Thinking Roadranger transmission

[jbrowne]

I've posted before about my 96 RAM 2500 conversion. I replaced the automatic with a 5 speed and stuck a DANA 80 dually under it. Just got back from a 5000 mile rad trip that took us from Coeur d' Alene, Id. to the Oregon coast and down to Fortuna, past north of Clear Lake and down the Sanjaquine to Lancaster, Williams, South Rim of the Grand Canyon on to Oklahoma City , Canton, Tx and return. The old Dodge did real good. I'm pulling a 34 foot King of Thhe Road that grosses at 16,000 lbs. The only gripe that I have is the 5 speed needs better gear spaceing between third and fourth. Well this got me to thinking that maybe a 9 speed Raodranger would be great. I'm sure that the 9 speed will fit up to the Cummins bur getting ther rest of the drive train to fit up might be one heck of a challenge. Has anyone ever tried this conversion?

96 2/4 ton 230 HP, 465 Torque, 5 speed, duallied. 3:54 differentials(4X4), guages. two wheel low mod.

 

[dpuckett]

Make sure the Eaton has an overdrive gear or two. Maybe you need to get a 3K or 4K GSK? More BOMBs? I didnt have any trouble in my 93 with 3. 54s shifting through at 23000# GCVW. I have seen some contemplating doing a 7 speed swap in. Has a . 77 (or so) OD, plus low enough bottom gears, and narrower spacing, without having to get an air supply to split the ranges- one of the trucks at work needs 90psi to move the splitter. Of course it is an 83 Int'l, 290 Big CamIII, and 650K.



I can talk to a guy that has a RTO1066 in an 85 F350 behind a B series, or so I've been told. It does have a muffler shop 3"exhaust on it, so I'll believe the B series part. It is doable, just depends on how much you want to spend, and how bad you gotta have it.



Daniel

 

[moparguy]

jbrowne, I used to pull a big, heavy 4 horse steel goose-neck trailer and when loaded with 4 big horses, water, and hay on top and a weeks worth of gear in the front and 10 corral panels on the sides, that split between 3rd and 4th was a killer.



Then I upped the power a tad and installed one of Piers governor spring kits, now no more issues on the 3 to 4 split.



I suspect this could be lots cheaper than the Eaton conversion, but the 9 speed would be much cooler.



RJR

 

[tgbol]

The biggest problem I can see is your tranfercase. You would need to go to a divorced unit. The drive line lengths will get pretty strange. Look at an early 70's F*rd then move the t/c rearward about 10 inches. U-joint sizes will also be a problem but not huge.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

jbrowne



You got a P-pump in that thing? Man you REALLY need to call Piers at Piers Diesel Research. P-pumps rule!



How about the NV 5600 6 speed? That trannys a monster! Easier to fit up. But the Eaton would be cool!



Brian

 

[CGriffith]

Sweet Idea!!!



9 speed roadrangers are cool but they are kind of useless IMO.

They drive nice if you don't like using the clutch but it's hard to find someone to drive you home when your had a few too many cold ones

Seriously look at the gear ratios of an overdrive B ratio 9 speed at www.roadranger.com, they benifit you very little over a NV5600.

If your going to go with a twin countershaft transmission go with a 13 speed. They are the same length and almost the same weight, just more expensive. As I recall, a reman 13speed is $4-5 big bills from the local big truck shop. Add the divorced NP205 from a mid-70's ford, some drive shafts and the right clutch/bell housing and you're only in ~$6000. Oh and you might wants a body lift to help with clearances and you need on board air to operate the splitter. You can always do it cheaper but I would want a well built million mile transmission to go with the million mile cummins.



Hear are the most common ratios I have found



------------1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

NVG4500 5. 61 3. 04 1. 67 1. 00 0. 73 N/A

NVG5600 5. 63 3. 38 2. 04 1. 39 1. 00 0. 73



9speed-----Low 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

RTO14609 12. 5 7. 47 5. 28 3. 83 2. 79 1. 95 1. 38 1. 00 0. 73

13speed RLO

Low---1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5thL 5thH 6thL 6thH 7thL 7thH 8thL

12. 31 8. 59 6. 11 4. 43 3. 23 2. 28 1. 94 1. 62 1. 38 1. 17 1. 00 0. 86

8thH

0. 73

See the similarities between the 6 and 9 speed in the top gears?

