DODGE RAM 2003 Service Repair Manual

Fig. 1 NV3500 TRANSMISSION
21 - 2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500DR
MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
LOW LUBRICANT LEVEL
A low transmission lubricant level is generally the
result of a leak, inadequate lubricant fill or an incor-
rect lubricant level check. Leaks can occur at the
mating surfaces of the gear case, adaptor or exten-
sion housing, or from the front/rear seals. A sus-
pected leak could also be the result of an overfill
condition.
Leaks at the rear of the extension or adapter hous-
ing will be from the housing oil seals. Leaks at com-
ponent mating surfaces will probably be the result of
inadequate sealer, gaps in the sealer, incorrect bolt
tightening or use of a non-recommended sealer.
A leak at the front of the transmission will be from
either the front bearing retainer or retainer seal.
Lubricant may be seen dripping from the clutch
housing after extended operation. If the leak is
severe, it may also contaminate the clutch disc caus-
ing the disc to slip, grab and or chatter.
A correct lubricant level check can only be made
when the vehicle is level. Also allow the lubricant to
settle for a minute or so before checking. These rec-
ommendations will ensure an accurate check and
avoid an underfill or overfill condition. Always check
the lubricant level after any addition of fluid to avoid
an incorrect lubricant level condition.
HARD SHIFTING
Hard shifting is usually caused by a low lubricant
level, improper or contaminated lubricants. The con-
sequence of using non-recommended lubricants is
noise, excessive wear, internal bind and hard shift-
ing. Substantial lubricant leaks can result in gear,
shift rail, synchro, and bearing damage. If a leak
goes undetected for an extended period, the first indi-
cations of component damage are usually hard shift-
ing and noise.
Shift component damage or damaged clutch pres-
sure plate or disc are additional probable causes of
increased shift effort. Worn/damaged pressure plate
or disc can cause incorrect release. If clutch problem
is advanced, gear clash during shifts can result.
Worn or damaged synchro rings can cause gear clash
when shifting into any forward gear. In some new or
rebuilt transmissions, new synchro rings may tend to
stick slightly causing hard or noisy shifts. In most
cases this condition will decline as the rings wear-in.
TRANSMISSION NOISE
Most manual transmissions make some noise dur-
ing normal operation. Rotating gears generate a mild
whine that is audible, but generally only at extreme
speeds.Severe highly audible transmission noise is gener-
ally the initial indicator of a lubricant problem.
Insufficient, improper or contaminated lubricant will
promote rapid wear of gears, synchros, shift rails,
forks and bearings. The overheating caused by a
lubricant problem, can also lead to gear and bearing
damage.
REMOVAL
(1) Disconnect battery negative cable.
(2) Shift transmission into Neutral.
(3) Remove shift boot bezel screws and slide boot
upward on shift lever extension.
(4) Remove shift lever extension from the shift
tower and lever assembly.
(5) Raise vehicle on hoist.
(6) Remove skid plate, if equipped.
(7) Drain lubricant if transmission will be disas-
sembled for service.
(8) Mark propeller shaft/shafts and companion
flange yoke/yokes for installation reference and
remove propeller shaft/shafts.
(9) Disconnect harness from clips on transmission
housing.
(10) Remove transfer case linkage if equipped.
(11) Remove transfer case mounting nuts and
remove transfer case if equipped.
(12) Remove slave cylinder mounting nut and
remove cylinder (Fig. 2).
Fig. 2 SLAVE CYLINDER
1 - MOUNTING NUTS
2 - SLAVE CYLINDER
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(13) Remove starter motor, structural dust cover,
dust shield and suspension crossmember (Fig. 3).
(14) Remove exhaust pipe from the exhaust mani-
folds.
(15) Support engine with adjustable jack stand
and wood block.
(16) Support and secure transmission to a trans-
mission jack with safety chains.
(17) Remove bolts from the rear transmission
mount.
(18) Remove the rear crossmember and transmis-
sion mount (Fig. 4).(19) Remove bolts attaching transmission to the
engine.
(20) Move transmission rearward until input shaft
is clear of clutch disc and pressure plate. Then lower
jack and remove transmission from under vehicle.
DISASSEMBLY
FRONT HOUSING
(1) Shift transmission into Neutral.
(2) If lubricant was not drained out of transmis-
sion during removal, remove drain plug and drain
lubricant.
(3) Inspect drain plug magnet for debris.
(4) Remove backup light switch located on passen-
ger side of rear housing (Fig. 5).
(5) Remove shift tower bolts and remove tower and
lever assembly (Fig. 6).
