Aftermarket Overdrive for High Powered Rams?

[dieselburner]

I am considering adding a aftermarket overdrive to my truck and am wondering if anyone has done this yet to

any high HP/Torque rams yet. If so, what is your approximate power, how much weight do you tow and how

often, and which overdrive unit do you use? Thanks

 

[LWilliams]

Aftermarket overdrive

I've got a 96 3500 5 speed with a #11 plate from TST that gives 680 lbs of torque that has 137k miles on it. I have a GearVendors overdrive on the back of the transfer case that pulls a 34ft. trailer with 17 rolls of hay, total weight of trailer and hay is about 30K lbs. I may not get home with it today but so far absolutely no problems with it. I would buy another one and I won't do without it. I can give you names and phone numbers at GearVendors if you are interested.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

The Gear Vendors OD unit is supposedly rated for obscene amounts of HP and torque... . whether or not you can shift it when making all that power is another question I am not prepared to answer.

It certainly is on my list of mods to do... .



Matt

 

[MCreathbaum]

Originally posted by dieselburner

I am considering adding a aftermarket overdrive to my truck and am wondering if anyone has done this yet to

any high HP/Torque rams yet. If so, what is your approximate power, how much weight do you tow and how

often, and which overdrive unit do you use?



Thanks

I have a gearvendors sitting on my garage floor with the insides in the pan. It won't tolerate 480 HP AND 1400+ ftlb of torque. No slam to the unit, it worked VERY well(5 mpg at 90+) while it lasted but I overloaded it to say the least.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I'd be interested in hearing more about this failure.....

Were you shifting the GV OD when it ate itself?



Matt

 

[John_P]

dieselburner:



I believe that Rob Hanson's GV OD just failed at 70,000

miles. I think he posted in the "Products & Accessories"

section.



--------

John_P

 

[MCreathbaum]

Re: Re: Aftermarket Overdrive for High Powered Rams?

Originally posted by OL HOTRODDER





I have a gearvendors sitting on my garage floor with the insides in the pan. It won't tolerate 480 HP AND 1400+ ftlb of torque. No slam to the unit, it worked VERY well(5 mpg at 90+) while it lasted but I overloaded it to say the least.

Further information on the destruction of the Gearvendors OD: It was just over a year old, had approximately 20000 miles on it, of which 2500 miles were towing at about 15000 GCW. when it let go I was leaving a stoplight, shifted to 3rd and slipped the clutches in the gearvendors. It was never shifted to OD except on the highway, but I would have to assume that there is as much or more load on the clutches in direct as overdrive. The bottom line is, they won't live behind even a mildly bombed Cummins. Even though they are rated for 1400 ftlb of input torque, that number can be easily exceeded with gear reduction.

 

[Missouri Mule]

I read somewhere that under/over gear units lasted only about 5 years ( I think I read it in a 4 wheel drive magazine ) Will try to locate artcile. It was about making a 4x4 with oversized tires and low gear axle ratio driveable everyday. This was mostly for rock crawlers so they could do highway speeds and decent mileage.

I thought five years was a little low for the amount of money you spend on the units.

 

[John_P]

dieselburner:



It was Andy Perreault not Rob Hanson that had a blown

GV OD. He posted what happened in the "Products

and Accessories" area under "Blown Gear Vendors OD. "

It was on or about 08-20-01.



Sorry for the mistake.



---------

John_P

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Alrighty then... . looks like I'll be steering clear of the GV OD unit... . I plan on making upwards of 1400ft/lbs someday and this OD will not live for long. Oh well.....



Matt

 

[Paul]

I have recently talked to a rep at GV. They are telling me to use the Dodge or GM syn. gear lube, the same stuff as used in the NV 4500. Also change it every 10,000 miles. So far mine is working great. I am still running the GM mineral gear lube in it but will change over.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I'm under the impression that the fluid you are talkin' about is the GL-5 stuff that DC sells for upwards of $7. 00/quart... ...

For now, I'm going to continue my research..... until the GV holds up to a heavily BOMBed CTD, I'm steering clear.



Matt - too bad Eaton doesn't make a transmission that weighs less than 1,000 pounds...

 

[Reddog1]

Dual Range Transmission

Hi y’all. I am a new-bee to both TDR and The Cummins, so bear with me. I recently bought a ’96, 2500, 2w, with 115000 miles. With the exception of a Dual Range Transmission (set-up as an under-drive) and a D-CELERATOR Exhaust Brake, the Ram appears stock. Both of these items are from U. S. Gear (usgear.com).



Indications are I have all the receipts and service data on the Ram. I cannot confirm this due to the demise of the original owner. There appears to have been no major repairs to this Ram. The Dual Range Transmission (set-up as an under-drive) and Exhaust Brake were installed when the ram was new. The Ram was used to pull a 35-ft fifth wheel from Reno, Nevada to Phoenix, Arizona.



Although this was a stock application, maybe U. S. Gear (usgear.com) is another source for you.





Wayne