Gear Splitter?

[Mel Swanson]

I have an AT with 3. 55 rear-end. I haul heavy 5ers and need more gears in the hills.

Any experience with the over under type gear splitters? Do you think they are worth the cost? Thanks.

 

[DF5152]

i have no actual experience since i dont own one but i have done alot of research. there is only one company that i have been able to find that actually make a true under drive unit it is US gear. they also make an overdrive. Gear vendors is the other company that advertises there unit as a gear splitter but is only and overdrive each unit has its strenghts and weaknesses and cost are very high in the 2500-3000 range. recouping that money in fuel economy would take a very long time. would it be a fun toy im sure.

Dan



Just looked at ur picture did u rebuild that truck or was it used for parts

 

[TexEdwards]

I have had a gear vendors on 2 trucks and loved it. It is bullet proof. The first one I had was on a 90 ford 460 gasser with a vortec super charger and I tow very heavy never had a problem. I also had one on a 93 6. 5 chevy 4X4 dually western hauler. It really improved the pulling ability and greatly improved the mileage. 25mpg empty.

And they are alot of fun

 

[DOverton]

I have a Gear Vendors on my 98 and have not had any problems with it. I love how it drops the rpm's in high gear. The truck is quieter at highway speeds and I get right at 28 mpg empty! The only drawback on a Gear Vendors is that you CAN'T operate a exhaust brake with it in overdrive. I will go with the U. S. Gear model the next go around. I like to be able to use the exhaust brake without worrying about turning off the overdrive. I may change it over later this summer. If you don't have any use for the exhaust brakes go with Gear Vendors. Otherwise you might want to look at U. S. Gear. Just my 2 cents worth!! If you are needing lower gears for pulling I would go with the U. S. Gear model. They have the true under drive or over drive available. Gear Vendors are only a overdrive unit.



Dallas... Oo. Oo.

 

[Mel Swanson]

DF 5112

Just looked at ur picture did u rebuild that truck or was it used for parts ?



I just uploaded my finished DDT to the "Readers Rigs Gallery". Take a look, and Click on Reborn RAM.

You can also see how much it cost me to bring this together. Had I had more skill I could have done the work myself and saved a bunch.



Thanks guys for the valuable info.

mel

 

[mputnam]

I have a U. S. Gear on a 2000 3500 and love it. I had a Gear Vendor and replaced it with the U. S. Gear. This was because, I needed the capability to use the PAC Brake with the overdrive. Gear Vendor does not have that capability.



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2000 3500 with a US Gear overdrive, PAC Brake, TST Box, 275 injectors, Western Hauler bed, hauling a 1993 Royals International Homestead.

 

[Mel Swanson]

Originally posted by mputnam

I have a U. S. Gear on a 2000 3500 and love it. I had a Gear Vendor and replaced it with the U. S. Gear. This was because, I needed the capability to use the PAC Brake with the overdrive. Gear Vendor does not have that capability.



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2000 3500 with a US Gear overdrive, PAC Brake, TST Box, 275 injectors, Western Hauler bed, hauling a 1993 Royals International Homestead.

Help me out, please. What is a 1993 Royals International Homestead?

mel

 

[SMorneau]

Originally posted by TexEdwards

I have had a gear vendors on 2 trucks and loved it. It is bullet proof. The first one I had was on a 90 ford 460 gasser with a vortec super charger and I tow very heavy never had a problem. I also had one on a 93 6. 5 chevy 4X4 dually western hauler. It really improved the pulling ability and greatly improved the mileage. 25mpg empty. And they are alot of fun

This doesn't really equate to the torque or torsional vibration a diesel will subject them to. The NV4500's were also "bullet proof" until they put them behind the Cummins. I'm not saying these units aren't any good. I'm just saying the gassers aren't really a good comparison.

 

[Big Best]

U. S. Gear is the only one you can use in 4 wheel drive. Ive had mine for seven years. no PROBLEMS>

 

[DOverton]

Originally posted by mputnam

I have a U. S. Gear on a 2000 3500 and love it. I had a Gear Vendor and replaced it with the U. S. Gear. This was because, I needed the capability to use the PAC Brake with the overdrive. Gear Vendor does not have that capability.



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2000 3500 with a US Gear overdrive, PAC Brake, TST Box, 275 injectors, Western Hauler bed, hauling a 1993 Royals International Homestead.

Just wondering mputnam, did you have to have any more drive shaft work done when you swap from a gear vendor to a us gear? I'm planning to do the same thing for the same reason you had. Thanks, Dallas. .

 

[wbrown02]

Dont worry about the gear vendor overdrive and the use of an exhaust brake..... the newer units have a cutoff switch that turns the overdrive unit off when the exhaust brake is applied... . have used this setup behind my 235 hp/ 605 lbs torque ctd 5 speed for a number of years..... you can split gears with it all day long... works from a switch on the gear shift..... I tow combined vehicle weight of 23,000 lbs often... ... you will learn to like the double overdrive when not towing... . big increase if fuel mileage.

 

[More Throttle]

I also have a gear vendors gear splitter. I didn't get any better mileage towing or empty. I went to take the unit back within their 30 days money back garauntee and they gave me the run around. I don't like the way it shifts in and out of overdrive. Just check all your options before you buy and try to drive someone's truck that has one.

 

[SRadke]

Can someone please elaborate on not being able to use an exhaust brake with the Gear Vendor? Does it freewheel in overdrive so you get no compression braking or is it just not recomended by the manufacturer? Thanks.



-Scott

 

[DF5152]

Originally posted by SRadke

Can someone please elaborate on not being able to use an exhaust brake with the Gear Vendor? Does it freewheel in overdrive so you get no compression braking or is it just not recomended by the manufacturer? Thanks.



-Scott

apparently the clutch design doesnt like reverse loading.

 

[DOverton]

I have a gear vendor and what they told me was that the gears inside are not straight across but cut in a hillical shape so when you push on the throttle they hold tighter but when you reverse the load on them by using the exhaust brake it forces the gears apart which it could damage the gear box.



Dallas

 

[Loren]

Scott,



The Gear Vendors unit will automatically shift out of overdrive if you engage your exhaust brake. You won't hurt anything.



*************

MSwanson,



I have a U. S. Gear unit. I bought the U. S. Gear because I wanted to use the splitting in 4WD. For a 2WD truck, I think either unit would work fine.



The total installation, with me doing my own labor, was about $2500 or so. (Maybe more, but I don't want to know. ) You will never pay for one of these transmissions in fuel savings. The mileage improvement is barely measureable -- about 1 mpg or so in my case. By the time you save enough fuel to make up $2500, the interest on the initial expense would buy you another one.



Whether one of these is worth it is a question that depends entirely on you. How much are you willing to spend to get the gear splitting you desire? You will save a slight amount of fuel, but that's about where the savings ends.



Mine has been on my truck for almost a year, and I consider it one of the best modifications I've made to the truck. I rate it with my exhaust brake and Edge Comp box in useful accessories. For me it was worth the cost.



I submitted an article to aid drivers on choosing an auxiliary overdrive transmission to Robert with the hope that he will publish it in the TDR. I was hoping to see it in our current issue, but it didn't appear. With luck, it will be in the next one. If you can wait, that article can answer a lot of questions. If you can't wait, send me a PM.



One last thing... To decide whether to buy an overdrive or an underdrive (U. S. Gear only, as previously mentioned) there is an easy question to ask yourself: Do I want an additional higher gear or an additional lower gear. Both over and underdrives will provide gear splitting, and the difference is at the top or the bottom. Most Cummins drivers will want an extra gear on top and should order an overdrive.



Loren