Gearvendors overdrive

[warpt71]

Anyone her install one first hand? I'm attempting to get one installed and finished by this weekend. It all looks pretty simple. Any pointers to hand out guys?

 

[Don Johnson]

Anyone her install one first hand? I'm attempting to get one installed and finished by this weekend. It all looks pretty simple. Any pointers to hand out guys?

Installed one a long time ago in a 4x4 Chevy, went in super easy and worked great. No real pointers just get the driveshaft length right.

On a side note, if your application is 4x4 one bit of advice, do not engage 4 wheel drive when you are in overdrive and in heavy snow. That makes for an interesting ride.....Did that only once, never forgot again.

 

[warpt71]

2wd application. No minute like the last minute right?!?!

 

[pronstar]

Those are legit.
Pricey, but legit.

 

[Boschma]

I'd love one for my '86 dually

 

[warpt71]

I'd love one for my '86 dually

That's what I'm installing it into.

 

[RitcheyRch]

A buddy has one on his BBC powered Nova and it works like a charm.

 

[Boschma]

That's what I'm installing it into. View attachment 414022

How much was the kit?

 

[warpt71]

View attachment 414026

How much was the kit?

Close to 3K, I picked this up 2nd hand a few years ago for $1300.

 

[Uncle Dave]

gonna be a sweeter ride with that overdrive.

Ive driven a trucks with it and a hone overdrive hon-o-drive.

Well worth it for a 3 speed automatic rig.

UD

 

[warpt71]

No turning back now! Headed to the driveline shop first thing tomorrow.

 

[Willie B]

gonna be a sweeter ride with that overdrive.

Ive driven a trucks with it and a hone overdrive hon-o-drive.

Well worth it for a 3 speed automatic rig.

UD

...I could be mistaken but I believe the Gear Vendors units are a 22% overdrive but the Hones were 30%...Last I heard the Hones were now only available for the Model A Ford market,...but my info is somewhat dated???...

 

[warpt71]

You are correct on the 22%, .78

 

[NicPaus]

Is that year TBI motor or carb. I had a 89 dually with the 454 TBI. I upgraded to the MPI kit from Edelbrock and every other thing they had available for my motor at the time. After mods it gained 2-3 mpg and it would easily break the rears loose. Had a good connect back then for cost on parts as Edelbrock is right down the street.

 

[Willie B]

You are correct on the 22%, .78

...Well bless my little Hon-O -Drive...it appears as though Hone has gone back into manufacturing a heavy duty unit...I needed a 30% unit for some vehicle I had
I begged and pleaded with them to start producing their heavy duty unit sgain...and they politely told me not gonna happen...Well it looks like it has happened...
...I asked Gear Vendors why they didn't manufacture a 30% unit and was told that the majority of their sales at that time were for drag racing applications and that 30% was to drastic a gear ratio spread for the majority of the requested applications...and that it could also be used as an underdrive...

 

[SOCALCRICKETT]

What type of milage will you see with gear vendors? Those trucks stock were 8-10mpg right?

 

[Boschma]

What type of milage will you see with gear vendors? Those trucks stock were 8-10mpg right?

Mine gets 8

 

[rush1]

Gear vendors are great units but why wouldn't you just install a well built 700r4 transmission?

 

[Cole Trickle]

Gear vendors are great units but why wouldn't you just install a well built 700r4 transmission?

I wouldn't want a 700r4 behind a big block that tows. You are asking for trouble imo.

 

[Uncle Dave]

Gear vendors are great units but why wouldn't you just install a well built 700r4 transmission?

Even with a 700r4 its then 4 vs 6 speed with the GV.

As cole says under a heavy load Id still take the GV and the t400





UD

 

[bonesfab]

I have a couple of them. Love them. I have one in the bus behind a manual transmission and splitting the gears is so nice for the right rpm/speed. Also have one in a similar truck and it works great. I am s
actually a dealer for them also. Have installed a few of them. Couple of chevelles and a boss mustang. Great unit. :thumbsup

 

[Wheeler]

I'd love one for my '86 dually

I need to get around to installing my GV overdrive into my '88 dually. It's been sitting around the shop for the last twenty years or so.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Gear vendors are great units but why wouldn't you just install a well built 700r4 transmission?

You would want to slap a 4l80e back there over a 700R4, much stronger. Its the OD version of the TH400, bolts right up. The only mods would be that you would need to run a $500 TCM to control it, slide the crossmember back and have the driveline shortened.

 

[Boschma]

I need to get around to installing my GV overdrive into my '88 dually. It's been sitting around the shop for the last twenty years or so.

Maybe in the next 20...

 

[Uncle Dave]

Looks like if going from 8-10 payback (4K) is in about 40K miles.

This of course isn't counting the flexibility of better towing, and longer range per tank and overall engine wear and tear.



