Darius Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 (edited) This is my first post to the list. To start let me say you have a good looking and easy to navigate site. Sadly I do not own a Silverado SS but I've long admired their looks and performance potential. You owners should consider yourselves lucky. That said, I need your help. I am DEEPLY involved in a street rod project that was designed from the beginning with the thought of using the NVG 149 transfer case. My question comes after getting information on another site that I find inconsistent with what I've heard on this site. A respected person on another site said this: "NVG149 has a higher torque rating (than the BW 4472) but have experienced a lot of failures in SS silverados. It has had enough failures that an "upgrade" is now available and they can now go to the NV136. ...The other drawback is that the case has to have some electronic controls run to it. There are some bright people on here. Eventually someone will figure out a way to control them." My questions: are the NVG 149s failure prone and has the NVG 136 been suggested as an "upgrade"? Also, when I've looked at the exploded diagrams of the 149 I haven't seen any electrical controls. Am I missing something? Thanks in advance for the answers. Darius Edited October 6, 2006 by Darius (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtie70SS Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Typically people only ruin the transfer case by driving without the front shaft. I think once GM changed to Autotrak II fluid (the blue stuff) the cases held up better. There are no controls or electronics except for the speed sensor outputs...If I remember right those T-cases can handle 800hp. I'd love to see a pic of the street rod...an old pickup? AWD? Badass!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edessa Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 As far as know nowone had anything go wrong with thier tranfercase except those that diconnected the front drive shaft and drove it. That kills the NVG149. Ithink it's a solid transfer case. Hope some of the heavy moded truck owners would chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04CHASE Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 so far so good, ive done some awd burnouts and its holding up well so far knock on wood. i do regularly chage the fluid in it though . we will see if it can handle 7-800 hp though. i am pretty certain the tranny will give out first then the front or rear diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkt71 Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 As far as I have heard, the transfer cases in these things are strong as hell. You will blow your diff(s) and tranny before you blow a x-fer case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 "NVG149 has a higher torque rating (than the BW 4472) but have experienced a lot of failures in SS silverados." Where the hell did you read that? There have only been three, maybe four failures I can remember on the forum and like Chase says those were proven abuse situations. The NVG149 is rated at 1900-ft-lbs; you're not gonna break it. I also have found mine runs better with Autotrak II fluid. The only issue we have voiced with the NVG149 is that nobody makes an adapter to mate it to the 4L80E, if someone did a lot of us would be all over that. Welcome to the forum Post pics of your project if you can. Mr. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtie70SS Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 There are conversion parts for the 4L80E Speed engineering makes the parts. Far as I know the 80E will bolt up to the T-case...I'm holding out for the 6L80E before I drop 5K into a tranny though. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 There are conversion parts for the 4L80E Speed engineering makes the parts. Far as I know the 80E will bolt up to the T-case...I'm holding out for the 6L80E before I drop 5K into a tranny though. Dave I'll be standing in line with ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darius Posted October 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Thanks to all who responded to my request for information. What you've said is what I had expected. The NVG 149 certainly looks good on paper and with your "real world" experience I feel comfortable moving ahead. By the way, the official NVG site lists the torque capabilities of all of their various transfer cases. The 149 is listed as able to handle 2203 lb. ft. of torque in a 6800 LB vehicle. http://www.newventuregear.com/tcases.html About conversions available to mate the 149 to the 4L80E I know about the kits being offered by JS Manufacturing (http://www.jsmanufacturing.com/) which are also available through George Blake of "Prime Gears". However, their approach utilizes a reduced diameter transmission output shaft. While it is the same size as currently in your truck's transmissions, I prefer not to pay to have the transmission torn down only to install that smaller O/P shaft. And I must admit to some concern that it might not hold up to the torque I expect to produce. Months ago I called "Speed Engineering" about their replacement transfer case input gear to mate the 4L80E but was told that it was for a 4X4 transfer case and not for the AWD NVG 149 case. That may have changed in the meantime but back then they said it would not work to adapt the 4L80E into your trucks -- or for my application. That said, I have found a company to make a custom input gear for our NVG 149 transfer cases to mate the 4L80E. I'll let you know how it turns out. Dave (Bowtie70SS) wondered just what my application was. Well, it is a 1950 Studebaker siting on a 1985, S-10 4x4 frame (standard cab -- long wheelbase), with a 507 CID Cadillac engine, propane fueled and force inducted. Gearing is 3.08s with a F--d 8.8 inch IRS in the back and a 4L80E providing torque multiplication. It may not be as nice as your rigs but it's set to be my daily driver. Thanks again for all your answers. Darius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterp Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 DUDE you get kudos for all that legwork! Pist pics of your Stude when you can. Mr. P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2004Denali Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 That said, I have found a company to make a custom input gear for our NVG 149 transfer cases to mate the 4L80E. I'll let you know how it turns out. would you share with us the name of the company that is doing this for you. If you can't post it would you please "PM" me Thanks Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04CHASE Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 That said, I have found a company to make a custom input gear for our NVG 149 transfer cases to mate the 4L80E. I'll let you know how it turns out. would you share with us the name of the company that is doing this for you. If you can't post it would you please "PM" me Thanks Mark <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i knew there was a somehign about the SE kit that wouldnt work , i may be killing these 65e soon so i may need the 80e! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmalibuss Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 That said, I have found a company to make a custom input gear for our NVG 149 transfer cases to mate the 4L80E. I'll let you know how it turns out. would you share with us the name of the company that is doing this for you. If you can't post it would you please "PM" me Thanks Mark <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i knew there was a somehign about the SE kit that wouldnt work , i may be killing these 65e soon so i may need the 80e! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah NVG makes that shaft good luck getting it! there are others who claim they are making it but they aren't they are just getting it from NVG and they only make a few every year. I could have gotten one but I had already traded in the SS so I told them I didn't need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2004Denali Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 That said, I have found a company to make a custom input gear for our NVG 149 transfer cases to mate the 4L80E. I'll let you know how it turns out. would you share with us the name of the company that is doing this for you. If you can't post it would you please "PM" me Thanks Mark <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i knew there was a somehign about the SE kit that wouldnt work , i may be killing these 65e soon so i may need the 80e! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah NVG makes that shaft good luck getting it! there are others who claim they are making it but they aren't they are just getting it from NVG and they only make a few every year. I could have gotten one but I had already traded in the SS so I told them I didn't need it. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> contact info please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darius Posted October 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 (edited) I will happily contact the company tomorrow and let them know of your interest. I was giving the contact information and want to give them the curtesy of expecting your many inquiries. Heck, maybe we can get a volume discount. As it was, the price was lower than anything else out there. No, the company in question IS NOT NVG. Best, Darius Edited October 9, 2006 by Darius (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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