----------------
If he has the Diesel, he's got the NV4500... it's a steel case version...
how much weight is he towing? the "lock nut" issue is either from really
heavy loads (heard about a guy having the problem with 31,000Lbs GCWR), or
from "lugging" the engine... keep the rpms above 1600-1700 in 5th...
----------------
He tows 5th Wheel RV's for a national hauling company (He used to drive Big
Rigs for a living so he knows how to handle the engines). They vary between
8000lb - 18000lbs and never exceeed the 18,000. The "locknut" issue is caused
by imbaciles being allowed to design transmissions. New Venture (the NV in
the NV3500/4500) did make the 4500 with a (soft) steel case (he's had to have
it repaired as well) but it's "innards" are exactly the same as the 3500 from
everything we've seen (which is why I call it a 3500, it's different in name
only). The 5th gear joins the Mainshaft on a set of splines that are only 1/2
inch across, even though the gear itself has over 2 inches that could be
attached to the shaft. It appears that the shaft comes machined for the full
2 inches but NV seems to think that milling off the splines on the shaft down
to 1/2 inch makes sense. The splines wear so rapidly on the shaft that the
gear starts to "wiggle" and rotates the locknut right off the shaft. The gear
slips back on the shaft, now that no nut holds it, and you lose 5th gear.
Even if the nut held, the splines would eventually wear and the gear would
spin on the shaft. It's pretty obvious that NV "built in" a flaw so that it
would last just long enough to get out of warranty and die. The only way to
avoid this is not to tow in 5th (the owners manual says that it's okay to tow
in 5th) and get terrible gas mileage and be limited to 50mph. This single
problem and Chryslers apathy towards it is costing them dearly in the
reputation department amonst heavy haulers and RV'ers. Ford is absolutly
ripping Dodge apart in that area now because of the crap they put into the
truck for a transmission.
----------------
check the archives.. somebody who worked Volvo gear splitters 30 years ago
said the Gear Vendor unit was the same design.. they just bought the old
design, and he said they had LOTS of problems... and did NOT reccommend
running them!
----------------
This design does not appear to be from 30 years ago, and it's competitor
from "US Gears" looks like it did so someone may be confused about that. It's
a simple planetary arrangement (there's very few moving parts) and is being
used on thousands of Tractors, trucks, RV's and pickups all across the US and
the world. They guarantee the gearset for life and will pay for any damage
the unit may have caused the operating vehicle including labor. They install
the unit so there's no chance of an inexperienced screw-up. It seems pretty
solid to me, and all the RV's mags were raving about it.
----------------
with the exception of the GM 6.2- it's just a gas block with different
heads... it doesn't have the bearing area required for longivity (but I have
heard of them running to 400,000mi- but that's an exception) a Cummins has
twice the bearing area of a Ford Powerstroke as well.... but in general,
----------------
This is just not so Gary. The Cummings turbo diesel is an in-line 6
cylinder engine that is used on Big Rigs, RV's, Boats (Huge ones, and fast
ones), Generators, Dodge Pickups and Tractors. It is NOT a converted gas
engine and never was. It was designed from the ground up as one of the most
powerful compact diesel motors available. This exact same engine can develop
over 500 hp and 900 lbs of torque with nearly no modifications. It is tuned
"down" in the Dodge Trucks because the trannys and frame cannot handle that
kind of power. A friend of my fathers turned the power back up on the engine
and ripped his motor mounts right out of the truck on an engine rev. This
same engine can be found in several Rigs today with the numbers I gave you.
It's identical.
My fathers truck has over 200,000 miles on it and all he does is change the
oil & filters and have the valves checked periodically. The motor has NEVER
given him a single problem. All problems with the truck stem from a crappy
transmission. Ford keeps doing "stop gap" measures to try and make their
diesels match the Dodge but all CC has to do it beef up the frame and tranny
and re-tune the motor up a bit and Ford is playing catch up again. The odd
thing is that CC has NOT addressed the transmission issues for current owners
(They are coming out with the new 6 speed that is supposed to be heavier built
than the NV4500 but you have to buy a '99 Cummings Turbo or V10) and it's
pissing them off. The life expectancy of this engine is well over a million
miles, but Cummings does not warranty it for that length of time.
If you have any problems with this information you may call Cummings
directly. This information is readily available from many sources, but
Cummings would be a good place to start. This is the best Diesel engine
placed in a pickup on the road today. This is not disputed, even by CC's
competitiors. Dodge made a killer deal when they signed Cummings up for the
long haul. The engine is worth every penny you pay for it, and when the V10
dies at 150K miles, you can drive by laughing your ass off with a Cummings
Turbo Diesel knowing that your motor is barely broken in...
Shaun H.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:11:24 EDT