Help with gearvendors!!

[DesertBen44]

Wow after more research looks like its supposed to be a 30 amp fuse, not a 3 amp fuse. haha; i might have to drive to the parts store right now and find out!

edit- no avail, even with 30a fuse after having power come strait from battery to GV unit, still no mas. Can anyone who has one of these units tell me when the lights come on? is it only once your driving around? Do any lights ever come on on the computer box? Hard to tell what to look for

 

[justinray]

Haha. Yeahhh

 

[RLDSL]

i dont know how to test the GV branded mumbo jumbo that are the electronic control boxes , but I am intimately familiar with the Laycock overdrive units , that are the hardware, which are identical to the ones used in the older VOlvos. You can test weather or not the actual OD unit engages ( or tries to ) by disconnecting the solenoid wire and putting 12v to it and you should hear a click. if that works, rig a jump wire and a toggle switch up to the cab and take it up to speed in at least 2nd gear and try engageing the thing Give teh throttle a little blip and let off and see if rpms drop and ease back into it and see if it grabs the od. If it clickes but doesnt grab the OD, then it most likely needs a new solenoid or you can get a new set of orings for the solenoid and reseal it ( pm me, I have a source for that set of orings and other laycock parts, but no GV parts ) If it clicks with a tight solenoid but doesnt engage the OD, then the unit is in need of rebuild. Not overly difficult operation, but probably not for the weak hearted

Make sure to take it out of OD before you get below 20 mph and do NOT put the thing or leave it in OD in reverse or very bad things will happen.

All the European cars I used to work on that had Laycock OD units from the factory just had a simple manual switch or button to activate the solenoid directly from the factory. Those complicated activation electronics are the only thing that Gear Vendors actually has invented, but the units function just fine without them

 

[rockbender]

Also, take a look at the wire size going into the computer... no way is that 30A! Pull that plug out and make sure it isn't grounding itself out. The center pin on that phono plug is the 12V hot wire.

 

[DesertBen44]

Yeah the wire is def tiny, got the info for 30amp here

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techa...r_vendor_overdrive_installation/photo_27.html

How would I be able to tell if the plug is grounding itself out?

 

[rockbender]

Yep - 30A to the solenoid would seem appropriate. make sure you put a 3a (maybe a 5a?) back into the computer power fuse holder. That little wire would probably catch on fire and burn up before you blow that 30A fuse!

 

[DesertBen44]

Wow just talked to Dave over at gearvendors, really helpful guy! spent about 20 mins on the phone with me. According to him if the bulbs in the switch assembly burn out in these older units (I guess this style computer was only used up til 95 so its much older then I thought) the circuit will not function, so the bulb is not just for indication it is an integral part of the circuit. Going to have to see if i can replace these bulbs I guess

 

[Black dawg]

I have dealt with several gv units that either didnt work or were intermittent. I usually just wire up a switch for manual control and explain to the customer what they shouldnt do with the gv. The wiring associated with the units is usually such a hacked up mess that it just isnt worth the time to fix it all, and take the risk of the computer box working correctly.

 

[hce]

I have dealt with several gv units that either didnt work or were intermittent. I usually just wire up a switch for manual control and explain to the customer what they shouldnt do with the gv. The wiring associated with the units is usually such a hacked up mess that it just isnt worth the time to fix it all, and take the risk of the computer box working correctly.

Fine for a 2wd, worst can happen is burned up GV unit. All hell will break loose at 60 on the highway when they have the hubs locked, forget the transfer case in 4wd a and absently minded engage overdrive. Computer and wiring will seem a bargain for the carnage that will follow.

 

[Black dawg]

Fine for a 2wd, worst can happen is burned up GV unit. All hell will break loose at 60 on the highway when they have the hubs locked, forget the transfer case in 4wd a and absently minded engage overdrive. Computer and wiring will seem a bargain for the carnage that will follow.

About 15 years ago I saw the damage from gv use while in 4wd, pretty much ruined everything in the d60 front. It isnt too hard to wire it so this can not happen.

I have seen a computer that would every once in awhile turn off the gv for no reason. Not too big of a deal unless you are driving a 5.13 geared chevy 1 ton with a 454 4spd at 75 on the interstate....ouch

 

[Darrin Tosh]

I have had mine on a manual switch for years. It has a ON switch on my counsel that activates the Eaton Switch on the shifter. I have never been on the highway over 60 MPH and needed 4wd. If conditions are that bad, I should not be going that fast.

 

[rockbender]

I have had mine on a manual switch for years. It has a ON switch on my counsel that activates the Eaton Switch on the shifter. I have never been on the highway over 60 MPH and needed 4wd. If conditions are that bad, I should not be going that fast.

Slightly off the OP's topic, but I also have a manual on/off switch for the unit on the dash. I installed this because I do not have the electronics to show when 4wd is engaged (and thus the ability to reliably wire in the 4x4 cutout switch on the GV) and would hate to accidentally hit the foot switch while cruising down a snow road in 4wd. I simply manually shut the whole unit off whenever the transfer case is engaged.

 

[DesertBen44]

Alright so just incase anyone finds this thread in the future looking for answers, old style gear vendor units apparently do not function if the bulbs are dead, they are integral. Replaced both bulbs, 4 dollars at pep boys and the thing lights up and shifts perfect! Thanks everyone who helped me out in the last few days, really appreciate it.

 

[hce]

I have had mine on a manual switch for years. It has a ON switch on my counsel that activates the Eaton Switch on the shifter. I have never been on the highway over 60 MPH and needed 4wd. If conditions are that bad, I should not be going that fast.

I would imagine 35 miles an hour can do quite a lot of damage also, especially if loaded heavily. I bet you have been on the highway at 60 with the hubs locked in though.