NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

Some of you may remember my NV4500 swap posts from a few months ago and may also remember I was chasing some noises afterwards. The big noise was fixed by replacing the output gear on the NP205 tcase while there was still a lot of noise left over. In the end, I had enough of the noise and got a brand new NV4500 replacement trans. Not a reman…but a brand new one. All is great now and this sucker is quiter than my ZF S6-650 in my HD truck as well as the SM465 that was removed months ago.

Original thread on the NV4500 swap

The question is the first NV4500 had a shift tower with a short stub (left) shaft while the new one, which is supposed to be the same year of trans has a long one (right). I first ran the long shift tower with the new trans but hated the lever location and overall height but noticed if I put the long tower on the old trans the trans would not shift. Just bind up. On the other hand, if I put the short tower on the new trans it seems to shift just fine with shorter gates with a much better shift lever location.

Anybody know what the difference is between the two towers? Both are supposed to be for a ’98 GM K3500. Anybody know if there is any danger in me running the short tower on a trans set up for the long one? Again, the short tower works in both transmissions but the long one only works in the new trans.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/...3269d63c_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/...a9cc0068_b.jpg

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

Did both of the K3500's have the same engine? The same GVWR? ANY difference in the drivetrain or suspensions? ANYTHING at all? Were they both the same cab design?

A 97 has the shift tower integrated into the shift cover and the shifter if bent above the floor and has wide shift spacing (physical position of the shifter not gearing).

A 98 style has a seperate shift tower that bolts to the shift cover, the lower section has the bend in this design and the shifter looks straight above the floor, and this style has a closer/tighter shift pattern.

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

http://nv4500transmissions.com/parts...p-assembly.htm

http://quad4x4.com/NV4500_Parts.html#Stubs

Check these out Larry.

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

Who knows. The used one I installed in December supposedly came from a ’98 K3500 with a 7.4L. The new I recently got from a supplier in Texas only listed it as a ’98 K3500. No mention of engine, cab configurations or anything.

In doing some research I think the first trans I got (the used one) was actually a ’95ish with the shorter tower lever but a slightly taller cover. I didn’t even notice a difference between the two covers when they were sitting on the floor. Looking at quad4x4’s page it looks like the short one shift tower is still the direct replacement for the later style with the taller cover so I should be good. The short one (better shifting one with the better lever location) works in the new transmission just fine. It is just odd that the long one causes the old trans to lock up completely where it can’t be shifted. Odd.

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

I realize this is an old thread, but felt I had some information to contribute for those who may be looking for more NV4500 information. From my understanding, the taller shift tower is from an 01+ NV4500, to accomodate RPO HVY - 2" Body Raise: HD Model. The taller shift tower was to raise the shifter up to match.

EDIT: Of course, right after I post, I find Larry's thread from 2015 detailing the same thing. None-the-less, I'll leave it here in case folks stumble across this one instead. :)

From https://core-shifters.com/pages/new-...gear-id#NV4500:

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

Thats alright. We all make mistakes all the time. Getting out of bed this morning was my first :lol:

Re: NV4500 experts: Shift tower question
 

Hey Larry,

How did the shorter shift tower end up working for you with the later tall cover? No problems with it? I have an 05' NV4500 that's missing the shift tower, and trying to figure out which route to go.