UD

 

[warpt71]

So for all the above mentioned reasons, I went w/ the GV. I have had the truck almost 10 years and it was my daily driver for the first 5. No one wanted to build me a 700R4, I called and asked. The truck just weights too much, it's not the big block that would kill it. Also the 1-2 shift on a 700 is a wide spread. If you have driven one, you know what I'm talking about. And yes, this is a carbureted truck, last year before throttle bodies. Also, no computer and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Yes the GV is expensive, but what would a 4L80E cost? I haven't driven it across the highway in a while to do a milage check but I'd put it in the 8-10 range. I doubt I'll be able to break into the teens and that's alright. What I will gain is the ability to cruise at more that 65. The speed limit was 55 when it was built, 55 on the gauge is orange and all the other numbers are white lol. So 65 is already working the truck pretty good and you have no passing gear, if it drops to 2nd its really screaming! Should be pretty nice to run 2nd over to pull a grade or pass a semi.

Drive line is getting done today and shipped back by Friday. Might be a late night install but I'm hoping to be on the road sat am moving a load of shit to the river. I'll update y'all as I make progress.

 

[hallett3]

I had a 1988 Chevy dually with a 454 throttle body F.I. I bought the truck brand new in 88 and 12 years later I installed a gear vendor in it. Best thing I ever did to it. Dropped RPM big time and better gas mileage. It was pricy but worth it cause I hatted the high RPM's with 373 rear end Gear ratio. I live 300 miles away from Havasu and I will save a strong quarter tank of gas. I sold it 8 years ago in mint condition. I wish I never sold it.

 

[rush1]

I know the 4l80e is basically a turbo 400 that's electronic with an overdrive, but don't they run a 700r4 behind a 6.5 in the military hum vee? That's got to have some towing capacity and I know some Trans shop guys that swear by their built 700r4's?

 

[Wheeler]

Maybe in the next 20...

I'll sell it before then.

 

[STV_Keith]

...Well bless my little Hon-O -Drive...it appears as though Hone has gone back into manufacturing a heavy duty unit...I needed a 30% unit for some vehicle I had
I begged and pleaded with them to start producing their heavy duty unit sgain...and they politely told me not gonna happen...Well it looks like it has happened...
...I asked Gear Vendors why they didn't manufacture a 30% unit and was told that the majority of their sales at that time were for drag racing applications and that 30% was to drastic a gear ratio spread for the majority of the requested applications...and that it could also be used as an underdrive...

Might want to also check out the US Gear overdrive. I want to say theirs is 25%, but it might be 30%. We installed a few when I was at Diesel Dynamics. It's electrically shifted, which means you can select direct or over/under and leave it there. My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that the GV unit is oil pressure shifted, so it will shift back to 1:1 if you come to a stop.

 

[tkrrox]

How good are these things in a diesel truck. Say 01 f250. I seem like I can never find the right gear. I know my pops had on in his 07 dodge and that thing never seemed right. Banged something fierce when it shifted. The first time it did it I thought the whole tranny fell out of the truck

 

[TBI]

I need to get around to installing my GV overdrive into my '88 dually. It's been sitting around the shop for the last twenty years or so.

Two weeks :thumbsup

 

[Bigbore500r]

How good are these things in a diesel truck. Say 01 f250. I seem like I can never find the right gear. I know my pops had on in his 07 dodge and that thing never seemed right. Banged something fierce when it shifted. The first time it did it I thought the whole tranny fell out of the truck

Probably had the converter locked when it shifted. That would do it...and HARD

 

[tkrrox]

Probably had the converter locked when it shifted. That would do it...and HARD

So no shifting it while under load and shouldn't have those issues?

 

[warpt71]

How good are these things in a diesel truck. Say 01 f250. I seem like I can never find the right gear. I know my pops had on in his 07 dodge and that thing never seemed right. Banged something fierce when it shifted. The first time it did it I thought the whole tranny fell out of the truck

ATF will make them shift hard. They call for synthetic gear oil. They are electronically shifted too. In auto mode it will shift at approx 45 mph and they send a headlight high beam switch to operate it in manual mode. Think old cars that had that switch on the floor board for your left foot.

 

[Bigbore500r]

So no shifting it while under load and shouldn't have those issues?

I think they can shift under load, but when the converter is locked it would be bad. Auto transmissions never shift when the converter is locked. I did that once messing with a "manual lockup switch" I wired into my cummins (was experimenting with something) and yea it was brutal

 

[rivermobster]

Probably had the converter locked when it shifted. That would do it...and HARD

Some of the GV units were designed to run on regular ATF. If some dummy puts synthetic in it, it will bang like a mofo when it shifts!

How do i know this??

