Ok been gone for a while, but i have some news to pay for the absense. It runs!!!! And very well i might add, been driving it everyday since the swap, and everything works like it should. A whole different truck, faster, lighter and even sounds better too!!! Ok for everyone to note, here is what it takes in order to change it over. Also note this is not the exact proper way but i didnt have all the money, but this will work perfectly for a weekend job!

 

First off you need the tranny of your choosing obviously... the options are the NV3500, AX-15, and even the NV 4500 will work, but not sure of the mods needed to fit it in place. The AX-15 is a lighter duty trans, but will bolt up and work, as long as you have the v6 bellhousing, note it might not hold behind a v8 for very long depending on how you drive. Next you need the pedals, another tip, if you use the factory pedals out of a manual truck, you may have a slight issue with the brake booster rod hooking on to the brake pedal, the shaft on the 2 pedals are different, the auto its wider, the manual is more narrow, therefore the placement of the booster shaft will be a little cocked one way if you use the manual brake pedal, but it will work, with a little persuasion....Next you need the slave cylinder/ assembly. Now this is a little tricky, i cant confirm this for absolute certain, but i think there is a difference in v6,4cyl, and v8 applications. I got a used assembly from a local guy off a v6 app, and it worked just fine, but it didnt push the clutch in far enough to disengage it. I think there might be a longer stroke to a slave cylinder out of a v8, but u can make the v6 work....i pulled out the actual rod that pushes the fork in, and made one a little longer, now you'll have to just test and test to get the right length, so have patience here!!! For the clutch, its pretty easy, just get a clutch for whatever motor you have, same goes for the flywheel, it will work, all splines, pilot bearings, and shaft sizes are the same between all. Mine was a little different since a 5.9 didnt come in a dak with a manual tranny. But all the same, just go to a 1500ram, and get the flywheel and clutch for that, they're both the same. Also you have to get a crankshaft sensor for a manual, they are all the same between v6, and v8 so pick whichever you like, just make sure its a manual. You dont have to swap out the comp, the engine will run fine without a manual one, because the comp just sending dead signals, but it doesnt affect the engine.....although you will pop up about 5 different check engine codes, but they are all about the tranny sensors, not to worry! The speedo doesnt need crap, since its reads off the rear end abs/speed sensor anyways. The only other mod, is to make the engine start since you no longer have the park/neutral swithch. but this is an easy fix, just as stated earlier, the middle wire in the harness just needs to be grounded somewheres, and as for the back up lights, well the two outside wires are the reverse, so just figure out the two, and hook em up to the switch in the new manual. Last but not least, the driveshaft. If you dont have access to the factory driveshaft from the manual truck, dont fret, just have a driveshaft made, your front yoke that slides into the tranny, is the same between the auto and the manual, no matter what engine. Now just a matter of finding the universals, i cant help you there, that all depends on what driveshaft you use, or you can have your old auto shaft retubed and use the exact same universals. But it was about $60 more to have mine tubed, and i had an old driveshaft laying around taking up space so i used it. If anyone tries this and runs into any probs, shoot me a pm and ill be more that glad to help. Oh and one other thing, the placement of the shifter in the floor is way different than factory manual holes, so you'll have to make your own trim piece as you wont be able to use factory trimwork around the shifter, and the shifter will need to be modified, or at least the nv3500 one will, im not sure about the others, but i would bet they have the same placement.

 

I haven't had a single regret on my swap yet since I did it to my 1st gen back in March. Its so much more fun to drive and has a lot more power put down to the road.

One thing to add about the NV4500... I know on the 1st gens you need the 2 inch body lift to fit it in the transmission tunnel, so you might need a body lift on the 2nd gens too.

 

Pics man! I wanna see pics!

 

Have any tips that might make it easier to get the bellhuosing off of the 4.7L engine? I am down to the final two bolts and it is a pain because the exhaust system is in the way.

 

You will probably have to remove exhaust components. I know I had to do this with my Gen 1. As the service manual says: "(9) Disconnect and lower or remove any necessary exhaust components."

There just isn't a ton of space in the vicinity of the rear of the engine/front of the transmission.

 

Yeah go with dodgerules. i had to unbolt the left side from the header, and tie it down in order to even get my tranny out anyways. So all you can do is unbolt the exhaust no way around it really.

 

i have just that done the swap in a 97 dodge dakota with a 5.2 but swaping from a automatic to a manual and cant figure out how to get it out of limp mode do any of yall have any ideas

 

How about doing this with a 5.9 4x4 quad cab?

 

ok as far as "limp" mode. im not sure what you are talking about lol. Care to explain a bit?