The NV5600 Transmission (Fig 1) will be available as an option in January on 1999 2500 and 3500 series Dodge Ram pickups with the Cummins 24-valve turbo diesel engine only. The NV5600 can be used in 2WD and 4WD applications.

As far as identifying the 5600 goes, it's pretty hard to mistake it for any other manual transmission. For starters, it's the only six-speed transmission you'll find in a Dodge truck. The NV5600 is much heavier too. It weighs about 360 pounds when filled with fluid, compared to 200 pounds for the NV4500HD. 

There are two identification tags located on the driver's side of the clutch housing, near the top. One tag provides the part number for the NV5600, while the other lists the sequence number and build date.

The NV5600 six-speed transmission features constant mesh, fully synchronized gearing (Fig 3).

This total synchromesh setup provides passenger-car-like shift quality, with gear changes that are smoother and require less effort, which enhances overall vehicle performance as well as driver satisfaction. 

The NV5600 is significantly stronger and more robust than other transmissions, and is designed for high-mileage durability. The 5600 also improves Dodge Ram's trailer towing ability by more closely matching the gear ratios to the torque curve of the diesel engine. This allows for towing heavy loads up long grades - at higher average speeds - than was previously possible.

The NV5600 features an optimized gear design which results in quieter operation, another benefit to diesel powered ram pickup owners.

The Power take-off (or PTO) mounting ports (Fig 4) on both sides of the main case render the NV5600 adaptable to various accessory-drive configurations common to work trucks.