NoSmokeNoGo

I just picked up a 91 350 with a bad 5 speed. Sould I rebuild it or convert to a nv4500? How good a trans are the getrag? I am going to be building this truck into a rock crawler. I would like to get around 300hp out of it. Will the getrag hold up?

woodrat

My vote when faced with this choice was an upgrade to the NV.

Underpsi

I vote rebuild Getrag it has a bad rep but its alot better then most poeple think. Save your money rebuild the getreg and use the left over cash that would've been spent on an NV for something else

Jake R.

i dont know what to tell you but i sure do love my nv. shifts smooth and just right. my dads getrag doesnt even shift near as smooth as mine, but if you dont mind the getrag you can save the money

Ace

The Getrag shifts great with decent fluid in it. The spec'd motor oil or ATF don't cut it.

KartRacer

Mine came with the NV in it, so I can't give you an opinion on the getrag, but I can tell you that the NV is probably the nicest shifting tranny I have ever driven.

-Steve

wannadiesel

My Getrag is holding just fine.

angelfire7

How can you tell what's in the truck? My build sheet lists the code as:
DDD - Transmission - 5 speed HD Manual

Ace

It's a Getrag. Just have a look. It is cast right into the side of the case in big letters you can easily read if it's not caked up too badly with road gunk.

1stGen545

Thay only came with G-rags or autos from the factory. Mine ran fine for about 320,000 and then with no warning locked up and I skidded off the road ( NOT FUN ) converted to NV and never looked back tell I went to the Allison. Had a friend that we put a 4B with air to water in a jeep TJ-7 with ford 8 lug dana 60 rear and 44HD frount with maried ford 205 and used a G-rag out of a 93 that we were puting my old NV in with about 200,000 that worked fine. He thought he was saving money, less than a week later the trans blew apart with no warning. So that makes 3 that I know that worked fine till they came apart. I would go with the NV. Nothing makes you madder than to spend all that money to make your truck run great and have the trans go when you realy need it.

Ace

Yeah, like when 5th gear falls off (your NV4500).

Underpsi

I agree. Both scenarios that he stated were pretty high mileage who knows what kind of maintenance was done on it.

It pretty well goes if you rebuild your getreg and replace everything nesscesary with proper preload and then use proper oil and overfill it is would last just as long as the nv4500 with the same maintenance and same driver

Not trying to burn anybody or anything I just don't like it when people automatically assume they are junk cuz of the bad rep they got when the preload was set uncorrect from the factory. They are alot better of a transmission then most think. I personally I have taken one completely apart and reassmbled it

dpuckett

I have never been into a NV4500, but the bearings are about the same size as the Getrag. I have talked to guys who have been into both, and they said neither is really any better than the other- though one guy said the Getrag is far better than the NV4500 (they were in gassers before the diesel). They are truck transmissions, so they arent going to shift real fast. Since the Getrag is stock/ OEM, I'd stick with it. I dont think the NV4500 is worth all the expense for the conversion.

The thing that kills Getrags is lugging (loaded and under 1500rpm), and people not checking the lube oil level. My genetic donor says they are junk, but he has his in 5th by 35mph. No wonder it broke at 50Kmi. I have put some hard miles on mine, as well as other trucks. Keep the RPMS and oil up, and it will go as long as a NV4500. At least all the gears are inside the case in the Getrag.

woodrat

My getrag went bad at 195k, because I didn't know to over fill it. When I went to get it rebuilt, a couple of shops wouldn't do it at all and the ones that did were quoting prices that were over $2000. One said it had to be built on a special jig that he didn't have. After all of that info, i just switched to the NV. I think it shifts nicer, and has better ratio spacing than the getrag.

But if I could have found anyone to rebuild the getrag for a reasonable price, I would have done that.

Underpsi

Ya you don't need a special jig to rebuild the getrag.

The Nv's have alot more parts avail thought like billet shafts and a short shift kit, thats part of the downside of the getrag no aftermarket parts like the nv's

The Nv's reportedly have smaller shafts then the getrag and a I think 1st syncro is smaller. But most those things aren't big deal when you can get billet shafts etc for them. Just alot more money to spend switching to a nv when you can rebuild a getrag a few times for the cost (depending on where, what, and why it needs rebuilt)