NP-540 trans

[essat784]

so i have a 1967 dodge d200 crewcab longbed that was converted to 4x4 using a 71 chevy k20 diskbrake dana 44 and a divorced np-201 transfer case.

and i have the np435 transmission and theres a small driveshaft in between my transmission and transfer case thats about 1.5 feet long.

i wanna know how hard it would be to swap my transmission to a np540 5spd.

i know that the bigger trans isnt too much longer, and its pretty compact for a 5 speed, but i do not know much about this transmission.

where should i look to get one, how much would i expect to pay, and if i found a used one in some random dump truck, would it be bad if i swapped it in without rebuilding it first?

also, does it have a regular 23 spline input shaft that would fit into my stock 11inch clutch disk just like the np435 one does? and would it mate up to my bellhousing? i know this tranny came behind small blocks, i seen a w500 truck with a ploy 318 and it had a np540.

i really like the ultra deep 1st gear on this trans, and the fact that many of them come with a 4.05:1 2nd gear and a 1:1 5th gear which would be perfect for me since i have 35's and a 4.10 rear end. and i like the idea of having a "short 4th" gear for highway passing.

[RussRoth]

I am not sure but I believe the input is larger on the 540. Probably a 10 spline but it has been a very long time since I have had one apart. If you have the hydraulic bell it is probably already drilled to fit. At least my BB bell appears to have probably 3 different sets of holes in it. I am guessing to fit 3, 4 & 5 speeds. You didn't say if you have a SB or BB. I don't think it matters as I believe they used the same bells with the larger and smaller rigs whether they were SB or BB.

[surfnuke9]

good info on it here:

http://www.powerwagonadvertiser.com/for ... php?t=8514

[essat784]

i just posted on that site. ill see what they say.

however i think there might be more people on this one. and powerwagon registry - to get the real benefits of the group you have to subscribe to the magazine or pay to be a premium member.

[712edf]

to get the real benefits of the group you have to subscribe to the magazine or pay to be a premium member.

Subscribing to that one (I have) gives you the search function, picture uploading,and access to an extra forum (which is usually non-technical)....but most all the text postings are available for all to see...sorry but i don't have an answer concerning your transmission. Bucky

[digdoug]

The np540 wil be a couple inches longer and have a 1.38" ten spline input shaft(if its from a old dodge)
Use a borg and beck 13363 disk and a 1575 presure plate if you have a small block,or a 1737 presure plate if you have a big block,or realy hot small block.These are the 12" clutch options.Bolt patern for np540 is same as np435.

[essat784]

so i wouldnt be able to use my 11 inch flywheel?

[digdoug]

The presure plates that I listed will bolt up to your flywheel! If you just want a new 11" disk use B&B #12559 with your old or a new B&B #1433 preasure plate.

[essat784]

The presure plates that I listed will bolt up to your flywheel! If you just want a new 11" disk use B&B #12559 with your old or a new B&B #1433 preasure plate.

now that i think of it how would i know weather ot not my clutch is the 11 inch or 10.5 inch flywheel? didnt they use both sizes? my truck has a 71 360 motor which is obviously not stock and ive never had to replace my clutch so i dont actually know. is there a way to tell?

and where would i get this 10 spline clutch? also, would i be able to use the same style pilot bearing?

thanks for your help though, its tough to get information in these transmissions.

[digdoug]

360 eh, Did they ballance the engine? Do you still have a hydraulic clutch,with the slave on the right side of the bellhousing?

FYI 11" and 12" preasure plates use the same bolt pattern.
10" clutch were standard on light /6 trucks,but 11" were optional,so the truck /6 flywheels are drilled with both sets.
Chances are you will be ok, if you still have the stock 67 flywheel/bell.

Napa or HR clutch should be able to set you up.

[essat784]

360 eh, Did they ballance the engine? Do you still have a hydraulic clutch,with the slave on the right side of the bellhousing?

FYI 11" and 12" preasure plates use the same bolt pattern.
10" clutch were standard on light /6 trucks,but 11" were optional,so the truck /6 flywheels are drilled with both sets.
Chances are you will be ok, if you still have the stock 67 flywheel/bell.

