Anybody run a Gear Vendor overdrive unit?

[Kingofthehill]

i NEED to have my car more streetable and be able to take it on the freeway to different shows and whatnot...

i dont want to go with a lower gear ratio because now im used to the torque .... so im see'ing the Gear Vendor as the only option since i have a good ammount of money already sunk in my tranny and dont want to change it..

Does anyone here run one? any tunnel clearances needed? i would love to hear some real world reviews on it if it's worth doing..

Thanks

JOe

[dwc43]

I put one in a diesel Ford truck one time. I was not impressed at all with it. Had to take the drive shaft and have it cut. On a truck there was no clearance issuses, but on a car it wont be fun. On a short wheel base car your drive shaft might be too short. There was not much of a rpm drop and I could not see that it was worth the money that was spent on that thing. Truck had 4.11's as a stock gear in it.

[Kingofthehill]

not a big drop in rpm huh...

damn... if anyone else can share their experiances it would be great..

i guess i could always sell my trans and convert to a 5/6 speed... ive always wanted a classic muscle car with a manual... but its some $$$$$

JOe

[dwc43]

The Richmond 4+1 looks to be a good deal on a manual. YOu have to buy all the pieces seperate, but it looks to be a good deal. Cheaper than the Keisler. Lots of complaints about fit and ship times from them. You may have fitment problems with the gv in a car, but I am not sure on yours. I just know I was not impressed with the out come for the dollars that guy spent on that truck.

[bbeckwith]

Hey King,
I have one installed on my 72 Duster 340 w/833 4 speed. I love it, and yes it does make a big difference with 3.91 rear gears. I did have some clearance issues but none that couldn't be taken care of by my chevy tool (bf hammer), Imperial services made a custom tranny mount that is 5/16" shorter than normal that provides even more clearance. It has a long, long tail shaft for the 4 speed, so I have a fairly short driveshaft, but I have had zero issues with it so far, (1 and 1/2 years). You can shift normally using the clutch and it shifts seemlessly, but with a slight delay, or you can skip the clutch and shift it under power, and it bangs into overdrive authoritatively. It does provide much improved highway cruising as the rpms do drop significantly. I know DWC43 doesn't seem to like them, (everyone's entitled to an opinion), but I love mine, and highly recommend it. You wont have to cut up the driveshaft hump to make it fit, just a bfh and one of Imperial Services custom tranny mount if the bfh doesn't do the trick. As a side note, when I was doing the install, the tech guys bent over backwards to help me get it done and on the road in anticipation of driving power tour 05.

[tl1000r]

Hey bbeck....What kind of RPM's are you running at 65-70 MPH with the GV unit? I have a similar set-up in my 73 duster (No overdrive) and run 3100-3200 rpm's at 60MPH? I was looking at a keisler 5 speed but have heard some people have problems. This may be another solution for me.

[John Kunkel]

I've run two of them, work great with only minor or no floor work needed in most B and E bodies, and they are "on demand" regardless of gear.

If you're running 3100-3200 rpm's at 60 mph you'll be turning 2400-2500 with the GV. (Turns a 4.10 final drive into a 3.20)

[LA360Dart]

Hi all

What are your working angles for the u-joints? I looked at doing it in a A body and the working angles for the u-joints became very extreme. Spoke with guys at gearvendores and they claim it's not a problem. Think of a u-joint as a socket/ratchet with u-joint, at a hard angle no longer smooth and wear and hp-loss will increase. On short wheelbase car makes all worse, shortened driveshaft severly increases wear of u-joint having to travel through one rotation. This will shorten the life of u-joint and increase the loss of HP. On limited use cars okay but for performance or daily driver I would not do....

Denny

[bbeckwith]

I was worried about the angle of the u-joints but using the shorter tranny mount from Imperial Services reduces the angle somewhat, tho, I have to admit, I have yet to measure the angles to properly set the pinion angle. I have not had any issues yet with u joints or vibrations. Knock on wood, and John Kunkle answered the question about rpms pretty much spot on for me. I would turn less with a taller tire, I only run a 25" tall tire w/3.91 gears. With overdrive, I'm in the low 3.00s on the highway.

[dodger1]

I would think Gearvendors website would have the gear ratios used and the math to figure out your own results is pretty easy. Their unit does seem to be longer than an A-500 or 518 so driveshaft angles could be an issue on a short-wheelbase car.

