GV over/underdrive on a 4x4?

[towcat]

the turning radius alone is what sold me.

 

[The Warden]

Yep, never understood why they didn't make a SuperCab F-350 as the difference is just bolt on suspension parts from what I understand. I swapped a D60 under my SuperCab. Have a CrewCab now but definitely prefer Supercab.

They're rare, but SuperCab F-350's DID exist. I know a guy who used to have a '91 F-350 SC DRW that he bought new and kept in factory condition...it was a creampuff even at 300K+ miles when the engine cavitated.

No pictures of that truck, unfortuantely, but I found a few pics of OBS SC DRW's...

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However, they weren't common, and I don't think I've ever seen an SC F-350 with four wheel drive...or, for that matter, I can't recall ever seeing a SC F-350 that was a SRW. I would guess that anyone who wanted an SRW SC truck was pushed to the F-250, and of course you couldn't get a 4x4 DRW unless you got a chassis-cab truck, or built one like towcat did

{on edit} Found a brick-nose SC DRW

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[G. Mann]

I have a Gear Vendors with an adapter that makes it mount in place of the carrier bearing. It doesn't bolt to the transmission or transfer case.

Seems I may have the only "divorced" GV unit in existence, since I've never seen another like it. Talked to GV when I bought it some years ago.. they acknowledged they made them. Offered to "buy it in exchange" .. I said no.. tyvm.

Requires building a bracket to mount in place of the carrier bearing, with a lot of attention paid to angle of mounting, AND cutting both driveshafts. I can see why few have used that application..

 

[towcat]

I have a Gear Vendors with an adapter that makes it mount in place of the carrier bearing. It doesn't bolt to the transmission or transfer case.

Seems I may have the only "divorced" GV unit in existence, since I've never seen another like it. Talked to GV when I bought it some years ago.. they acknowledged they made them. Offered to "buy it in exchange" .. I said no.. tyvm.

Requires building a bracket to mount in place of the carrier bearing, with a lot of attention paid to angle of mounting, AND cutting both driveshafts. I can see why few have used that application..

mel's CC dually has the same setup too.

 

[towcat]

They're rare, but SuperCab F-350's DID exist. I know a guy who used to have a '91 F-350 SC DRW that he bought new and kept in factory condition...it was a creampuff even at 300K+ miles when the engine cavitated.

No pictures of that truck, unfortuantely, but I found a few pics of OBS SC DRW's...

However, they weren't common, and I don't think I've ever seen an SC F-350 with four wheel drive...or, for that matter, I can't recall ever seeing a SC F-350 that was a SRW. I would guess that anyone who wanted an SRW SC truck was pushed to the F-250, and of course you couldn't get a 4x4 DRW unless you got a chassis-cab truck, or built one like towcat did

{on edit} Found a brick-nose SC DRW

tim-
2wd SC F350's are quite plentiful due to DOT regs. it's the D60 equiped SC 4x4's are the ones ford never made.

 

[Agnem]

mel's CC dually has the same setup too.

Good memory Calvin! Yes, and in the years since, I've learned that my local Gearvendors dealer stopped doing the divorced setups because they had too much trouble with driveline vibration. I find that interesting, because my setup is smooth as silk.

So yes, Gearvendors is good to me, and I have had two for a long time. The one Towcat mentioned was bought used and put on in 2004, and my other one was bought new and is mated to a BW1345. It's been under there since around 1995. I've had zero problems with either, and all I do is change the oil now and then.

 

[G. Mann]

Well then... I am really glad to find that someone else has the divorced GV setup and that it's worked well. Of course since it's Mel, I know it's lived a well cared for life, as will mine.

The "new" truck I just bought, which has blown curb side head gasket is a 92 Crew Cab, 7.3, Sidwinder turbo, Dual rear wheel, F350. Presently, it's RWD, and C6. However, I've located a ZF5 with transfer case to make it 4X4, while I have the engine out doing head gaskets and making it fresh. My plan is to install a Dana 60 front end with leaf spring. While it's down, the divorced GV unit will go in this truck.

