4l80e vs NV4500

I really think you should put the stock tranny in and then sell the beast when you get out of school. It really makes no sense to make your truck into something it isn't. In the long run, you'll be 100x better off with a real tow rig.
 
spykosshow said:
I really think you should put the stock tranny in and then sell the beast when you get out of school. It really makes no sense to make your truck into something it isn't. In the long run, you'll be 100x better off with a real tow rig.
Click to expand...

Well its too late on that, it already has had everything converted over to 1 ton or at least 3/4 ton, the only thing left is the tranny.

So to sell it and buy another tow rig wouldn't be upgrading, except for maybe the engine.
 
I blew up my 4l60E at 92K miles last September. I had my 4l60e rebuilt with every possible performace part, and built by a 35 year GM tech, he builds them on the side for about $800 labor. I installed HD bands, kevlar clutches, shift kit, HD rebuild kit, 3 qt extra pan, HD torque converter, HD servo and a few other little parts. The guy that built it did all the drilling, porting and little secrets to make it a bad ass transmission. It hits so damn hard, anything above 2500 rpm's will bark the tires during gear changes, so you dont loose horse power or add heat during gear changes. He has built a 4l60e in a similar fasion to mine that handles a 810HP truck.

I towed 9K, yes this is a 95 1500 3.42 gears, for 4 hours 2 weekends ago, no problems. Let me know if you want his contact info.
 
rockcity said:
and the frame
Click to expand...

I say depending on the model you have and how healthy your frame is but I've hauled 2.4 tons of gravel in an old 1/2 ton with no frame issues besides the load bouncing it off the rear end.:flipoff2: I think frame thickness of 1 tons is WAY over rated unless you plan on hauling very heavy loads in the bed. Or if you lived in the salty road belt in which we don't here in NC. Tow rigs shouldn't see much more tongue rate than about a thousand or so pounds anyways. If it's more than that, you got serious trailer balance issues. I think the brakes and the umph of the motor and tranny is the important factors.
Everyone has their preferences but I prefer a lighter frame for better gas milage, My 2.
:beer:
 
rockcity said:
and the frame
Click to expand...

Not really, buddy of mine has a early 90's 2500 4x4 with the 454/4l80 combo in it and the frame is exactly the same as mine just slightly longer since he has long bed. And he tows gooseneck/5th wheel stuff all the time from campers to enclosed trailers to dual car hauler type flatbeds no probs

Not only that but my frame from about the rear axle back is beef as fawk, don't know if you remember but a while ago I pulled the bed off and redid the rear frame took some 1/4" thick angle steel welded it on so it plated the bottom rail of the frame and boxed the inside in then I made a crossmember system of 1/4" 2x2 and tied it into the hitch . . . I got picks somewhere if you wanna see it finished when I had the bed off for it.

BLUERUNNER said:
I blew up my 4l60E at 92K miles last September. I had my 4l60e rebuilt with every possible performace part, and built by a 35 year GM tech, he builds them on the side for about $800 labor. I installed HD bands, kevlar clutches, shift kit, HD rebuild kit, 3 qt extra pan, HD torque converter, HD servo and a few other little parts. The guy that built it did all the drilling, porting and little secrets to make it a bad ass transmission. It hits so damn hard, anything above 2500 rpm's will bark the tires during gear changes, so you dont loose horse power or add heat during gear changes. He has built a 4l60e in a similar fashion to mine that handles a 810HP truck.
I towed 9K, yes this is a 95 1500 3.42 gears, for 4 hours 2 weekends ago, no problems. Let me know if you want his contact info.
Click to expand...

Preciate the offer, still up in the air at what I'm gonna do at this point but I'm still leanin to 1 ton swap, all though I added it up and the nv4500 swap is probably gonna cost me bout 2 grand give or take a hundred

4l80e swap would cost bout 1600 or so

still not sure what I'm gonna do, I seriously doubt I'm gonna have that kinda $$ before schools over anyway . . . haven't quite figured out how I'm gonna get all my junk moved back to Mooresville when I graduate first of May :shaking:

6BangBronk said:
I say depending on the model you have and how healthy your frame is but I've hauled 2.4 tons of gravel in an old 1/2 ton with no frame issues besides the load bouncing it off the rear end.:flipoff2: I think frame thickness of 1 tons is WAY over rated unless you plan on hauling very heavy loads in the bed. Or if you lived in the salty road belt in which we don't here in NC. Tow rigs shouldn't see much more tongue rate than about a thousand or so pounds anyways. If it's more than that, you got serious trailer balance issues. I think the brakes and the umph of the motor and tranny is the important factors.
Everyone has their preferences but I prefer a lighter frame for better gas milage, My 2.
:beer:
Click to expand...