Fig. 3 DUST COVER
1 - DUST SHIELD
2 - STARTER MOTOR
3 - DUST COVER
4 - CROSSMEMBER
Fig. 4 CROSSMEMBER
1 - TRANSMISSION MOUNT
2 - CROSSMEMBER
Fig. 5 BACKUP LIGHT SWITCH
1 - BACKUP LIGHT SWITCH
Fig. 6 SHIFT TOWER
1 - SHIFT TOWER
2 - SHIFT SOCKET
3 - SEAL
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(6) Remove shift shaft lock bolt (Fig. 7) from the
top of front housing. The bolt secures the shift shaft
bushing and lever.
NOTE: This is a special bolt and can not be substi-
tuted with any other bolt.
(7) Remove input shaft bearing retainer bolts from
the front housing, then carefully pry on the retainer
to break sealer bead loose (Fig. 8).(8) Remove bearing retainer from input shaft (Fig.
9).
(9) Remove input shaft snap ring (Fig. 10).
Fig. 7 SHAFT LOCK BOLT
1 - SHIFT SHAFT LOCK BOLT
2 - SHAFT SOCKET
Fig. 8 BEARING RETAINER SEAL
1-PRYTOOL
2 - INPUT SHAFT BEARING RETAINER
Fig. 9 INPUT SHAFT BEARING RETAINER
1 - SHAFT BEARING
2 - BEARING RETAINER
3 - INPUT SHAFT
Fig. 10 INPUT SHAFT SNAP RING
1 - INPUT SHAFT SNAP RING
2 - OIL FEED
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(10) Remove shift shaft detent plug from the side
of the transmission with Remover 8117A. Attach fin-
gers of the remover to the detent plug and push the
cup down till it contacts the trans. Then tighten the
nut till it pulls the plug from the case.
(11) Remove shift shaft detent plunger and spring
with a pencil magnet.
(12) Remove bolts that attach front housing to the
rear housing (Fig. 11). Three bolts at extreme rear of
housing are for the output shaft bearing retainer.
Leave one bolt in place until geartrain is ready to be
removed from case.(13) Separate the housings (Fig. 12) by tapping the
front housing off alignment dowels with a plastic
hammer.
(14) Remove input shaft bearing and countershaft
front bearing race (Fig. 13).
Fig. 11 HOUSING & BEARING RETAINER BOLT
1 - RETAINER BOLTS
2 - HOUSING BOLTS
3 - RETAINER BOLT
4 - HOUSING BOLT LOCATIONS
Fig. 12 FRONT HOUSING
1 - FRONT HOUSING
2 - REAR HOUSING
3 - DOWELS (2)
4 - PLASTIC MALLET
Fig. 13 Input Shaft Bearing and Countershaft Front
Bearing Race
1 - INPUT SHAFT BEARING
2 - FRONT HOUSING
3 - COUNTERSHAFT FRONT BEARING
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(15) Note position of input shaft, shift shaft, forks
and geartrain components in housing (Fig. 14).
SHIFT/FORK SHAFTS AND REVERSE IDLER
SEGMENT
(1) Place a shop towel over the shaft lever to con-
tain the lever detent ball and spring.
(2) Rotate lever and bushing upward out of the
shift forks and catch ball and spring (Fig. 15).
(3) Unseat shift socket roll pin with Remover 6858.
Position remover on shift shaft and center tool over
the roll pin. Verify tool legs are firmly seated on the
shift socket (Fig. 16).
(4) Tilt socket toward the side of the case to avoid
trapping the pin between the gear teeth.
(5) Tighten remover to press the roll pin down-
ward and out of the shift socket (Fig. 16).
NOTE: Roll pin must only clear the shift shaft. Do
not push the pin into the geartrain.
(6) Drive out shift bushing and lever roll pin with
a hammer and punch (Fig. 17).
NOTE: Use proper size punch to avoid bending the
shift shaft.
Fig. 15 DETENT SPRING AND BALL
1 - SHAFT LEVER
2 - SPRING AND BALL
3 - MAGNET
Fig. 16 SHIFT SOCKET
1 - REMOVER
2 - SHIFT SOCKET
Fig. 17 SHIFT SHAFT LEVER & BUSHING ROLL PIN
1 - PIN PUNCH
2 - BUSHING AND LEVER
3 - SHIFT SHAFT
Fig. 14 GEARTRAIN AND SHIFT COMPONENT
1 - SHIFT SHAFT
2 - BUSHING
3 - REAR HOUSING
4 - REVERSE IDLER AND SUPPORT
5 - OUTPUT SHAFT AND GEARS
6 - COUNTERSHAFT
7 - 1-2 FORK
8 - INPUT SHAFT
9 - 3-4 FORK
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(7) Pull shift shaft straight out of rear housing,
shift socket, fifth-reverse fork and 1-2 fork (Fig. 18).
