First report, 3K miles with USGear overdrive.

[LarryB]

Just finished up a 3k+ trip with my new USGear overdrive. Some good news, some bad.



Good

Nice to have extra gear choices.

Nice to be able to roll along at 75+ with my 4:11s



Bad

Very noisy shifting, especially warm.

Runs very hot in overdrive, almost unusable sometimes.

Extra drivetrain noise and vibration in overdrive is irritating, especially when making lots of power.



The biggest gripe I have is with the temp. If I have a headwind, overdrive is a real risk. Oil temp will climb to over 300 within minuets. Shift to direct and it will cool down some. Real frustrating. Hills can usually be pulled in overdrive though, if they are not too long. I wouldn't even attempt to use one of these in overdrive without a temp gauge.



All in all? I don't think I would install one again. I'd just go with taller gears and a 4K gov kit. It hasn't been a real good improvement/cost for me.



Just my opinion.

 

[NVR FNSH]

No mpg improvement?



Temp gauge is on the USGear or elsewhere?



Brian

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

NOT real clear from your post and sig as to exactly WHAT sorta rig you have the OD installed in? Is it the MH you have listed? What size and weight? Dunno why oil temps (engine or transmission?) should increase radically while in OD, other than on pretty decent grades, especially with 4. 11's - unless your rig is real heavy or has lots of frontal area... But let's face it, 22% OD, added to existing driveline losses and drains, PLUS heavy load and steep grades CAN make serious demands on the BEST of engines and trannies!



The vibration and other mechanical effects you mention - other than noisy shifting at freeway speeds - is NOT typical of the US Gear OD's - makes me wonder about the quality of the install...



As far as noisy shifts in/out of OD, I usually try to anticipate the need to switch ranges, and then shift when traveling down at 35 mph or less - but I gotta tell ya, with WELL over 100,000 miles on mine - probably near 40,000 mile towing our 5er, no problems, no vibrations, and NO WAY *I* would be without it!

 

[LarryB]

The temps I'm speaking of are in the USGear unit.



Brian

I put the temp gauge in the drain plug of the USGear unit. Actually slightly less MPG on this trip, 13. 6 avg , course doing 75 instead of 60 pretty much explains that. So much for cost justification.



Gary

Yes, it is in the motorhome. Click on the link in my sig for more info. I'm making 300+hp so maybe thats more than the OD can handle as far as the heat problem. Driveline all balanced and all new u-joints. Smooth as silk & quiet as a mouse in direct. Real growly and humming vibration in OD, louder with more power. Did the install myself. Nothing rubbing that I can tell. I'll give it a good going over this weekend though just in case I missed something. I'm also going to check my magnetic fill plug for signs of metal.

 

[rob10858]

and about 50000 is when all of these overdrives fail. [trust me] if it's worth another 3000$ for the next one, the extra pulling power is worth it. if not go to a six speed. i've challenged these over under gear manfs to dispute me on this, but sooner or later it will be out, and you will be paying for a new transmission, and driveshaft refit... time will tell and our time with gv and usg has been the same, great for a while, then you will come to regret ever having installed one. lets's start a new poll, how many towing units still have their original gv or usg units after 100000 miles?

 

[GLASMITHS]

50,000 MILES ON GEAR VENDERS???

Packman: I hate to tell you this; however I have about 75,000 miles on my Gear Vendor unit and it is doing just fine. I just got back from a 3K run from Lake Charles to Phoenix and back, 24. 5K and never a problem.



GV told me they would provide a rebuild unit for about 7oo. including shipping. It is simple to change out. I would do it if I had to pay for a whole new set up. I love it; and it works evern better since I have a DTT set-up and the Smart ControllerOo.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Packman musta missed the part of my post where I specified *I* had WELL over 100,000 miles on my USG - and 40,000 of THOSE miles were pulling a 7000 lb 5er - LOTS of Sierra grades!



And USG has a $1000 exchange program for their units - I'll be happy to take advantage of it IF mine ever fails...



Larry - there's definitely something wrong in your case - either a defective unit or faulty engagement of the unit - those are made to handle FAR more load than you or I are towing! For starters, I'd switch to a good synthetic (already HAVE in fact!), to reduce temp somewhat, as well as increase tolerance for heat buildup - but eventually, you'll HAVE to uncover the SOURCE of your problem!

