Which 5 speed?

[greatguy57078]

I am building a street only Bronco, and would like to install a modern 5 speed. Which is the easiest/durable one to look for? I know where I can get a T-45. Is that a good one to install? Is it durable? Please let me know. Thank you!

 

[kntr]

I loved the T5 I had in my blue bronco. It was out of a 91 Stang. It had a hurst shifter. I swear the front end would almost come off the ground when I shifted it real hard. I had it 65,000 miles and I never had a problem with it. It was great for the street and mild offroad. You have to run pretty low gears to be able to use the OD. I ran 4.11s with 33s and I think 4.56s or 4.88s would have been a lot better. The shifter comes out of the floor in the perfect position just right of the J-pattern shifter.

Here is a pic. I should have never gotten rid of that bronco. My buddy rolled it a month after I sold it to him. It is in the process of getting a restoration.

 

[grauerfam]

Do a search on the NV3550. Lots of good info here. Also check out the write up in the tech section.

 

[roundhouse]

Go with the NV3550.

I love it on the street.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The only option for a street/minor trail transmission is the NV3550 in my book.
Modern, great ratios for rush hour traffic and mall parking lots and an OD that isn't super high. Much better fit then the T5, which has issues with bellhousings and for some silly reason they put a twist in the clocking when they used it in the mustangs, but you have to unclock the transmission to use itin a Bronco. Besided most mustang T5s are trashed inside by now, even if they still work.

 

[greatguy57078]

Where does the shifter location end up with a NV3550?

 

[josimps2]

Where does the shifter location end up with a NV3550?

It should end up at about dead center of the tunnel cover. It works out about perfect in my opinion. If you do a search for NV3550 shifter or something similiar there should be some pics posted of how it looks. It's pretty smooth. If you can't find one I'll try to get a pic sometime later today.

 

[MarsChariot]

Pictures of the shifter location are in the tech article in the column over there on the left. Dead center, no cross member cutting, no under the dash tucking of the shifetr, etc. etc. Made for the Early Bronco.

 

[kntr]

A T5 will out shift a NV3550. When I say out shift, I mean you can really bang it through the gears. The NV3550 is another great 5spd if you like the way it shifts and the fact its out of a Jeep.

 

[BigSwede]

How hard is the conversion from a C4 to a 5 speed when you take the NV3550 kit into consideration? I am assuming I would need a bell housing, pedal box, what else? New drive shafts? Hole in the floor?

Thanks

 

[kntr]

http://classicbroncos.com/NV3550.shtml

 

[roundhouse]

The NV3550 is another great 5spd if you like the way it shifts and the fact its out of a Jeep.

Dosent bother me a bit.

Its a good trans,

The disc brakes on my EB are from a Chevy.
The front seats are from a Mazda
Rear seat from a jeep.

I'm not blindly brand loyal.
I have 2 Toyotas and 2 Chevys in my driveway.

If it was an easy swap, Id use a Toyota 5 speed and a marlin crawler double T-case in my EB.

The Yota trannys and T-cases are a dime a dozen around here, unlike 3550's.

 

[bigmuddy]

Another option is the ZF trans, I just installed one and found it fairly easy although not quite as well a fit as the 3550. It shifts like the three speed so it's not zippy but it is reputed to be fairly bullet proof and will take more of a tourquey engine than the 3550 and it has the low low granny first gear which is nice if you need or want it, which the 3550 does not.

Ben

 

[cj54]

The NV3550 is another great 5spd if you like the way it shifts and the fact its out of a Jeep. [/QUOTE]

They also put different versions of T5's in jeeps, camaros and S10's!

 

[Dave]

How hard is the conversion from a C4 to a 5 speed when you take the NV3550 kit into consideration? I am assuming I would need a bell housing, pedal box, what else? New drive shafts? Hole in the floor?

Thanks

I'm doing an auto conversion and have a manual pedal assembly that I would like to trade for an auto pedal assembly. P.M. me if you are interested.
Dave...

 

[bigmuddy]

Save your money dave, they are the same brackets: auto/manual.

Ben

 

[Bronco_46256]

Just finsished the first 100 or so miles with the 3550. Love it. I do notice an occasional clunk, but it is otherwise very smooth and a great gear range spread to use around town. I've got 30 inch tires on now, so I'm hoping a little more overdrive when I eventually get larger tires. I do only use first from a total standstil. Any forward motion at all, I use 2nd to get started. Highly recommend.

 

[grauerfam]

Just finsished the first 100 or so miles with the 3550. Love it. I do notice an occasional clunk, but it is otherwise very smooth and a great gear range spread to use around town. I've got 30 inch tires on now, so I'm hoping a little more overdrive when I eventually get larger tires. I do only use first from a total standstil. Any forward motion at all, I use 2nd to get started. Highly recommend.

What axle gearing are you running and what size tires do you plan on getting. Is this trailpyscho's setup?

 

[BFPD630]

the NV3550 is a dream to drive. I am using a stock 20 T-shift and 4.11 gears, it is a great balance of trail and highway. I got mine off ebay for $211 (!). There are some years that have an issue with 1st gear popping out, I had a discussion about it with BrewBro21 about a year ago here, I am sure that you can find it by searching. I have 6000 miles on mine since installation, not a problem!

 

[BFPD630]

found it- there is the official dealer service bulletin included in this thread It explains the years of the NV3550 that had issues popping out of gear...