There is no need for 9 over a 6 speed unless you have 40K lbs to get moving and you don't have a low range.

Is anyone braking parts in the 5600?? I haven't heard about it.

The 13 speed has the a similar low side (4th and down) but splits the top four down the middle.

Heck the 18 speeds are even better (same as 13 speed only splits the bottom gears also) but I don't know what the point is. Also the cost of a 18 speed is way high!! $10k+??

Imagen the creepy crawly gears these trannys would give!! Very cool

There is a rare 13 speed RTLOO out there that has a double over final drive of 0. 62. Just in case you want to do 100mph across West Texas at less than 2400 rpm with 3. 54 Rear gears

-MUST HAVE IMO!!!

(Look this transmission up in the parts section on the roadranger site. )



I love all the roadrangers because nobody else has one,

but they make it hard to smoke ricers because you're waiting for all that rotating mass to slow down before you can get another gear.

In reality your money would be better spent calling piers and throwing some more fuel at it or putting in 6speed





I'll take a 18 speed and mopower in my truck please!!!Oo. Oo. Oo.

The only thing more pimp than that is driving a 600hp 379x Pete to work everyday.



The wife keeps telling me if I want to win the lotto I have to play.

Double #@$%!



Go big or leave it alone



Should this be in the conversions section???

 

[jbrowne]

Thanks Griff. ;

That is the kind of information I've been looking for. With the gear ratios that are shown in your reply I can now see that a NV5600 would be the ticket. I darn near put one in the 96 when I did the conversion. The only reason I did,nt is the drive shaft work scared me off. Then when I hung the NV4500 and put the crossmember in, I found that the NV 4500 is 1 1/8" shorter than the automatic that I took out. So I had to have the darn shafts reworked anyway. Hind-sight is 20-20. Well I hope that others that are contemplating this conversion learn from my experience and your information is great. That is what TDR ios all about. Thanks a bunch. I'm going to see if I can arrange a swap for a NV5600. I'm sure it will take some booty but looking at those gear ratios has convinced me. Thanks again.

Jim

 

[NVR FNSH]

My dad is pulling a CarriLite (~14K gross) with my old '96 2500 - 4wd/5spd/4. 10s. He was complaining about the gear splits while towing (I only noticied them under very specific conditions not towing) and Chuck at the Power Shop convinced him to go with a Banks kit as opposed to the GearVendors. My dad has been very happy since the Banks stuff was installed and has not complained about the gear splits since. Moral of the story? Go with a power uprate before investing any more money in the trans.



On a side note - my '00 2500 4wd has the 6spd and if I had it to do again I'd get the 5 spd because my 6spd shifts so poorly. The trans has been replaced under warranty w/o any improvement and I have a new slave cylinder waiting to be installed in hopes that it solves the problem.



Brian

 

[RPainter]

Gear vendors under/overdrive?

Has anyone tried gear vendors under/overdrive? Seen the ad in thr TDR book. From the ad, looks to split the gears in an automatic transmission.

Randy

 

[RustyJC]

A few things about the GearVendor OD/UD that they don't mention in the ad:



1. It can't be used engaged with an exhaust brake.



2. It doesn't work until around 20 MPH when it builds up internal hydraulic pressure.



Conventional wisdom is that the US Gear OD/UD works better with stick shifts while the GearVendor OD/UD works better with automatics.



Rusty

 

[RPainter]

gear vendors

I have an automatic with no exhaust brake. Another question would be on the down shift. When going down a hill and letting off the throttle, would it hold back and downshift or just coast?

Thanks for the reply.

Randy

 

[RustyJC]

The GearVendor unit doesn't freewheel under reverse torque loading. That's why it will burn the clutch band up in the GearVendors unit if it's engaged when an exhaust brake is used - it can't handle transmitting significant torque in the reverse (i. e. , from wheels to engine) direction as it must do when an exhaust brake is engaged. It works fine in direct with an exhaust brake - just not in OD/UD.



Rusty

 

[GLASMITHS]

No flame intended; however to make it real simple, the GV o/d cannot be used for braking anytime, whether by E-brake, by gears, hanging you hat out the window or what ever. It is to be used for forward pulling only A re-man unit is only $700. 00; just ask me. They didn't tell me that before install. It is buried in the owner instructions.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

just put a GSK in it and wind 3rd out a little more... problem solved!



Forrest