Topic: tranny problem found

[YJmechanic]

i found the problem with my tranny.  Basically the entire transmission folded and jammed.  There are bearings inside the front shaft.  Previous wear and addded power from the new motor destroyed all the bearings.  That allowed the shaft to jump side ways under torque and get stuck in gear.  Also the syncros are so worn that metal is falling into the center shaft and wearing the gears.  Basically the motor is too powerful for the tranny but if it had not already had the wear on it, I wouldn't have tanked so quick.  I am having the ax5 rebuilt and hardened for the time being for winter and them converting to nv3550 in the spring.  High impact sells a conversion kit for about 2500 but a lot of other changes are needed like driveshafts and I don't have the time right now so hopefully the hardened ax5 will hold for a while.

[jwrape]

i found the problem with my tranny.  Basically the entire transmission folded and jammed.  There are bearings inside the front shaft.  Previous wear and addded power from the new motor destroyed all the bearings.  That allowed the shaft to jump side ways under torque and get stuck in gear.  Also the syncros are so worn that metal is falling into the center shaft and wearing the gears.  Basically the motor is too powerful for the tranny but if it had not already had the wear on it, I wouldn't have tanked so quick.  I am having the ax5 rebuilt and hardened for the time being for winter and them converting to nv3550 in the spring.  High impact sells a conversion kit for about 2500 but a lot of other changes are needed like driveshafts and I don't have the time right now so hopefully the hardened ax5 will hold for a while.

OMG! Do not buy a $2500 kit to do the conversion. I did my AX15 conversion for $800. The NV3550 is the same conversion. It's about $500 in parts + tranny. I am currently doing the same conversion to my Dad's Jeep too.  It is the best upgrade I have ever done to my Jeep. Now I don't worry about my tranny.
Check this link out and read up on the swap. For the price you are prolly paying for your, CRAPPY break every 50k miles, tranny to be rebuild you can swap in a AX15 and be done with it. Don't waste your money if you don't have to.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181361&pp=25&highlight=ax-5+swap

The original guy that figured this conversion out, I am actually buying his conversion kit from him for my Dad's Jeep Conversion.

Basically all you need is a clutch disc from a 84' Camaro 4cyl., a Dodge Dakota 2.5L Bellhousing, a External slave cylinder and throw out bearing from a 95 TJ, a braided line kit, pilot bearing for a NV 4500 and a 23 spline input shaft from Advance Adpaters and shorten yuour drive shaft 2" and it all bolts up together. It is literally as eeasy as putting the other tranny back in place. It all goes in smooth and easy and is 3 times as strong as a new or rebuilt AX5. Give it a try and save your self the money AND the Headache.

[YJmechanic]

I may go that route but it will cost about 1700 to do that swapp plus the driveshafts only because I will not use a junkyard tranny.  Rebuilt they cost about 1200 and I can get a new nv3550 for the same price.  1700 for ax15 or 1900 for nv3550.  Plus driveshafts foreither.  The nv3550 is much stronger for not much differance in money.  Plus the nv3550 will be unbreakable, I've seen that tranny with 800hp v8's and last.  New venture is actually munsie transmissions they just can't use the name as part of the buy-out with chrysler.  I haven't made up my mind but I will just run my ax5 hardened for now and see how it does.  I got it back today and it looks like the guy did A wonderful job.  I am not tearing it down but I can see the shafts, bearings, and seals are all replaced and everything feels tight and smooth.  Not bad for 650!!  We'll find out tommorrow when I put it back in.

[jwrape]

I may go that route but it will cost about 1700 to do that swapp plus the driveshafts only because I will not use a junkyard tranny.  Rebuilt they cost about 1200 and I can get a new nv3550 for the same price.  1700 for ax15 or 1900 for nv3550.  Plus driveshafts foreither.  The nv3550 is much stronger for not much differance in money.  Plus the nv3550 will be unbreakable, I've seen that tranny with 800hp v8's and last.  New venture is actually munsie transmissions they just can't use the name as part of the buy-out with chrysler.  I haven't made up my mind but I will just run my ax5 hardened for now and see how it does.  I got it back today and it looks like the guy did A wonderful job.  I am not tearing it down but I can see the shafts, bearings, and seals are all replaced and everything feels tight and smooth.  Not bad for 650!!  We'll find out tommorrow when I put it back in.

Yea if you already have it rebuilt you might as well run it until it dies. And $650 isn't bad for a rebuild. My Dad was quoted $1200 for the rebuild.
When I went to have my AX5 rebuilt, the tranny place guy literally laughed at me and said I would be better off finding one in a junk yard that had low miles and had not been rebuilt yet.
My Jeep came with the AX5 of course, but it had been rebuilt 47k miles before I bought it. I bought it from  Orlando Florida, was on my way home to Atlanta and 100 miles towards GA I lost every gear but 4th. Needless to say, I drove home, 350 miles, in 4th gear.

The NV3550 would definately be a better pick over the AX15. Me, I had just paid for a Jeep and wasn't expecting to have to put a tranny in it, so I saved a little money and threw in a Junk yard tranny for $400 shipped to my home. I haven't had any complaints other than some normal issues that these Chrysler trannies are know for, i.e. 2nd gear stiffness.

Over all the swap was easy and will be a great upgrade when you ad that NV3550 to your built motor.

[YJmechanic]

I got it back in and have to say that it is working well.  I haven't pushed it too hard but I will soon enough.  I will run it untill it explodes this time.  Or maybe i'll sell it back off to help with the 3550 if it holds up well.  By the way you can eliminate the shift hardness with different oil usually, and make sure you use the right fill plug or you can over fill and that will cause it too.  I use mopar 75-90 full synthetic in mine.  It is almost 15 dollars a quart and that's at dealer cost so I'm sure it is probably almost 20 normally but it is the best oil i've seen so far.

[jwrape]

How is your tranny holding up so far?

[Reyn]

I did the nv3550 swap. and i like it a lot. it even drives better! shifting is more solid and the gearing is better too!  :D
 FYI if you dont want to swap drive shafts you will need to move the motor ahead 2 inches. the NV3550 is longer with the new bellhousing. i got a set of motor mount brackets from Brown Dog industries http://www.browndogindustries.com/ and he made me a bracket to pull it forward 2 inches. Just my 2 cents. :D