Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) transmission conv. 4500 to eaton 7 spd (kind of long)

[jmeehan]

The data I could find from my own research showed the gear ratios for the Spicer ESO 66-7B as 7. 48, 4. 43, 2. 76, 1. 9, 1. 34, 1, and . 74, and R 6. 66. It weigh's 454 lbs. and is 35" long.

One of my thoughts has been to go with some tall 19. 5's, and with the super low in one of these boxes it ought to be perfect.



I've read that Wholesale Truck Parts in Portland OR. has swapped Road Ranger's into Rams. They're at (800)547-1315, ask for Lane. I haven't gotten around to contacting him yet.



If my 5600 continues to behave itself I'm thinking of going with a small Brownie box in place of my carrier bearing. I want both an underdrive and a splitter for 4th/5th and 5th/6th. I guess I want it all

 

[onestackdram]

someone please educate the slow kid... what is a "brownie box"?



Russell

 

[jmeehan]

An auxilary transmission installed after the main transmission. Now they're built by Spicer. They were built by Browne-Lipe (sp?). Most times I've just heard them called "brownie box".

I've been researching them for about a year, I'm going back and forth on weather to keep my 5600, or swap in something heavier like what you'r looking at. Anyway, the brownie is a three speed auxilery, most times an under drive, direct drive and over drive.

The link that crash af posted has some good info in it, and a couple other links with great info in them.

If you decide your 4500 will work for you a brownie may round out your gear choices nicely. An under drive to get the load moving and the 5831-B, the smallest they build, has a . 85:1 O. D. which will split 4th/5th in your transmission. I want something that will let me split 4th/5th and 5th/6th, that . 85:1 is perfect.

 

[yogibear]

Its a "Brown-Lite" transmission, they have a primary box, and a secondary box. They make a 4X2, 4X3, and a 4X4.

After WWII, my Dad and Uncle ordered 3 two ton trucks, and 2 half ton pickups, they all had the same small 6 cyl. eng. , so had to install brownies in the trucks to be able to haul any good size loads. You shift the secondary box in 1st, then go thru the 4 gears in the primary, then, secondary to 2nd, then the 4 gears in primary again, and so on. If you learned to shift those, you could shift anything!! They are like the 2 stick 4X4's in the big rigs. I don't know if they make those anymore.



Larry

 

[yogibear]

Your right 85CJ, they are an auxilary, with under, direct, and over, my memory failed me there. They are a bearcat to shift tho! At least the old ones were.

 

[onestackdram]

so do they make those to fit under our dodges? Obviously not made specifically for the dodge but one that would work? And approx. what would one cost?



Russell

 

[moparguy]

If you guys can sweet talk Steve or one of the other admin types to dig into the archives and find a post by TDR member LARGE CAR, it would be very much worth while.



LARGE CAR hot-shotted a 97 3500 and after about 5 trips into his NV 4500, installed a 4 speed Allison and Brown-lipe aux transmission. He provided lots of great info, along with a shop in Tx. that could do the Brownie conversion and had built up Brownies ready to ship.



My search didn't go far enough into the past to find the post about the actual swap, but as I recall he used a 3 speed floor shifter on the Brownie and just floated the shifts with the Allison, it seemed to be a good upgrade.



RJR

 

[jmeehan]

I forgot all about LARGE CAR, is he still a member?

I do remember his Allison/Brownie drive train though. That would be sweet!

I'll e-mail Steve, incase he isn't following this thread.

 

[tgbol]

The Browie box will fit in a Ram 2x. There might be some fuel tank interferance. I had a 1960 GMC 1 ton with a Brownie in it. Making up the drive shafts was a hassle because of the different sizes of u-joints. The ratios were 25% under, direct and 15% over. We loaded the truck down to 9800lbs and towed a 12,000 trailer with the truck. The Brownie really helped.

 

[onestackdram]

What kind of ratios can you expect in a 'new' brownie box? The exact opposite of tgbol's old one would be perfect.



russell

 

[onestackdram]

ok well i just answered my self, and by following the thread that Crash AF gave. I found quite a bit of good info. And I think if a brownie box could be found and purchased it would be perfect. But where does it mount under the truck? Right behind the transmission? of somewhere else down the line? And how exactly do you set one up to shift in the cab? That is one part I guess I am not following very well.



TIA



Russell

 

[tgbol]

The Brownie will mount about 12 to 18 inches behind the main box. With a short drive shaft between. Then another shaft with a slip yoke to the rear axle. The shifter I had was another stick with two rods that ran back to the Brownie. To shift it properly it took two hands at the same time.

 

[onestackdram]

if a guy only needed the underdrive about 25% of the time and would leave it in overdrive the rest of the time is that possible or does it have to be shifted with the gears. Meaning could I just leave it overdrive until I absolutely needed a lower gear?



Russell



my thinking is i run empty about 75% of the time and with the 4:10's I really wouldnt need to use underdrive or even the direct drive but a handful of times when i am actually towing. so if I could just shift the brownie box into over and leave it at all times would that be ok?

 

[tgbol]

Sure you can do it that way. I just found it fun to see peoples faces when I went through 12 gears when pulling away from a light.

 

[onestackdram]

so i am assuming that this thing shifts without any type of clutch or anything. how does this thing shift?



Russell

 

[tgbol]

It is a non-syncro 3 speed transmission. I would shift without the clutch. A lot of people will double clutch it to shift. When used behind an automatic it is easier to select a range and let the auto shift through the gears.

 

[onestackdram]

ok i think that i am sold on the brownie box but who all sells these things? Is Goody's the only place?

 

[onestackdram]

Ok now I have come up with another question on this brownie box set up. I have crawled under the truck atleast 20 times a day for the last few days trying to mock things up in my head. And now I would like a little assistance as to "how" you guys would put something like this in. I know that some new crossmembers would have to be manufactured not a problem, but the fuel tank being in the way has me concerned about structural integrity for the new cross members. Secondly would you mount the front of the 'new transmission' where the existing carrier bearing is on the driveline or the back of the 'new transmission'?



Russell

 

[tgbol]

Most of the Brownies have a collar on the input bearing retainer that kind of looks like a drive shaft center support. You can hang it from a cross member laid accross the top of the frame rails. At the back of the case are two eyes that bolt to another cross member with rubber mounts. Mounting this way allows for frame flex without binding.