 

[LarryB]

Gary

I am running LE synthetic now. I did discover that the 4" downpipe has been hitting the frame some since I reinstalled it after putting in the USGear unit. That will explain some of the vibration but not the difference between noisy over and quiet direct. I'll dig into it a little more later when it's back on the road. Right now I have the front suspension and stearing box torn out for complete rebuild.



Do you have a temp gauge on yours?



RE: life of the unit.

I doubt I'll ever put 60K on it anyway.



Gary

Just went out and pulled the magnetic fill plug and it had just a little hair on it. Nothing to show any problem inside. I will admit that at the end of my 3k mile trip it was running probably 50' cooler. Maybe it needs to get broke in and will run cooler with a bit more time on it. We'll see.

 

[GLASMITHS]

High temps in Aux

You might call USGear and find out what the temps should be. I plan onnnnne day to put a temp gauge on my GV.

 

[LarryB]

I talked with Lee at US Gear a couple of times regarding temps. He was very vague and would only say that the seals are good to 450', whatever that means. He wouldnt answer my question as to how hot I can run it. He said the oil breaking down from heat would be the problem. I get the feeling they know there is a problem with high temps in this unit but choose to let it be rather than change the design. I'm sure they have dealt with it many times before. I think the average user doesn't know how hot it runs and will probably be out of warrantee before a serious failure happens so they can deal with it then. Maybe the replacement program is a result of this.



Time will tell. I guess I'm committed to find out. In the mean time, I'll keep an eye on the temp gauge and maybe try to come up with some kind of heatsink/cooling fin arrangement.

 

[E-9]

US GEAR OD

I have 85000 miles on my US Gear unit. I ran it about 15,000 miles as an underdrive, then switched it to an overdrive, primalrily to offset the possible loss of 5th gear while on the road. I have had no problems with the unit. I do not run in "double over" unless I am running above 70 mph, which I do not normally do while towing my 5th wheel. I get 14. 5 to 16. 5 pulling in 5th gear, and in "direct" with the US gear unit. "Double over" is great when cruising solo at 70 mph or higher.

 

[Paul]

Re: 50,000 MILES ON GEAR VENDERS???

Originally posted by GLASMITHS



GV told me they would provide a rebuild unit for about 7oo. including shipping. It is simple to change out. I would do it if I had to pay for a whole new set up. I love it; and it works evern better since I have a DTT set-up and the Smart ControllerOo. [/B]

I was told the same thing and feel the same way !!

I think it was one of the best add ons to my truck.

 

[GLASMITHS]

GV&USG reliability

Paul: I think that these aux trannys are like a lot of other parts that break; most are from abuse. I was scared to death that my transmission was going to fail the first year, yet pulling 26k often hot cold, 7% grades what ever, 75,000, nary a whimper. Just took care of it and did not push it. Never wot!

 

[drees1]

Gear Vendors

Ok, 135,000 on the gearvendors and counting. I have not owned it the whole time, but have all the paper work. It previously towed a 5ver full time, and I tow a goose neck part time. It does have it's quirks, as far as shifting speed dependant on drive shaft and road speed. Also, since I put in the 13" southbend I have been making the split in neutral, as the new 13" disc seems to have more inertia, stiffer springs, and the Gear Vendors seems to put a lot of torsion on the clutch disc when shifted at a high road speed, especially down shifted. I recently put an oil change to it and used the Castrol synthetic as in the NV 4500. The shifting seems to have gotten smoother. Small seeping, not dripping on the tail yoke, and wet from the breather, but otherwise no leaks. I have the switch on the shift knob and it does rattle bad after a year or so, but is only $20 to change. With the 5 speed and 4. 11 rear I can only split 3rd and overdrive 5th for 7 nicely spaced gears. 2nd is too low to split with the 4. 11, and 4 over is very nearly same as 5th direct. Anyway, I thought you all would like the report as mine seems to have more miles than most.



PS Now that I have reported this, I hope it doesn't fail tomorrow



Doug Rees

 

[rob10858]

sorry, some good some bad

folks, if you like what you got, great. keep servicing them like you have been. our exps with aux trans may not be the same as yours. all i try to do here is give the other side of the story. and my side of the story remains the same. we started playing with them in our 96 and 97 dge and chvy trucks, both gas and diesel mtrs. again, the stats i gave were from what we saw. it's kind of like comparing trucks, love em or hate em... . Oo.