Zf-5 trans

rjrandy96

New member
So I’m in the process of building a 12v for sled pulling. It’s not going to be anything crazy and I’m not super competitive with it but it’s still in a dodge truck I got a super good deal and next spring I’ll be pulling it to put in a 92 f350. This truck has a zf-5 and I’m curious if it’s worth it to swap to a NV4500 or should I just use the zf-5? I understand that no one makes the right type of clutch for this but I think Kenny might be able to make one up for me.

The truck will be competing in the 2.5 class and if and when I can scrape up the money I’ll have a compound setup to run on the street and I’ll just pull off the large turbo for sled pulling to stay in my class. I’d like to drive this as a day and play in the mud a little bit so it has to be somewhat streetable. I know a dual or even triple sintered iron clutch is they way but I don’t know if the zf-5 will snap the input or not. I do realize someone of it’s life depends on how it’s driven tho. What’s everyone opinion on it?
 
I wouldn't trust the 5 for what you're doing. The way the housing is cast for the countershaft races is weak. I blew mine out pulling a trailer with a slippy double disc clutch. Blew the housing out, countershaft shifted sideways, all we had was 4th gear end everything inside was pretty much scrap.
 
I would swap in nv.. I dont belive a triple is avail for a zf 5. I had one behind my 7.3 puller before i swapped over to a cummins. It worked okay but the double disk didnt like it to much. If you have the nv in donor truck I'd do a full swap and just make a trans mount for it on frame like I did..
 
I would swap in nv.. I dont belive a triple is avail for a zf 5. I had one behind my 7.3 puller before i swapped over to a cummins. It worked okay but the double disk didnt like it to much. If you have the nv in donor truck I'd do a full swap and just make a trans mount for it on frame like I did..

Well the donor truck is an auto and not that I don’t realize an auto can be built to outperform it cost probably twice the amount a NV4500 swap with triple clutch would. Also I gues I just like old manual shifting gears loved it in my first two trucks.
 
The manual and auto adapter plate for a 2nd gen is the same, so no need to go hunt for something that doesn't exist.

I have a '98 NV4500, with a big input conversion (1-3/8"), along with a 241DHD behind it that I'd sell.
Both have been rebuilt recently, but ran a few thousand miles.

Mark.
 
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