anyone using one of these? if so how do you like it?

 

I was also wondering if anyone used one of these.

 

Got one and really like it. It's been on the truck for 90k miles now. Requires changing the fluid every 15K and washing the filter screens - not complicated at all. Improves mileage about 3mpg if you are on a long trip where you can keep it in o/d.

John (DH)

 

I had one in a work truck, LOVED it!!!!!!!!!! It worked like a dream, and was extremely durable. I pounded the stuffing* out of it and it never complained.

 

As I posted on another thread, just one caveat. The Gear Vendors overdrive unit is an updated version of the old Laycock overdrive used on Austin Healeys, Triumphs, Volvos, etc. It cannot handle transmitting significant amounts of horsepower in the reverse direction when engaged. This means you can't use an exhaust brake when the Gear Vendors overdrive is engaged.

If this is a problem, you might want to consider the U.S. Gear overdrive unit. This is an update of the old Doug Nash Ford T&C top-loader 4 speed-based overdrive and is an all-gear unit. It's rougher and noisier shifting, but can handle exhaust brake applications.

In general terms, the Gear Vendors is better suited to an automatic transmission, and the U.S. gear works better with a manual transmission.

Rusty

 

Hi Rusty,

One of the things that I heard was neither overdrive unit could handle 1000 foot pounds of torque. Do you know anything about that statement?

Thanks,

Opie

 

Would one of yall explain to me what this extra overdrive does? Is it like a High, Low range setup?

 

Opie,

I don't know how accurate that is. I doubt that either was designed for that amount of torque, but I doubt the NV5600 was, either. Just how much design margin they have - only the design engineers or someone who did a full design analysis would know. If I were making the kind of power you are and were interested in either one, I would give each supplier a call and see what they say.

Rusty

 

Thanks for the reply Rusty.

 

My son has one on his 3500 and he likes it. Drops the rpms about 4 to 500.

 

Here is their website: WWW.GEARVENDORS.COM.
I have one in my Chevy. Its been in there for 13 yrs. It has 170k on it and never failed or had a problem. They rate it at 1200 hp and only make one size unit for all the applications. I dont know about the torque ratings but its pretty high, they use it on gas dragsteers (not topfuel). My truck came with 4.56 rears so top speed was about 55mph. Now I can push it to 65-70mph

 

Looks like an interesting product. Basically it gives you almost twice as many gears?

Looks like a good product for those pull heavy loads.

My question is how do you engage it? Is it push button or what?

 

mine has an auto/manual switch. If you leave it in auto, it automatically switches in at 46-47 mph( or what ever you ask gearvendor to set it up for, It works off a small frequency box that installs in the speedometer cable extension). There is a foot switch to turn it on or off, but I have a finger switch (like the electric switches that work dump truck beds) mounted to the collum gear shifter. When it is in manual, I can start in 1-low gear, rev up to speed, hit the vendor 1-high gear, shift to 2nd, turn off=2-low, rev to speed hit the vendor 2-high and so on... Its hard to understand without seeing the manual in action. Manual is for very, very heavy loads, 25,000+(thats heavy for a chevy) I mainly got it for traveling, like I said, I have 4.56:1 gears. Now at least I can reach the speed limit.