(8)
Remove shift socket from rear housing (Fig. 19).
(9) Remove shaft lever and bushing (Fig. 20).(10) Rotate 3-4 fork around synchro sleeve until
fork clears shift arms on 1-2 and fifth-reverse forks,
then remove 3-4 fork (Fig. 21).
(11) Remove reverse idler shaft support bolt and
loosen rear reverse idler shaft bolt (Fig. 22).
Fig. 18 SHIFT SHAFT
1 - SHIFT SHAFT
2 - 3-4 FORK
3 - SHAFT DETENT NOTCHES
Fig. 19 SHIFT SOCKET & ROLL PIN
1 - SHAFT BORE
2 - ROLL PIN
3 - SHIFT SOCKET
Fig. 20 SHIFT SHAFT LEVER & BUSHING
1 - SHAFT LEVER AND BUSHING
2 - 3-4 FORK
Fig. 21 3-4 SHIFT FORK
1 - 3-4 FORK
2 - 1-2 AND 5TH-REVERSE FORK ARMS
3 - 3-4 SYNCHRO SLEEVE
Fig. 22 REVERSE IDLER SHAFT & SUPPORT
1 - SUPPORT BOLT
2 - SHAFT BOLT
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION - NV3500 (Continued)

(12) Remove reverse idler shaft support segment
by sliding it straight out of housing.
(13) Support geartrain and rear housing on Fix-
ture 6747 as follows:
(a) Adjust height of reverse idler pedestal rod
until the reverse idle shaft bottoms in Cup 8115.
(b) Position Adapters 6747-1A and 6747-2A on
Fixture 6747.
(c) Slide fixture tool onto input shaft, counter-
shaft and idler gear (Fig. 23).
(d) Stand geartrain and rear housing upright on
fixture (Fig. 24). Have helper hold fixture tool in
place while housing and geartrain is being rotated
into upright position.
(14) Remove rear bolt holding reverse idler shaft
in housing.
REAR HOUSING - 2WD
(1) On 2-wheel drive transmission, remove three
bolts that attach output shaft bearing retainer to
rear case (Fig. 25). Bolts are rear of shift tower open-
ing.
Fig. 23 FIXTURE ASSEMBLY
1 - FIXTURE 6747
2 - ADAPTER 6747-1A
3 - CUP ADAPTER 8115
4 - REVERSE IDLER PEDESTAL
5 - ADAPTER 6747-2A
Fig. 24 GEARTRAIN & HOUSING ON FIXTURE
1 - INPUT SHAFT
2 - COUNTERSHAFT
3 - FIXTURE 6747
Fig. 25 OUTPUT SHAFT
1 - OUTPUT SHAFT BEARING RETAINER BOLTS (THIRD BOLT
IS AT OPPOSITE SIDE OF CASE)
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(2) Tap rear housing upward and off output shaft
bearing with a plastic/rawhide hammer (Fig. 26).
(3) Lift rear housing up and off geartrain (Fig. 27).
(4) Remove countershaft rear bearing from coun-
tershaft (Fig. 28).
Fig. 26 SEPARATE REAR HOUSING & OUTPUT
SHAFT BEARING
1 - REAR HOUSING
2 - MALLET
3 - FIXTURE
Fig. 27 REAR HOUSING - 2WD
1 - REAR HOUSING
2 - SHIFT FORKS AND GEARTRAIN
Fig. 28 COUNTERSHAFT REAR BEARING
1 - COUNTERSHAFT REAR BEARING
2 - OUTPUT SHAFT
3 - COUNTER SHAFT
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REAR ADAPTER HOUSING - 4WD
(1) Inserting screw from slide hammer (Fig. 29)
into one of the dimples in face of rear seal (Fig. 30)
and remove seal.(2) Remove rear bearing snap ring from output
shaft (Fig. 31).
(3) Lift rear adapter housing upward and off
geartrain (Fig. 32).
Fig. 29 REAR SEAL
1 - SLIDE HAMMER
2 - REMOVER TOOL
3 - REAR SEAL
Fig. 30 REAR SEAL FACE
1 - DIMPLES
2 - SEAL FACE
Fig. 31 REAR BEARING SNAP RING
1 - HEAVY DUTY SNAP RING PLIERS
2 - REAR BEARING SNAP RING
3 - OUTPUT SHAFT
Fig. 32 REAR ADAPTER HOUSING
1 - REAR ADAPTER HOUSING
2 - OUTPUT SHAFT
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