I have one in my truck. And it shifted HARD when I got it. I saw on the last service invoice, they filled it with synth. I drained it and put regular ATF in the thing. It shifts as it should now. No bang.

On the 700R note...

Every overdrive auto trans owners manual says "do not tow in over drive".

And yeah, the shift points on the 700R and definitely not the best. The 200R shift points are Schweet, but it's just not a very strong trans.

The Gear Venders is perfect for towing. :thumbsup

 

[warpt71]

 

[rivermobster]

Yep. I know it's against our better judgement, but reading the owners manual is Always a good thing.

View attachment 414334

 

[Wheeler]

Two weeks :thumbsup

Chill out Buckwheat! I ain't got time for that. :tbi

 

[warpt71]

Drove it home last night and everything seems to be working. I fucking hate wiring!!! Took me forever and I have some tidying up to do today but everything worked the first time out. I should be on the freeway this afternoon so I'll be able to report how much better it is.

 

[rivermobster]

Drove it home last night and everything seems to be working. I fucking hate wiring!!! Took me forever and I have some tidying up to do today but everything worked the first time out. I should be on the freeway this afternoon so I'll be able to report how much better it is.

Congrats!

I have a switch on mine (under the dash) that switches from Fully automatic function or manual. If it's in manual mode, there is an old school headlight dimmer switch on the floor that I use to turn it on and off with. There is also some weird computer module buried under the dash that everything hooks to as well. I've never messed with it. The truck came this way.

Is yours like that as well?

 

[tkrrox]

River mobster do you have one on your 7.3?

 

[rivermobster]

River mobster do you have one on your 7.3?

Yes sir...

It sits on 37" tires and 4:56 gears as well. I love my GV. :thumbsup

 

[warpt71]

Congrats!

I have a switch on mine (under the dash) that switches from Fully automatic function or manual. If it's in manual mode, there is an old school headlight dimmer switch on the floor that I use to turn it on and off with. There is also some weird computer module buried under the dash that everything hooks to as well. I've never messed with it. The truck came this way.

Is yours like that as well?

Yep, that's all standard issue and a slight pain to get all hooked up. Well, only painful cause I didn't want it looking like a rat's nest. I got everything mounted to my center console and all wiring is under the carpet.

 

[tkrrox]

Yes sir...

It sits on 37" tires and 4:56 gears as well. I love my GV. :thumbsup

I will have too look into it. I keep going back and forth if I want to keep it or go newer. I just rebuilt the tranny and everything else is done but towing with it the mpg is around 9-10. With the 5.9 around 12
Regular I'm around 13-14 and with my 5.9 16-17

 

[rivermobster]

Yep, that's all standard issue and a slight pain to get all hooked up. Well, only painful cause I didn't want it looking like a rat's nest. I got everything mounted to my center console and all wiring is under the carpet.

Mine's a rats nest. But it works so I aint gonna fix it!

 

[wsuwrhr]

View attachment 414334

anything with Mopar is always better.

 

[rivermobster]

I will have too look into it. I keep going back and forth if I want to keep it or go newer. I just rebuilt the tranny and everything else is done but towing with it the mpg is around 9-10. With the 5.9 around 12
Regular I'm around 13-14 and with my 5.9 16-17

Whole story...

I have a cold air intake, a 4 inch exhaust, and a Super Chips programmer, along with the other mods I mentioned. These are my around town numbers not towing:

Stock it gets about 9-10mpg (its a fucking slug)
Tow Safe mode 11-12 (runs ok)
Full power mode 14-15 (lots of power -runs awesome!)

The only drawback is, I have to keep a close eye on the EGT's while towing. It will get up over 1000 degrees in a blink on a hill! I leave it in full power mode all the time.

Towing, it drops to around 9-11mpg if I'm in the hills. Like say above central cali heading up to the Oregon dunes. But, like to Glamis and all that? Probably about 13-14 or so. The best part of the GV is keeping the engine where it needs to be, so the trans isn't "hunting" while towing. You can kick it in or out in any gear or range. It's a VERY nice feature to have.

One time going to the river not towing anything, I got almost 18mpg. I kept it around 65 just to see what I could really do. And like I said, it was ONLY ONE TIME! I usually run 75-80 or so. And I only kick in the GV on the freeway. I'd say 15mpg is a good average for me not towing.

Last thing to mention...

If I'm towing anything, it's my heavy azz toyhauler. I'm at 19.6k on the scales fully loaded. My boat lives at the river, so it only goes to the launch ramp and back. The times I have towed the boat, the truck didn't even know it was there.

Hope this helps.

 

[warpt71]

Been on the road a hour, pulled a couple small grades, all good! My ears are really happy, amazing how much quieter it is inside the cab. Cruise control set to 60, truck is loaded floor to ceiling, front to back and a small 5x8 trailer behind. We'll see how far I get on 40 gal