lasted so long too

 

[rt66paul]

If you do a search on Google and here on square body:
https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/sm465-short-throw-shifter.2815/

You will find fixes for this. The shifter has pins and welds that crack and/or loosen up, re welding it helps a lot, but For my money, I would look for the aluminum top plate and shifter and retrofit

 

[Vbb199]

Keep the sm465. Best truck transmission going.

Tell me you got one behind your 496??
That would be awesome

 

[Shorty81]

Tell me you got one behind your 496??
That would be awesome

Oh yeah baby!!