NCheek
Howdy
Aftermarket overdrive/gear splitter questions
- Thread starter Lonesome7.3
- Start date
Lonesome7.3
CSA
If you do not want her I will have to see what else I can come up with.
Goofyexponent
Mentally Unstable..
They sound like they shift like a 13/18 speed eaton......and if you guys can drive an auxillary OD like these on a 5 speed.....you are miles ahead of some of the truckers i work with!
Lonesome7.3
CSA
I wonder if Icould find a way to get 18 gears out of my truck.
Full Monte
Full Access Member
I get 18 speeds out of my 4x4 with USG overdrive and C6 tranny. Three gears in each of 4x4, 4x4 compound, 2WD and then 3 more speeds in each of those with overdrive. I think that adds up to 18. For going down the highway, it's limited to 6 speeds in 2WD. I think that's what's the most useful. I have, on occasion, going down a long grade, put it into 4WD without engaging the front hubs, and used the transfer case machinery to slow it down and save on braking. Works very well.
Lonesome7.3
CSA
That is good information. How has your transfercase handled the extra abuse?
Had the Gear Vendors unit on an F-450 work truck -no towing .On the plus side it dropped my hi-way rpm's, my main goal, a quieter ride and maybe slowed wear on the engine.
The downside was 10,000 maint. special oil, exp. And I have a short W/B with 4X4 drive, unit is behind the tranfer case and the driveline angles were steep, too steep. Gear vendors supplied the u-joint up front, much smaller than stock . They failed several times and GV factory was no help. Milage did not improve as I think the engine worked harder in dbl. OD. Bottom line it blew and I went back to stock .If I knew more in advance I would not have gone that route.
I think it's a weak unit OK for light work and LWB drivelines only.
The downside was 10,000 maint. special oil, exp. And I have a short W/B with 4X4 drive, unit is behind the tranfer case and the driveline angles were steep, too steep. Gear vendors supplied the u-joint up front, much smaller than stock . They failed several times and GV factory was no help. Milage did not improve as I think the engine worked harder in dbl. OD. Bottom line it blew and I went back to stock .If I knew more in advance I would not have gone that route.
I think it's a weak unit OK for light work and LWB drivelines only.
Lonesome7.3
CSA
I am glad you chimed in. I had planned on using it in my tow rig.
Wow. How much weight did you have on your work truck? Was it one of the older GV units? I noticed that for 'commercial' use, GV rated there unit at less then "recreational" use. Heck, they even have that extra oil capacity pan/cooler. The limit it to 25,000lbs GCWR vs the 30,000lbs for recreational use.
http://www.gearvendors.com/commercial.html
From there site:
Maybe backing up killed it.....
When I had my GV installed, I was wondering about the GM oil that they recommended. My local parts store noticed that a Royal Purple brand met the GM/Mopar specs, so I bought that. I don't know how much the GM/Mopar stuff runs.....
Maybe the era of the GV OD is going. I mean, most trucks have OD now, if not they have double over (well, the NEW, NEW trucks, the 5 and 6 speed auto's). Heck, they're making a pickup box for the F450 truck for 2011(?) now! In the past, most people were towing GCWR below 20,000lbs with transmission with out any OD at all (be it stick or auto).
Side note: My GV isn't that old. It was put two (three?) years ago, and I doubt I have 10,000 miles. Any how, if you have a unit w/ the mechanical speedo, double check their little extension cable. My drive cable broke where it comes out of their GV adapter. Fortunately, a local shop made speedo/tach cables, so it was quick fix. When I took it apart, I noticed that it was DRY. VERY, VERY DRY. I think it was not lubed prior to install (maybe it was the dealer I had do it.... it was a GV dealer, but I bought the complete unit off EBAY from another dealer out of state....) I guess it was binding and eventually it was more friction it could handle.... Just a FYI ;p
Edit- Prior to it breaking, the unit would act funny. Sometimes it would shift to OD below 25MPH! I think what was happening (just a guess) that the cable was starting to come apart. The friction was making it bind up, the cable would twist and then it would "release like a spring" spinning the cable and tricking their electronic unit I was above 25MPH even though the speedo didn't indicate it. Just a crazy idea..... so far, it hasn't shifted into OD below 25 (or below 40/45MPH where it should shift).
Lonesome7.3
CSA
That was very informative as well.
Just wondering. If I locate one that has been well used. How easy are they to rebiuld myself?
Just wondering. If I locate one that has been well used. How easy are they to rebiuld myself?
Just one more good reason to go with a brownie instead . I never have seen the logic of hooking up a wimpy little GV od unit that is wimpier than the stockj Laycock OD units that came on the 740 Volvos and trying to haul massive loads with them.
They aren't difficult to rebuild, you just need to know where to get parts. You dont want to buy them from GV, tha'ts a ripoff. You can buy parts for a late model 740volvo M46 Od unit and save a fortune . I have manuals for the things. Been through plenty of them. You need a couple of special tools that can be fabricated Most commonly the hydraulics go *****, but when the cone clutch gets smoked that gets expensive. Even the solenoid can be resealed for about $5 worth of seals instead of buying a new one for $80 from GV
Lonesome7.3
CSA
That sounds good to me.
I have been searching for a Brownie but no luck. I knwo where one is stiing but I cannot afford it. If I can find one When I have money then I will own it quickly.
I have been searching for a Brownie but no luck. I knwo where one is stiing but I cannot afford it. If I can find one When I have money then I will own it quickly.
That my friend, sums up most of my projects! And I just bought a project thinking it would be "simple"
. Turns out the block is cracked, it's the smaller engine... and finding another engine isn't as easy as I thought. 
Lonesome7.3
CSA
Isn't that just the way it is all the time? I have stopped assuming something will be simple until I am doen with it. That is why I do not like to buy used trucks and put them on the road. Iliek to biuld them myself.
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