Ok guys I have been looking for a gear vendor for about 2-3 years now. Now that I have obtained one I need some helpful tips on installing one. I bought the unit attached to a np205 from a getrag and I have the drive shaft for a single cab truck. I will be taking the GV off that 205 and will bolt it to my 205 due to mine just being re done. The unit came out of a 4:10 truck so I'm good there. My first question is what do I do with the VSS, do I need one from GV or will mine be long enough to reach (doesn't look like it will). Where is the best place to mount to controller?

Any tips from those who have installed one would be much appreciated

 

I'd mount the controller on the shift stick, that way manual splitting gears is easy. Your hand is already right there.

Whats the controller look like ??

 

I installed a 93 cluster in my 85 with a Gear Vendors, There is a speed sensor on a short (12" ?) cable from the Gear vendors unit. The other end of the speed sensor went to the original Speedo cable, and then to the Speedo. I removed the cable to the Speedo and Installed the VSS directly onto the Gear Vendors Speed sensor. Problem solved.
The Control box, and the switch/lamps are seperate from each other, and use Telephone style cables (I just cannot think of the real name at the moment) Splitting is via a Dimmer swithch on the floor, this can also be used as a "passing gear" Totally hands free, in Manual mode.

If you are missing any parts, send an E mail to Gear Vendors, they are the most Customer friendly Buisness I have dealt with in a long time. If you dont have a Manual, get one from them, you will need it!

 

My GV controller sits behind the glove box with the Vari-Cool. It's basically useless as far as I can tell, but the electonics need to be hooked up for it to work right:

http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...cs/CTD_177.jpg

Switch on the stick, way cool:

http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...ics/CTD_93.jpg

You can't see in this pic, to the left of the VSS on the extreme left of the pic, but I made a little bracket to mount the VSS out away from the tranny crossmember and reach the GV speedo cable. You will probably need a ratio adapter as well, depending on what speedo drive gear is in the GV itself and your tire size:

http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...ics/CTD_92.jpg

The other "main" controller is mounted on the firewall up under the dash near the brake pedal somewhere. Sorry no pic. Be advised, the GV holds only a small amount of oil, like a bit over a quart IIRC, so timely oil changes are paramount to keeping it alive. GV currently recommend Syntorque, or the GM equivalent. It will slam into and out of gear with cheap conventional lubricant. I installed an external sump with filter and circulating pump to increase oil capacity and extend oil change intervals:

http://stuff.is-a-geek.net/PhotoAlbu...cs/CTD_126.jpg

 

Do you refer to the controller box, where the electronics are? I'd put it somewhere where you can see it when you need to: in the case of 4wd like yours, you might want to make sure the GV does disengage when you engage 4X4. There might also be something relating to the use of an exhaust brake but I'm not sure anymore. One thing for sure: as Thunderhog already mentioned, get the orange user's manual from GV: it does explain a bunch.
As for me - but I'm slow alright - it took me a while to figure out the proper shimming for the coupler to sit where it's supposed to.
Since you have a 4wd, you could use the speedo on the NP205, right?
Keep us posted on your progress and good luck!

 

One of the RJ-45 lines going into the main controller is to lock out the GV with the transfer case switch when 4x4 is engaged. The only controller you need to worry about on a stick truck is the on-off switch on the shifter (or wherever you choose to mount a switch). The main controller does eveything else for you and is basically hands-off once it's wired up and installed.

 

Ace you seem to have some good knowledge of the GV unit. On my 92 with the GV the shift points have changed. The GV would shift at app. 30/40 mph now it shifts at 20/25 mph. Any ideas as to why the shift points changed. Are there any adjustments that you know of? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Rollin', mine's on a Getrag, so I'm afraid I can't offer much in the way of advice for an auto setup. But I would've thought except for heavy towing splits, the GV normally only comes into play on top of OD, IOW, last shift is GV (double OD w/518) at like around 50mph or better?

 

Ace,
Thanks for your input I just talked to gear vendors and they are sending me the instruction manual long with the wiring diagram. They are also sending me new gaskets and new electronics due to the aged state of the ones I have now. Once I get all of these new parts in I should be ready to install it.

Ace could you explain you extra sump design, it looks to be beneficial.

Thanks

 

Basically it's a 4qt power steering resevoir from a Mack truck mounted prone next to the GV on the crossmember with a little autopulse fuel pump to circulate the fluid. I run it once or twice a week for a five minutes or so after it's warmed up right before pulling into the driveway to keep the fluid filtered and circulated/mixed. I'm really curious to see what the oil looks like when I change it next summer with two years on it.

Avoiding a failure due to clogging the internal filter is one of the things I hope to achieve with the external filter. It's basically the same thing any auto trans with an internal filter is subject to. Fluid runs too long, degrades, clutch material starts clogging the filter, game over. Happens all the time in trannys that don't get serviced properly.

Going with 3k mile OCI's it would take about six changes over that period, so I'm saving a couple quarts of $18/qt oil and alot of work. I think it will safely go three years or 30k miles like this, but working up to it after seeing what 2 years looks like. It's out of warranty now anyways, so what the heck...

 

Well the parts from GV finally came in, and the truck is ready. My first question is, when removing the GV from the 205 (the one that came with it) is it keyed in anyway? In other words do I need to mark any positions? The manual that I got does not specify.

 

I don't believe so. IIRC, the bolt circle is symmetric, so you can basically clock it however you like. Of course, as close to a drain-bolt-on-th-bottom orientation is best. Mine ended up being tilted slightly towards the fuel tank.

 

Thanks Ace, and as for the 205 adapter it looks like it can be bolted on in any spot (in a circle or course)am I correct?

 

Hey Ace,

Any tricks to putting in the angled speedometer hook up with the gear into the gear vendor (the piece that angles down)? Also where is the best place to find switch power for the control box?

 

Ok so I pulled the yoke off of the 205 and the output adapter, my question is do I need a new gasket for in front of the bearing? I can see the ball bearing and on the 205 that I pulled the GV off of there is some sort of gasket in front of it (the bearing is not visible) I'm not sure if this makes sense, I'm having trouble following and understanding the instructions given.