Can't keep my NV4500 in one peice!

elledge12 said:
Alright guys so I have a 98 12 valve ext cab long bed 4x4 cummins with the nv4500 and I cant seem to keep it together :bang It has a billet 1 3/8 input and a DD clutch. I had it rebuilt about a year ago because of fifth gear coming off and high miles and since then I have stripped 3rd gear twice. I have yet to do a good boosted launch but I do like to build some boost in 3rd and drift frequently. I'm always smooth with the clutch so there is not much shock on the drivetrain. My question is what can I do to make this thing stay together? I don't want an auto but I wouldn't be opposed to swapping in a 5600 or a g56 if they have stronger 3-4 gears. I'm also trying to get this thing back on the road ASAP. What are your guys thoughts? Thanks for any help!
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I think this might be why your breaking it so easily
 
I think hes referring to the "drifting" part. lots of stress on things.
 
^^ Bingo probably should of been more clear on that.

If you are taking a stockish truck and drifting, the components from the tires to engine and everything in between are taking abuse they were not engineered to endure. Starting at the rear, your tires will go quickly, your wheels will take impacts at angles they were not designed for, your suspension components will be stressed at angles they weren't meant to be and receive impacts at an odd rate and angle to wear shocks and springs quickly. The axles will be subjected to more side to side motion than they were designed to withstand, with greater weight transfer on the outer side. The differential will take damage from being spun with the tires gripping and slipping, essentially causing the spider gears to slap back and forth. From this inertia, the drive line will also take that same stress and slap back and forth in the differential and transmission. The transmission will be taking this stress, plus the stress of the throttle modulation, causing the gears to crunch back and forth. If you have a manual transmission, the clutch will take a beating from the throttle modulation, and if you have an auto, the torque converter will wear fast managing the torque. All in all, your entire drive line from engine to tires needs to be modified to reliably withstand any type of frequent drifting. At least that is how I see it but hey I am not an engineer either I just fix the shat...
 
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I have a couple sets of stock wheels and tires that are super bald that I use 9/10 of the time when im drifting and most of the time when I drift its wet out cause im up near seattle. I know that it wears parts much faster thats obvious but So far in the 3-4 years ive owned it the tranny has been my only weak link. If I could get 50-60k out of a tranny id be pretty stoked.

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You can't have it both ways, bud. If you drift with it, you can't expect it to last 60k miles.

Same way with the engine. You think guys around here put 800 hp worth of air and fuel into a motor, then still expect it to go 300k? Nope.
 
That comparison is a little backwards. If I wasnt beating it I would expect 200k+ out of my tranny but I do beat it so I figured 60k which is about 1/4 of what I would expect it to last would be attainable. Where as if I had an 800 horse motor I wouldnt expect 300k it would be more like 1/4 of that. I know I beat my truck and its not made for what I do but I was just hoping for some insight that could make my tranny live a little longer.

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elledge12 said:
I have a couple sets of stock wheels and tires that are super bald that I use 9/10 of the time when im drifting and most of the time when I drift its wet out cause im up near seattle. I know that it wears parts much faster thats obvious but So far in the 3-4 years ive owned it the tranny has been my only weak link. If I could get 50-60k out of a tranny id be pretty stoked.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
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Ok, let me try and put it this way since you know it is "obvious" to you that it wears them out much faster. But still expect it to last 50-60k :nail:

The car transmissions used in drifting are usually lighter than our nv4500 which is ~200lbs dry, they are shorter, have better shift throws, and more precise engagement than our truck could ever dream of having without upgrading to a newer transmission.

Most stock to moderate cars and small truck drifting transmissions out there have gear ratios like this:

*Based off of a T56 (~156lbs) * (1) 2.66 (2) 1.78 (3) 1.30 (4) 1.00 (5) 0.74 (6) 0.50

They cars/light trucks drifting don't handle near the same torque as our trucks put out or have the weight of our trans (harder to spin than the drifting cars trans) and you really can't row through the gears of our trans like you can some of the car ones. Things won't last long if you try and row through them either!!

Now compare those ratios to that of the NV4500:

(1) 5.61 (2) 3.04 (3) 1.67 (4) 1.00 (5) 0.73

It is built more like a true truck tranny it doesn't like all the things that drifting does to a transmission. It is not a sporty trans at all to expect it to survive consistent drifting!!

Granted your "wet conditions and bald tires should help" but in reality it is just bought time for your abused parts. It really boils down to you have got to pay to play if you want to keep drifting.
 
I dont really think drifting is the issue here as much as shock loading when it hits a patch of dry
 
ahale2772 said:
I dont really think drifting is the issue here as much as shock loading when it hits a patch of dry
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I considered that to be apart of drifting since it is bound to happen unless your controlling nature
 
ahale2772 said:
I dont really think drifting is the issue here as much as shock loading when it hits a patch of dry
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Well yeah, that's what we're saying when we say drifting is hard on parts. Spinning tires is very easy on your drivetrain (like being on a dyno); when they catch traction again is what breaks parts.


^ Treed me
 
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ChuMaDD I get what you are saying. But I do not try to slam gears while drifting or anytime for that matter and half the time i just roll on the throttle with no clutch. Also I dont ever get wheel hop or bounce while drifting and I am also very easy on the clutch and throttle the whole thing is smooth. I could do it without spilling my coffee. So I figured that a gear could survive that for 50-60k I could be wrong but other then that I really dont beat it. I guess im going to learn how to build these trannies myself to cut costs down.

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What you're not understanding is the shock load the drivetrain is subjected to when transitioning from traction to no traction, and vice versa. That's what breaks parts.
 
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