Fifth gear overdrive for good gas mileage
The NV4500 transmission has a case length of just 12.37", making it the perfect transmission conversion for short wheel base vehicles such as Jeeps, Broncos and Toyota Land Cruisers.
NV4500's are great replacement in older trucks with 4 speeds, plus it is also a popular replacement for 5 speed transmissions used in newer trucks. If you happen to have a Dodge 3/4 or 1 ton truck with one of the weak GETRAG transmissions, then the NV4500 transmission is the answer to your problem. . The NV4500 has stronger gears, better case and improved bearings, plus it evens allows you to retain your stock clutch setup!
The NV4500 transmission can be adapted to practically any application. It’s often cheaper to swap in a NV4500 into a Jeep instead of rebuilding the problematic factory Jeep transmission. PLUS, it's an easy swap when you use a Dodge version of the NV4500 transmission, because all that’s needed is a bellhousing adapter plate. Additionally, on Dana 300 applications the Dodge version is preferable because the adapter requires a Dodge output shaft, and utilizes a stock Dodge 4x4 tail housing. The stock 23-spline input gear for the Dana 300 is retained, and the tail housing bolts directly to the mounting face of the Dana 300 transfer case.
In 1992 Dodge and General Motors trucks started appearing in showrooms with one of the most versatile transmissions ever to be offered in a production truck: the New Venture Gear 4500. This transmission is a fully synchronized (except reverse on GM models) five-speed gearbox with all of the strength and low-gear benefits (and then some) of the older creeper gear four-speeds, plus 27-percent overdrive. The cast iron case is combined with massive gearsets in an almost compact 200lb package. As far as driveability is concerned, this unit surpasses the rest with smooth, short action and very distinct shift gates. It has become an extremely popular manual-trans swap and kits are available for Jeep CJ's, Wranglers and Cherokees; Toyota Land Cruisers; and 66'-77' Broncos.
Commonly referred to as simply NV4500, the transmission is identified by Dodge Truck as NVG4500, while Chevrolet and GMC designate it as the MT8 and MW3. The manufacturers' code names for the two transmissions are different and so are some of the internals, yet both gearboxes are made at the same New Venture Gear assembly plant. General Motors applications include it as an option in 3/4 and 1-ton full size trucks with a GVWR of more than 8500 pounds. GM also built about 20,000 (rare) 2WD, 1/2 Ton trucks with a 4.3 V-6, that used an NV4500 to increase their towing capacity. Dodge versions are used in 3/4 and 1-ton trucks, mostly with Cummins diesels and V10's.
NV4500 Transmission General Information:
