Hey all, I'm starting my build, and working out all the things I want to do as I go along. One tons, detroits front and rear, working over the frame, crossover steering etc. I want to run an OD manual (NV4500) with a 6.2 diesel to wheel, and still have the od for the interstate. What I need to know is will a dana 300 with a 32 spline input work. I'm looking at the lomax 4:1 gear set from jb conversions, and adding a 32 spline front and reat output. With 5.13 gears, and 37 tires, my crawl ration should be right at 115.12 and a tire circumfernce of 116 in maintaining the 1" per rotation mumber I have seen toughted as ideal for crawling. Not interested in a doubler, just want to know if this is a viable alternative to a stak or atlas, as the 6.2 is not the baddest most powerfull engine out there. Thanks for the help fellas.....Dave
CK5
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NV4500 Dana 300 gonna work?
- Thread starter medicdave
- Start date
I don't know if you can get a D300 to bolt up behind a 4500. You might have more luck finding a way to use a 4:1 NP231, but then you trade the dear drive of the D300 for the chain drive of the NP231. 
if you can get the input of the tcase to be the same as the output of the trans all you have to do is make an adapter. Put the two together and figure out what you need for an adapter
Why not the Lomax 205?
Dana 300 is about half the price for the lomax kit, and it's a 4:1 rather than 3:1. And it's different. I can get an adaptor for the 300, just want to make sure the case is long enough to make the front drive shaft line up and tough enough (heard of them behind sb and bb engines). It can be twin sticked like a 205 also.....Dave
the 300 is not quite as beefy as a 205 but if your rig is light enough and you go with 32 spline stuff I dont think you would have a problem keeping it together just putting it together in the first place
The D300 is nowhere near as strong as a 205, its main weak point is the case (the helical cut gears put too much thrust on the case and shatter it).
It is more stout than a 208/241 though, for sure.
I sure wouldn't want to run a 300 in a full size for very long. It simply will not last. You'll fight it constantly popping out of low range if you use a twin stick. The intermediate (counter) shaft will eat thrust washers in a matter of miles then eat into the case. Putting money into a 300 for a full size is like putting money into a 12 bolt of 44, it may get you by for a while but you'll be sorely disappointed. Jeeps with over 300 horsepower can wear out a 300 in a couple of seasons of moderate use. I personally prefer a 231 or 241 for a jeep or anything else for that matter.
You'll be a lot happier if you step up to a 3:1 205 or go to a doubler.
You'll be a lot happier if you step up to a 3:1 205 or go to a doubler.
Realisticlly how much can a dana 300 handle. Or talk me into the doubler. It just looks like the 4500 and double will eat up alot of space and put some wicked angle on the rear driveshaft with the 6-8 in lift I'm looking at....Dave
AtlasII 5.0 with 456 gears in the diffs. Lotsa gear options with a stronger ring and pinion, and better driveline angles.
And twice the money of a lomax or doubler. Lots of other projects to spend that money on. Can't justify a $2400 transfer case to myself.
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
You can fit the doubler in there with the nv4500 if you have a rear cv shaft and rotate the pinion up. I'm running that combo, but if I did it again, I'd just stick with a 205 (or an atlas) since the 4500 has such a low first gear anyway. It's more than enough gear for me.
Mikey von
1/2 ton status
I am thinking future here, but does the np241 do ok? I will someday be putting in a nv4500. I do not do much on rocks, but mainly forest trails and mud/snow. This is for my burb.
CrewCab59
1/2 ton status
The Dana 300 will bolt up if you have a 32 spline input and you use a clocking ring becasue the seal retainer on the dana 300 hits the tailhousing on the Nv4500 .
Scott
Scott
I think the torque is really more of an issue than the power. I say run it and report back on how it does. 
While the 6.2 does not have a ton of power on the high end, it does have a lot of torque on the low end and excels at crawling. I'm not sure what type of terrain you are planning on but the combination of the NV4500, 4:1 t-case, and 5.13 gears with "only" 37" tires is extremely low and really only useful for extremely technical rock sections. Most of the time you would probably be in at least 2nd or 3rd gear, if not 4th, on the trail.
I would suggest a 241 with a SYE. Substantially lower gear than a 205 and much cheaper. The factory 241 in my '90 has never been out of the truck and that's after 10 years of trailriding, most of the time on 38's and the last couple of years on 39.5's.
I would suggest a 241 with a SYE. Substantially lower gear than a 205 and much cheaper. The factory 241 in my '90 has never been out of the truck and that's after 10 years of trailriding, most of the time on 38's and the last couple of years on 39.5's.
I live in florida now, not a whole lot of technical stuff, but looking to move to tennesee in the near future, within a few hours of the really fun stuff. Slowly working my build up from a stripped frame, and if I'm going to put the money in and do it right, I want to do it right the first time. This is not a daily driver, but it will be driven around hunting, fishing, wheeling etc. I'm not a wheel it till it breaks then upgrade kinda guy, I want to know I can count on my vehicle to do what I ask of it, because I built it to handle whats thrown at it. If the dana 300 is a weak link, now is the time to eliminate it from the plan. If the doubler will be substantially more reliable I'm more than happy to be talked into it. The multiple low ranges and stronger twin stick on the 205 have me really thinkin about the doubler now. Thanks for all the help fellas keep the ideas flowing....Dave
Forgot to mention I bought a secound blazer to build off of so I can still play with my 90. Thats why I'm taking the time to do this one right, still get to play while I build what I want unill I swap over the body.
