Getting ready to pull the transmission. Its a 4wd, nv2500 transmission. I plan to replace the clutch with a 11in. Sachs kit. ( 318 mag. V8 flywheel, ) I have a nv3500 out of a 03 dakota and a np231 transfer out of a 91 dakota.

I have a kwiklift, which gets the tires about 21in off the ground. So I can get under pretty well with a creeper. Truck is in the garage and I hope to get started tomorrow.

I am really interested in hearing from anyone, especially someone who has pulled the transmission on a 4wd truck.

Any tricks in getting the crossmember out?
It appears I will need to unbolt the proportioning valve to get one of the bolts out of the crossmember.
Also, do you need to take the torsion bars loose to drop the crossmember?

FWIW I have the FSM and it shows overhauling the transfer case, transmission, etc. But I cant find a thing in it on removal of transmission or transfer case.

 

This is how I did it when I replaced the clutch in my '94 4x4 318 nv3500.

1. Remove the skid plates front and back, no need to remove the gas tank skid plate.

2. Remove the drive lines, tape the u-joint caps on so they don't fall off.

3. Unplug electrical connections from transfer case.

4. Unbolt the 4x4 shifter from the transfer case. It'll have 2 bolts that hold the bracket to the transfer case and a nut that holds the business end of the shifter to the shift bolt on the transfer case.

5. The transfer case sits on 6 studs. Remove the 6 nuts and it will slide off the transmission. It weighs around 80 pounds, I'm a wuss so I used a transmission jack to remove it.

6. Support the transmission with a transmission jack or something equivalent.

7. Remove the two bolts that hold the transmission cushions to the transmission and cross member.

8. The cross member has 4 bolts + 4 nuts on each side. The frame has holes in it so you can get to the nuts. Be careful, I kept loosing the nuts into the frame rail.

8 1/2. At this point I ended up cutting my exhaust off, it was in the way.

9. Once I had all 8 bolts/nuts out I beat the hell out of the cross member with a hammer towards the back of the truck until it came out. Not very clever but it worked.

10. Remove the entire shift column with both transmission shifter and transfer case shifter.

11. Unplug all electrical connections to the transmission.

12. Remove starter.

13. Remove the slave cylinder, don't remove the hydraulic line. These are sealed systems with no provision for bleeding.

14. It has way too many bell housing bolts connecting the transmission to the engine and front suspension brackets. Some go in from the front, some go in from the back. The bolts on the top half are 9/16th's and the rest are 5/8th's except for the inspection plate bolts, the are tiny...don't remember the size. I was able to get to the top bolts though the hole were the shift tower normally lives.

15. Once all the bolts are out slide back and out.

Installation is reverse of removal. I hate when people say that...

I'm pulling all of this from memory so some of the details could be a little fuzzy.

 

Hey Curtis,

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed answer!!

I crawled under mine again, to take a look. The crossmember is a concern. I need to take it in and out a few times. Reason being is I understand that I will need to weld a tab on it for the mount. (based off of ragged 89 post)
Im thinking about using a screw post, (type to support a beam under a house) or a farmers style jack. and slightly spreading the frame to get the crossmember in and out easier.
Hopefully will get started today on taking it out.
Thanks again.

 

The cross member can stay in, I just pushed it back as far as it would go once the transfer case was out. It is "sprung" so it stays put. I bolted the bell housing back in and then slid the cross member back in and bolted it up before I put the transfer case back in. Though I have a 2 post lift in my garage to put my truck up in the air and not have to lay on my back to do the job.

 

I have replaced the clutch in my 90Dakota two times since 1992. Never had to pull the crossmember. Could be easier with it out.

 

That may be true with the NV2500-AX15. They have a seperate bell housing. The NV3500 has the bell housing made with the transmission case. ie 2pc. vs 1pc.

 

Wait, didn't the 87's have a different transfer case? NP207 I think.

 

I've removed the ax15 three times and I have installed a nv3500 once. For the 3500 you will have to pull the cross member to get it in and out. I've always just beat it with a BFH to get it out lol. It does come out really easy with cab off though . And as far as exhaust goes unbolt that from your manifolds and that y pipe will come down enough to clear the transmission. (I will tell you that you will want to get someone to hold the top bolts on the manifold for you unless the clips are still there but they bend sometimes) I just put a jack under one side of the truck lifted it up to clear the nv3500 and slid it under. And I know for a fact that with the cross member out the tranny and t case will come out in one piece but it's less trouble to fight with if you just separate them.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtis Edge

Wait, didn't the 87's have a different transfer case? NP207 I think.

Yes, that is true. I picked up a 231 out of a 91. It still has the mech. speedo. at that time.

FWIW. The 207 used in an automatic will actually bolt up to the NV3500. Its a 23 spline. However the 207 out of a 5 speed. (mine) has a 21 spline input. At least this is what I have been told!!

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakota1996

I've removed the ax15 three times and I have installed a nv3500 once. For the 3500 you will have to pull the cross member to get it in and out. I've always just beat it with a BFH to get it out lol. It does come out really easy with cab off though . And as far as exhaust goes unbolt that from your manifolds and that y pipe will come down enough to clear the transmission. (I will tell you that you will want to get someone to hold the top bolts on the manifold for you unless the clips are still there but they bend sometimes) I just put a jack under one side of the truck lifted it up to clear the nv3500 and slid it under. And I know for a fact that with the cross member out the tranny and t case will come out in one piece but it's less trouble to fight with if you just separate them.

Thanks for your reply. Did you have to take the torsion bars loose to drop the transmission mount?
I believe the 96 and 87 have a slightly different crossmember. Another member (ragged 89) told me I would need to weld a tab on the existing crossmember. (87)