The truck has lived it's 220,000 mile life in AZ/Nevada and has Zero rust, body is clean and straight, even the interior is "pretty good", power windows/locks/air. It's what I've been looking for, just "slight assembly required".

Expect a call from me Mel, for a fresh IP and injectors. Studs are on the way, Fel Pro gasket set in hand.. Teardown party soon.

 

[The Warden]

tim-
2wd SC F350's are quite plentiful due to DOT regs. it's the D60 equiped SC 4x4's are the ones ford never made.

Maybe I misunderstood dunk's post, but I had the impression he was trying to say that SC F-350's didn't exist at all, even in 2WD form. Hence my response

 

[jay22day]

ohh so the reason ford didnt put the bigger better axle in the SC was because of DOT regs?

 

[The Warden]

ohh so the reason ford didnt put the bigger better axle in the SC was because of DOT regs?

No...I think the DOT regulations towcat mentioned were referring to overall combination length i.e. a SC truck would be better if you're pulling a long trailer, because the truck itself is shorter and you can get away with a longer trailer before Smokey Bear decides to have a chat with you.

I think Ford didn't build any DRW 4x4 (except for chassis-cab trucks) before the SuperDutys because they figured that anyone who wanted a DRW would want a highway queen and wouldn't want a truck that was too heavy or too tall. A tall truck can make connecting a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitch problematic (and while you can get a Dana 50 truck close to 2WD height, Dana 60 trucks sit considerably taller because the axle won't clear other components otherwise), and the transfer case and front drivetrain adds to empty weight without increasing GVWR, so you effectively lose payload capacity.

 

[hce]

I wonder if a person could use a this style of gear vendors between the trans and transfercase.

 

[Hans13]

i have a rule of thumb when it comes to loaning out my stuff. If the borrower doesn't have the means to repair or replace, they don't borrow my stuff then. Truck is mime. It's a "frankenstien" of sorts. Ford should have built a SC 4x4 with a D60 front, but they didn't. I did. It gets worked hard. in fact, I need to replace the cab in the next month or so due to the right side getting taco'd really bad on a large rock. At least the frame didn't get hurt.
here's a couple more pics of the "Sulaco". as you can see in the interior, it's optimized for cargo hauling.

I bet that overdrive gear gets really noisy like that

 

[jay22day]

I wonder if a person could use a this style of gear vendors between the trans and transfercase.

this was my thoughts. if i went 4x4 i would want to be able to use the GV in 4x4. otherwise it feels redundant having a gv and towing without it during poor weather conditions. Guess i just wanna have my cake and eat it too.

 

[G. Mann]

I don't think anyone makes an add on overdrive that you can use in 4x4 operation.

There is one that fits in front of the transmission [sorry, can't think of the name] but I recall they are rare as hens teeth.

Since 4x4 can't be used on hard surface anyway, I can't see an advantage to having "4x4 overdrive". Down the road at highway speed, having overdrive to lower engine RPMs makes sense, and fuel mileage.

 

[dunk]

I wonder if a person could use a this style of gear vendors between the trans and transfercase.

Looks like a standard Ford round transfer case bolt pattern on both ends? If so that would be pretty slick. I would prefer to have all gears available in 2wd or 4wd, though practically it not something that would be used often. If conditions are such that you are going to be in 5th over you won't have the hubs locked. Any time I've driven on the highway with hubs locked has been at more like 40-50 MPH at most.

I recall one instance on a road that was plowed for some stretches and not for others. All was fine until suddenly only half the lane was plowed, so the one side of the truck wanted to stop and the left side wanted to keep going. Ended up in a slow motion course into the ditch and hit a tree. No damage, just locked the hubs and carried on. Visibility was nearly whiteout so it was slow going.