whiteknight

Has any one installed one of these OD units? are they good for a light BOMB? and do they up mpg? thanks

John_P

whiteknight:<br><br>Welcome to the website!!<br><br>I do not have the &quot;U.S. Gear&quot; Overdrive Unit in either<br>of my trucks, but I do know several guys that have<br>them and they tell me they are very happy with them!<br>They do help mileage somewhat, and they will raise<br>your top speed. I have also been told that the U.S. Gear<br>unit is stronger than the &quot;Gear Vendors&quot; unit.<br><br>-------<br>John_P

Redleg

I intend on getting one down the road. My understanding is they are heavy duty, designed to aid heavy trucks with pulling.

whiteknight

my buddy put one on his 98 stroker 4dr 4x4 ford 2 weeks ago his milage stayed the same. He might think its because they took the catalytic converter off when they installed O.D?

boughtadodge

I have one of these in a 86 f350 diesel when it works it is great but when I first bought the truck it about drove me nuts left me stranded a couple of times because of the pos electric motor that they used aparently the first shift motors were not strong enough to handle thier own torque the bolts come loose on the motor and locked the tranny in neutral so I took it apart and repaired it and it would work for a while and then just when it was needed it would not work finally at the cost of 135.00 I ordered a new motor and so far it has worked flawlessly. Funny thing when I first checked into getting a new motor Lee told me that they had not had any problems like what I had described and that I must have it to full of oil or the wrong oil was used and he suggested that I change to a synthetic oil well I did and it still did not work so finally I broke down and bought the new motor when I called them I talked to Lee again and he told me that they had problems with the old motors and the new ones work much better! I guess a couple of months thinking about it refreshed his memory that they had problems. Go figure but now it seems to work fine but until I replaced the electric shift motor it was not worth a nickel you could not depend on it they should design it so it can not neutral. Matt

whiteknight

cummins get ya some, thanks for info appreciate all info i can get, sounds like lee got amneisia until he got $ for new motor.

turbo thom

Lee seems to be a busy person . I have been runnin the OD for 3 years and he told me the shift motor gets weak and needs replacing. I was having shifting trouble and from what Lee told me I was not shifting properly. You are to engage the shift motor 2 sec's before shifting then clutch the the engine. Being the shift is electric/spring operated, the gear has to be under pressure. The torque from the lower gear keeps it from shifting till the clutch is applied. If you ease off the petal the same will happen. It will shift. Albeit, not under control. I tried to shift mine where I would engage the OD shifter when I shifted the tranny, with no &quot;clunk&quot;. That is bad. It has to have the pressure to shift properly. And it will last longer too. I also found the connections into the juction box can get debris in there and cause a connecton problem. Take them out and spray a cleaner in there and that is fixed.<br><br> I have towed so long with mine I don't want a 6 speed tranny in a new truck. I will get 5 and transfer the OD into the new one. Lee said all is the same. Just a swap. I have fried one OD unit but that was on me. To much oil in it. And I do use Amsoil series 2000. One qt. That's all it will take. More than that and it will heat up. I got one so hot it blew oil out the top like a whale blowing water.<br><br> Milage? Not on mine. That remained the same. I bought the OD for another gear when the 5 gear came off. That happened 3 times but now with the Standrd Transmission fifth gear fix I use it to get the fiver moving. In the mountians it is irreplaceable. Keeps the speed and RPM's matched just right. <br><br> Me! I won't leave home without it.

whiteknight

good info turbo thom thanks, keep info coming in this sight is great.

boughtadodge

turbo thom Did Lee also tell you that that first style of electric motors was a poor desighn and they updated it if yours is three years old I would recommend you pull the electric motor out and check to see if the bolts that hold the motor together are tight if not take them out and loctite them mine was only a year old when it shot craps and it was always shifted the way you are suppose to. I agree with you that it is a great little unit when it works but the first time it half shifts and stays in neutral you will think a little different. But if you carry a 5/16 wrench with you you can pull the motor and use a slotted screw driver to shift it into gear to get you home. Matt

turbo thom

Matt:<br> As the post said the first one I cooked after two years. The motor was changed before it had time to implode. I guess. I am on the second OD now. Right at 20K miles. <br>I will agree Lee is not the doctor you would want to have talking to you if you needed soothing after finding out you had cancer. He is very to the point but then so am I . We had an understanding. Even calls me by my first name now. I got past our personally difference and am sold on the OD. Thats the main issue. Lee sent me a new motor at no charge when he thought it was going out on the OD I have now. I was going to send it back. He said no, just keep it . So now I have a new one in the shed just in case.<br><br> As far as I am concerned the OD does what it is supposed to and will stay in my truck. I like it.<br><br>..Preston..

Redleg

So unloaded and in overdrive, you guys aren't seeing increased milage with lower rpms at cruising speed?

turbo thom

Redleg:<br> When I am runnin in fifth over, 2000 rpm is 80 mph. At 70 the I about 1750. I have not been able to keep myself at that speed when runnin at 400 HP. It's just such a waste. The 370's lowered my MPG. I really don't know if the unit will give better milage or not. Maybe a little.<br><br>..Preston..