ARB looks good!
The BBC is looking even gooder!
The BBC is looking even gooder!
CK5
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'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond
- Thread starter mrk5
- Start date
Started out with 2wd TBI350 with SM465 to current 4wd with 454, 700r4, NP241
SBC serpentine conversion!
Man, do you know how easy a NV4500 swap would be in your truck right now? Literally, just purchase the trans, clutch, and flywheel and you are pretty much done...well, I guess swap your NP241 to a 32 spline input too (I'm actually not sure if that's doable...I would think it would be). Since you still have the 3 pedals in there, setting up the clutch would be easy too. Getting a 92-95 NV4500 would be best cause then it's still the external slave cylinder (plus lower 1st gear in 92-94 years) and you can adapt the clutch hydro lines together just like I did on mine (was a $5 part to do it).
Edit: I think the input swap is doable after a quick search (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/chevy/1057893-np241-27-spline-input-bearing-info.html), probably a little more research needed to make sure the swap is easily done, but still doable
Your crew cab with this 454, NV4500, and a 32 spline NP241 would be such a cool truck that you can wheel and tow with, plus still have the OD for highway...I say do that...please
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I guess what would make it easier is just get the 454 in there and running with the 700r4 and run it till she blows. And in the meantime start gathering the parts needed to do a NV4500 swap. That way the truck is still usable and not down for a really long time while you swap almost all the drivetrain...Can you tell I'm really trying to get you to do the NV4500 swap? Haha
I've done it. Takes 1/2 hour. Very simple job, assuming you have the input you need.
Yup. And make sure it's the right bearing/ thread pitch. There was a split in the years of the 241
Yeah, I figured it was possible and not too difficult...see @mrk5, we just figured it out for you, haha
Yeah, but this doesn't help with my balancer & crank pulley issue. 
454Sub
5/8 ton status
I would trade my good 80e with the factory harness to control it for a 4500 all day.
You guys are talking like 4500's are free for the picking somewhere. I'd gladly get rid of my slushbox for a 4500 if I could get my hands on one cheap. I'm getting used to wheeling with it, but to loose that looming question mark in my brain if the 700 is going to shit the bed I'd be willing to go back to a stick.
I can help you with that. And I have a standard for sale
I've got a 465/205 combo sitting in my garage too. It's from my old K5. No flipping way it's going in the 91. I've tasted the sweetness of Overdrive and it is good. I'll only switch if I go with a 5-speed. I'd rather go 4500, but a 3500 is not out of the question. I like granny for descending thats for sure.
Honestly, I've got too much to get done before the desert trip with Larry and the crew come June to even fathom pulling off the swap anytime soon.
It's all a matter of perspective. Some think the word "cheap" means something else than others. When I decided to swap a NV4500 into my crew cab, it took me 1 month to find one on a good deal (once again, it was a good deal from my perspective), and I found 4 in the Denver to CO Springs areas that I felt like were good candidates for my particular swap. Sometimes, when you find something real cheap, it just means you are going to pay on the back-end for stuff like a rebuild on the tranny, and in the end you pay the same as what all the other tranny's are going for.
If it's something you really want, you will find what you are looking for, at a price you want to spend. A NV3500 would work just fine in your K5 and what it seems like you use it for. Scott would need a 4500 for sure in a big one ton with a big block and possibly towing a little bit too . And once again, really not that hard to find if you start looking real hard
All this talk of swapping in a 4500 when I just swapped one out last year. lol
Hey guys did you hear I installed an ARB in the 14? 
Uh, yeah, top of this page...Hey guys did you hear I installed an ARB in the 14?
But you keep distracting us with this big block thing...
ignore the 3rd pedal banter.
What are you going to do about the balancer/pulley?
What are you going to do about the balancer/pulley?
Said to hell with it and just ordered a new balancer and pulley from Summit. The unfortunate thing is the best price was on a chrome pulley.
