Quote:
Originally Posted by aardvarcus
I wonder if a NV4500 rebuilder would consider putting me together a late chevy NV4500 with the early fifth gears, because mine definitely needs to be rebuilt or replaced.
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I would think you could talk a rebuilder into doing that. Another option would be to find a 5.61 version from a junkyard, in decent shape, and just swap in the fifth gear from the transmission you already have.
One more thought: I don't know how crazy you want to get with gearing, but it's possible that you could set this rig up with a 2.93 final drive. The 14-bolt full-floater that your Suburban has was never available with gearing that high, but the 8-lug 14-bolt semi-floater was. You can find 2.93 14BSF gearsets in 94-96 Cadillac hearses and limos. So, you'd have to swap your 14BFF for a 14BSF--but the semi-floater is plenty strong and it should be a direct bolt-in swap.
The front gears would be a little trickier. The 9.25 IFS was never officially offered with anything higher than 3.42. However, The 9.25 IFS and 14BSF are very similar internally--they use the same carrier, bearings, and yoke. So, there's a very strong possibility that you could just put a 14BSF gearset in the 9.25 IFS. You'd be running the gears backwards, but with as little as you would use 4wd, that would probably be OK. Some front differentials are designed that way, anyways. Thus, it's possible that you could put a 2.93 gearset in both front and rear of your Suburban.
If my Caprice with a 5.7 can handle a 2.14 rear end with a 0.73 overdrive and 30.5" tires, your Suburban with the 6.5 should definitely be able to handle a 2.93 rear with a similar overdrive and 31.7" tires.
-Funkhoss