Yea my frame shouldn't be an issue, like I said above its the same as a 2500 anyway and I beefed her pretty good
 
beefing the back end doesn't necessairly strengthen the frame. Usually, due to poor design and overkill, it weakens the overall strenght of the frame as a whole. It usually creates stress in areas not originally designed because of the overkill/improvement of certain parts. The frame is made to flex and twist as a whole entire unit. Once you modify the rear and strenghten it up, it doesn't act like it was designed and could weaken the remaining part of the frame, etc. etc. Not that what you've done is incorrect (not seen it nor am I an engineer), but just going from what I've seen in the past etc.
 
So you have $600 and swapping the tranny will be around $2k.
A rebuilt 350 like yours should get around $750+
Whatever wheels and tires you have on it 500
The 1 ton rear 300
The body and frame 1000+
The x fer case 250
-----------------------------------------------
$2800
+ 2000 - what you are getting ready to dump in it ---------
$4800
+ 600 - you already have ----------
$5400
That will buy you a heck of an older tow rig.
It might be 2wd, it might not be a BEAST, but it will do the job you have been begging yours to do without fail.
Or, we could all just copy and paste Bigwoody's post above and keep it on the clipboard for the next thread that pops up.:lol::flipoff2:
turd-polish.jpg
 
rockcity said:
beefing the back end doesn't necessairly strengthen the frame. Usually, due to poor design and overkill, it weakens the overall strenght of the frame as a whole. It usually creates stress in areas not originally designed because of the overkill/improvement of certain parts. The frame is made to flex and twist as a whole entire unit. Once you modify the rear and strenghten it up, it doesn't act like it was designed and could weaken the remaining part of the frame, etc. etc. Not that what you've done is incorrect (not seen it nor am I an engineer), but just going from what I've seen in the past etc.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, I kinda had to do the frame mods thou if you remember when my buddy rear ended me while I was towing a while ago and pretty much ripped the hitch off the frame and bent the frame up pretty good, had to do something to get it semi strait and beef it at the same time.

uglyjeepoffroad said:
So you have $600 and swapping the tranny will be around $2k.
A rebuilt 350 like yours should get around $750+
Whatever wheels and tires you have on it 500
The 1 ton rear 300
The body and frame 1000+
The x fer case 250
-----------------------------------------------
$2800
+ 2000 - what you are getting ready to dump in it ---------
$4800
+ 600 - you already have ----------
$5400
That will buy you a heck of an older tow rig.
It might be 2wd, it might not be a BEAST, but it will do the job you have been begging yours to do without fail.
Or, we could all just copy and paste Bigwoody's post above and keep it on the clipboard for the next thread that pops up.:lol::flipoff2:
turd-polish.jpg
Click to expand...


Dude where can I get some of that I've just been using Advance brand Turd Polish and its not the best :lol:



Haha, nice break down on the prices thing thou, I guess I could sell my truck just to buy another used clunker and start spending all my Money fixing it instead of the one that I pretty much have almost completely fixed cept for the tranny. :shaking:
 
But the thing is, you most likley wouldnt need to constantly fix an old 12V with a manual transmission, you would get to DRIVE your truck for a change, which i guess you just arent used to owning chevys?
 
awspence said:
But the thing is, you most likley wouldnt need to constantly fix an old 12V with a manual transmission, you would get to DRIVE your truck for a change, which i guess you just arent used to owning chevys?
Click to expand...

I agree it would probably be less fixing than I've experienced with my truck, but there would be fixing involved. But the thing is my truck is pretty much already there, because I've literally replaced everything on the truck, like seriously everything, except for the tranny, its the only thing I haven't replaced yet.

So once it is replaced, I will pretty much have the 3/4 ton - 1 ton truck that I woulda gone and bought and not only that mine is already most likely much better setup for towing anyway. There's alot of little things here and there that would add up real quick If I started doing it all to a new truck. Plus I like how my truck looks, its not some POS truck I'd end up buying looks wise.

but time will tell, for now I have to just ride around with a tranny thats kinda working, and hope it lasts for the next 5 to 6 months cause I have a feeling things are gonna be a little rough $$ wise this summer since I'm trying to find a real job, moving from Raleigh, etc, etc.
 
Back
Top