Napa or HR clutch should be able to set you up.

well 360's are externally balanced if thats what you mean. if you meant internally balanced, then no.

however, yes its still a hydraulic clutch with the slave on the right, and i intend on keeping it that way. :)

well i dont have a /6 obviously, so would a 1971 360 motor come with the 11? or was that still just an option? im pretty sure my motor wasnt a truck motor since the 360 was first made in '71 and didnt appear in trucks until 1972. Unless it was from an early '72 truck, that happened to have a 360 that was made in 1971.

so would that bellhousing that i have bolt up to the np-540? and if i didnt have the correct flywheel, would i be able to take mine off my 360 and just bolt up an 11 inch one?

[essat784]

ok. after looking at the kragen and napa auto parts websites, since they're only selling 11 inch clutch disks, i PROBABLY have an 11 inch clutch. lol.

so then, to use the 10 spline clutch, would i be able to use my stock pressure plate then? if i wanted to be ghetto and replace the clutch only, keep the pressure plate that i already have...

[712edf]

It is my understanding that the hydraulic bellhousing that fits the 435 4-speed also fits the 540 5-speed. Big blocks,small blocks & polys, slant sixes, used different bells even if they had identical transmissions. I don't think the 130 tooth flywheel is big enough for that hydraulic bell though. Seems like hydraulic bell trucks had 172 flywheels.

[Hobcobble]

ok. after looking at the kragen and napa auto parts websites, since they're only selling 11 inch clutch disks, i PROBABLY have an 11 inch clutch. lol.

so then, to use the 10 spline clutch, would i be able to use my stock pressure plate then? if i wanted to be ghetto and replace the clutch only, keep the pressure plate that i already have...

Try these guys for your 12" disc....
http://www.hrclutch.com
John

[essat784]

ok. after looking at the kragen and napa auto parts websites, since they're only selling 11 inch clutch disks, i PROBABLY have an 11 inch clutch. lol.

so then, to use the 10 spline clutch, would i be able to use my stock pressure plate then? if i wanted to be ghetto and replace the clutch only, keep the pressure plate that i already have...

Try these guys for your 12" disc....
http://www.hrclutch.com
John

so that website is a call to order typa thing? becuase they didnt have any listings.

thanks for the link though.

so my next question, is would i be able to use a np540 from a ford or GM truck? or would that not match my bellhousing? because i know new process was owned by chrysler so idk if they made one typa bellhousing bolt pattern or what.

[712edf]

so my next question, is would i be able to use a np540 from a ford or GM truck? or would that not match my bellhousing? because i know new process was owned by chrysler so idk if they made one typa bellhousing bolt pattern or what.

That wouldn't accomplish anything...Let me see if I'm reading this right. You currently have a 360 mated to a 23 spline 435 via a hydraulic clutched bellhousing. You desire to go to a 10 spline 540 5-speed via the same hydraulic bellhousing,correct? The only thing that's different front end wise is the spline diameter/count and possibly the input shaft lenght. I believe the clutch disk numbers that doug and others listed above will work with your flywheel...10",10.5",11", and 12" are CLUTCH DISC sizes, not flywheel sizes....Flywheels came as follows: 13.195"diameter 130 tooth (mostly cars), 14.568" diameter 143 tooth (mostly trucks after 68 with the mechanical clutch), and a 172 tooth version used in the hydraulic clutch bell, I think with 2-bolt starter...Eaxactly which flywheel do you have now?

[essat784]

so my next question, is would i be able to use a np540 from a ford or GM truck? or would that not match my bellhousing? because i know new process was owned by chrysler so idk if they made one typa bellhousing bolt pattern or what.

That wouldn't accomplish anything...Let me see if I'm reading this right. You currently have a 360 mated to a 23 spline 435 via a hydraulic clutched bellhousing. You desire to go to a 10 spline 540 5-speed via the same hydraulic bellhousing,correct? The only thing that's different front end wise is the spline diameter/count and possibly the input shaft lenght. I believe the clutch disk numbers that doug and others listed above will work with your flywheel...10",10.5",11", and 12" are CLUTCH DISC sizes, not flywheel sizes....Flywheels came as follows: 13.195"diameter 130 tooth (mostly cars), 14.568" diameter 143 tooth (mostly trucks after 68 with the mechanical clutch), and a 172 tooth version used in the hydraulic clutch bell, I think with 2-bolt starter...Eaxactly which flywheel do you have now?

oh crap. lol ive been tired as balls especially when im making these posts lately...

