New Venture NV4500 History

New Venture Gear (NVG) was a joint venture between Chrysler's New Process Gear (NPG) and GM's Hydromatic Muncie Transmission Division that was formed on February 6, 1990. The NV4500 5 speed manual transmission is primarily a New Process Gear design that was assembled at the Muncie Transmission plant from late 1991 to mid-2006. Even though the joint venture ended in 2002 when GM sold it's 36% stake in the company to Daimler Chrysler, the Muncie plant continued to build NV4500 transmissions for Dodge to the 2005 model year and GM for the 2007 model year. The quality of genuine New Venture Gear components is excellent, and we still continue to stock any genuine NVG parts we can find, but today, most of the NV4500 parts we stock will be high-quality replacement parts manufactured overseas. 

The NV4500 transmission was initially designed to allow for close, medium, and wide ratio models, plus there were plans for a NV4600 6 speed with a double overdrive. Only the wide and medium ratio 5-speed versions saw production. GM used the wide ratio version with 6.34:1 1st and reverse gear ratios in 1992 to 1994 trucks. Dodge used the medium ratio version with 5.61:1 1st and reverse gears from 1992-1996 as did GM for 1995-1996. All 1997-2004 Dodge and 1997-2007 GM NV4500 transmission have a 5.61:1 1st gear ratio and a 5.04:1 reverse gear ratio. All Dodge NV4500 and 1999-2007 GM versions have a synchronized reverse gear.

A quick guide to popular Dodge NV4500 models:

1992-1993 Gas engine only, used in D and W series. No seal for 4x4 rear output. Input shaft is 1" x 19 spline. 4x4 output shaft is 23 spline

1994-1996 NV4500LD Gas engine only.  Input Shaft is 1-1/8" 10 Spline. 4x4 output shaft is 23 Spline 4x2 output shaft is 30 spline. 5.61 reverse, one-piece top cover and shift tower

1994-1996 NV4500HD V10 and Diesel Only. Input Shaft is 1-1/4" x 10 Spline. 4x4 Output Shaft is 29 Spline. 4x2 Output Shaft is 31 Spline  5.61 reverse, one-piece top cover and shift tower

1997 NV4500LD Gas engine only. Input Shaft is 1-1/8" 10 Spline. 4x4 output shaft is 23 Spline. 4x2 output shaft is 30 spline. 5.04 reverse, one-piece top cover and shift tower

1997 NV4500HD Gas V10 and Cummins Diesel Only. Input Shaft is 1-1/4" x 10 Spline. 4x4 Output Shaft is 29 Spline. 4x2 Output Shaft is 31 Spline 5.04 reverse, one-piece top cover and shift tower

1998-2005 NV4500LD Gas engine only. Input Shaft is 1-1/8" 10 Spline. 4x4 output shaft is 23 Spline. 4x2 output shaft is 30 spline. 5.04 reverse, bolt-on shift tower

1998-2004 NV4500HD Gas V10 and Cummins Diesel Only. Input Shaft is 1-1/4" x 10 Spline. 4x4 Output Shaft is 29 Spline. 4x2 Output Shaft is 31 Spline 5.04 reverse, bolt-on shift tower

 

 A quick Timeline of NVG and NV4500 history:

February 6, 1990: GM and Chrysler reach final agreement to create New Venture Gear the first joint venture among the Big Three automakers in history. GM share 36%, Chrysler share 64%

1991: Production of NV4500 5 speed manual transmissions with an overdrive 5th gear for 1992 model year Dodge and GM vehicles starts in Muncie Indiana.

2002: GM sells its share of NVG to Daimler Chrysler. Muncie plant renamed Manual Transmissions of Muncie

2001: Last year NV4500LD offered in Ram 1500

December, 2003: Canada based Magna International LLP acquires 80% of New Venture Gear

2004 Last year NV4500HD offered in Ram 2500, Ram 3500 with Cummins Diesel

2005 Last Year NV4500LD offered in Ram 2500, Ram 3500 with V8 gas engine

mid-2006: NV4500 production ends. Muncie Transmission Plant Closed

2006-2007: NV4500 Tooling sold and moved to American Gear and Transmission (AGT) in Tennessee.

2007: Magna acquires remaining 20% of stock from Daimler Chrysler

2007: model year: Last year NV4500 offered in new vehicles, the Chevy Silverado Classic and GMC Sierra Classic with 6.0L gas V8 engines

2007: AGT liquidates NV4500 tooling in nationally advertised auction

September 3, 2008: AGT files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy