Lol, I like your optimism. Thanks for the all the advice though guys, I'll be documenting the whole project and start a build thread at some point. But for now I'm just swapping in the 6 liter. Cross your fingers and prey for my transmission.

 

I read a thread over on fullsizechevy of a guy running an NV3500 behind a 8.1. I think it was turbo charged too. He ran it for a couple years. He may have just gotten lucky though.

I am going from NV3500 to t56. Originally, I was keeping the NV3500 and just swapping a 5.3 into my 95 that had a 5.7. I bought all the parts and then found a t56 for cheap, so didn't use them. Let me know if you're interested in them or have questions about what I was going to use. For the t56, second gear was shot so I rebuilt the trans with Tick parts and replaced 2nd with a "viper" 2nd gear which is stronger. From 2000 up all t56 transmissions came with the viper style 2nd. So if you can, grab one of those. I also replaced the 3-4 shift fork w/ a steel one, shift pads with bronze, and 3-4 billet keys. Oh and relocated the shifter to the front inspection port so it comes out roughly where the stock shifter did using a keisler shifter relocation kit.

 

thats another thing i forgot to ask about, do i need to buy a shifter relocation kit for a center console setup. Id like to have the shifter come out near the old hole so i can just cut it a little bigger and mock up a plate to cover what i dont need. At the same time though i can patch up any hole, im more worried about the center console working.

 

If you want the shifter to come up near the old hole is the shift relocations. How ever if you want to you the center console and have the shifter come up through the cup holder then you can leave the shifter on the t56 in the stock location. I prefer the center console look myself. I'm doing the t55 swap as well. I'm just not sure what gear I want yet. 4.88 or 4.56.

 

I've heard a lot of complaining from the Ram guys that they are lugging the motor at 70-75 in 6th. At the same time their 305/40/22 tires are 31"ish tall with a 4.56. I'm looking at a 29-30" tire with a 4.88 with my truck. So In theory I should be able to cruise in 6th at a decent rpm doing the speed limit without lugging or downshifting for every hill.

 

I have heard that to. I have a 275/55/r20 which is I think 30inch overall. 4.88 are probably what I will go with. I have a fbody stage 2 t56.

 

Do you have a picture of the shifter coming up through the console? I don't think I have ever seen a t56 with shifter through console. I am going with 4.88 and about 29" tire. I will be spinning slightly less RPM in sixth than I did in 5th with the NV3500. My torque multiplication in first went down very slightly from 13.75 to 12.98, but that's ok because first was almost useless before. So it should be just about right now with the new setup. Here a table of overall ratios with different transmissions and gears.

 

i have 4.88s with my t56 and 30" tires and they are perfect. (just gotta watch your driveshaft RPM, getting pretty close to the critical speed at 100mph)

heres a pic of my center console

 

That looks really good! Did you use a relocation kit?

 

Great find with that gearing chart! Like Ketis said, I've heard some safety concerns about the stock driveshaft. After the t56 goes in I'll be dropping the truck off to get a custom driveshaft made, shouldn't be any more than $500 and quick turn around from my previous experience. I know I'll end up going over 100 lol.