yeah you got it right about my setup - im not 100% sure what flywheel i have - but its probably the stock flywheel that would have came with a '71 360 motor. whether or not that engine was in a car or a truck once, i am not sure. i have not measured my flywheel. but thats good to know thats its got a 13+ diameter. i was under the impression that if i got a larger clutch id need a bigger flywheel.

as for the np-540, that would be nice if they had a 23 spline one that would fit right into my d200 clutch, but from what i hear they're all 10 spline with a larger diameter.

so do you guys know if ford and gm np540's would bolt into my hydraulic clutched bell housing? or would i just have to stick to finding this transmission from a dodge truck only?

[polyjon]

Great thread if ten years old,,,lol.

Seen a NP540 5 speed for sale and wondered if I should 'go for it'?

Have a six-cylinder at present with a NP435 box.
I believe my bellhousing will take the 318 Poly engine as well?
I hope so as I have just built a 64 poly engine to go in lol...

[swptln]

so my next question, is would i be able to use a np540 from a ford or GM truck? or would that not match my bellhousing? because i know new process was owned by chrysler so idk if they made one typa bellhousing bolt pattern or what.

That wouldn't accomplish anything...Let me see if I'm reading this right. You currently have a 360 mated to a 23 spline 435 via a hydraulic clutched bellhousing. You desire to go to a 10 spline 540 5-speed via the same hydraulic bellhousing,correct? The only thing that's different front end wise is the spline diameter/count and possibly the input shaft lenght. I believe the clutch disk numbers that doug and others listed above will work with your flywheel...10",10.5",11", and 12" are CLUTCH DISC sizes, not flywheel sizes....Flywheels came as follows: 13.195"diameter 130 tooth (mostly cars), 14.568" diameter 143 tooth (mostly trucks after 68 with the mechanical clutch), and a 172 tooth version used in the hydraulic clutch bell, I think with 2-bolt starter...Eaxactly which flywheel do you have now?

oh crap. lol ive been tired as balls especially when im making these posts lately...

yeah you got it right about my setup - im not 100% sure what flywheel i have - but its probably the stock flywheel that would have came with a '71 360 motor. whether or not that engine was in a car or a truck once, i am not sure. i have not measured my flywheel. but thats good to know thats its got a 13+ diameter. i was under the impression that if i got a larger clutch id need a bigger flywheel.

as for the np-540, that would be nice if they had a 23 spline one that would fit right into my d200 clutch, but from what i hear they're all 10 spline with a larger diameter.

so do you guys know if ford and gm np540's would bolt into my hydraulic clutched bell housing? or would i just have to stick to finding this transmission from a dodge truck only?

I don't think you have a 23 spline 435 on a hydraulic bell? The 23 spline input is too short for a hydraulic bell housing.

A hydraulic bell housing only works with a 172 tooth flywheel, period. (possible that the 172 was drilled and offset balanced for the 360) This has and can be done. Also, the hydraulic bell and 172 tooth flywheel uses the HD direct drive starter, so there is no swapping flywheels, starters, etc.
(The 71 360 flywheel can't be in your truck).
A mechanical truck bell uses a 143 tooth flywheel and uses the modern style starter and there is no swapping flywheels to 130 tooth or 172 either.

In order to still be using the hydraulic bell, you have to have the 10-spline 435, which also would not have a tail-shaft mount. The 23 spline 435 will have a tail-shaft mount for a cross member.
Think you need to really look at what you have and don't have?
Input shaft spline?
Tooth count/flywheel?
Tailshaft?
Starter?

[polyjon]

Cripes I thought a NP540/413ci swap was gonna a be easy lol...

I have got a 64 D200, NP435, which has been retro fitted with a 1973 six cylinder engine.
So I wanted to go back to a Poly but now I have found a 540 and wide-hydra bell.
It came with an 8 bolt flywheel/12 inch clutch and I have an early 413ci with a long crank.

So I have dummy fitted the crank, bell flywheel and clutch, but...

The crank isn't drilled for a manual and the flywheel has been modded with a roller bearing.
The 540 snout is very long and the inner bearing diameter is well wrong too!

Think I will 'cut-off' the long nose on the 540 and make up a bushing for the odd sized roller bearing...

Whaddaya think?

Stay sexy six and 4-speed, yeah right...