[Cudadrag]

Could changing the engine/transmission angle help? I know this is not a real option for stock mounted engines and stock located transmissions but I am in the same boat as some of you on the usefullness of the GearVendor overdrive unit. In my case engine and transmission mount thus angle is not set.

Anyone try this? And if one does this what effect does this present to pinion angle?

Man, this is a damn if you do damn if you don't sport. It seems to always be pick your poison, and constant trade offs.

[dwc43]

Even moving the engine tranny angle wont work if the shaft is too short cause it will over angle when the suspension moves even though it may read right when at rest.

[cageman]

Yeah, that does suck when your driveshaft vibrates when you are airborn, flying over an approach or off of a cliff.

[it's all dodge]

what do they get for the gear venders?

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by John Kunkel
I've run two of them, work great with only minor or no floor work needed in most B and E bodies, and they are "on demand" regardless of gear.

If you're running 3100-3200 rpm's at 60 mph you'll be turning 2400-2500 with the GV. (Turns a 4.10 final drive into a 3.20)

That's quite a useful change of ratio, about the same as the Borg Warner overdrive out of the old cars. Well, it was 0.7:1, this is about 0.8:1, which will split between gears better.

But 'on demand'... so presumably using clutches and hydraulics to engage?

Some power wasting in there...

[chitown hustler]

I installed a GV unit in my 67 charger this past winter and it,s one of the best mods i,ve every done . It,s nice be able to drive in the fastlane with 3.91 s without buzzin the engine to death
The install was really easy and only needed some minor dimpling of the trans tunnel to make it fit , mainly for the speedo cable adaptor and i,ve had no drive angle probelms or vibration probelms whatsoever . IT WORKS GREAT !!! and while it is fairly expensive ( what isn,t these days ???) i work my ass off so i deserve a little present and it,s hard to beat having an extra gear .

And As far as the comment made about it not dropping the rpm much ??? Sure it could be more ,,but you,d have to be really hard headed /stoned or stupid to not notice an 800 rpm difference ???

[John Kunkel]

Originally Posted by chitown hustler

And As far as the comment made about it not dropping the rpm much ??? Sure it could be more ,,but you,d have to be really hard headed /stoned or stupid to not notice an 800 rpm difference ???

Consider the source.

[Rob-D]

Web site is http://www.gearvendors.com/ I think I was quoted right at 2500 for the one I was looking at putting in my truck but that was a while back.

[68D100440]

I was going to go with the Tremic 5 speed deal but the gear vendors is half the price. I've never heard anyone complain about them at all.

[it's all dodge]

DWC, were you saying Richmond had a fitting problem, or Keisler? And what was the problem? I'd like a 4+1 richmond with my 340 swinger I'm sure it will take abuse

[dodger1]

The unit is based on the DeNormandville overdrive which one would find on many European makes, Volvo being one that come to mind as I sold and abused these bricks during the late 60's. The o/d was part of their "performance" kit. GV uses a .78 ratio split, and it effectively will give you a 2.84 final drive if you're running a 3.55 gear. 2.84's will make decent mileage so what's the complaint here?

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by it's all dodge

DWC, were you saying Richmond had a fitting problem, or Keisler? And what was the problem? I'd like a 4+1 richmond with my 340 swinger I'm sure it will take abuse

The K had the problems. Many reports missing parts, too much time to recieve it. Mounts that would not fit, or had to be modded a lot by the customer to make it fit. If I buy a kit, it better fit without me having to mod it. One claimed he got the wrong shifter, and then it would not fit the car or the console and a whole bunch of other problems. Do a search on here. There was a thread with some of the complaints on it on here if oyu can find it.

[ehostler]

Funny, I've only read good about the Keisler setup. The only bad comments on this board have been from DWC and he has never run one. I have met two people with the Keisler and they are very happy with them.

[dwc43]

Originally Posted by ehostler

Funny, I've only read good about the Keisler setup. The only bad comments on this board have been from DWC and he has never run one. I have met two people with the Keisler and they are very happy with them.

By the way, since you forgot about it, You posted on the same thread with the bad comments E. And I have installed one and driven it. I did not own it though .And I wont own one. Not impressed with it at all, and the cost on top of that, well that puts an end to it. Just not worth it. I don't think you own one either.

[kick_the_reverb]

Add one more bad comment about Keisler.
Second gen Cuda "bolt-on" - yeah, right. Major floorpan, cross members and tunnel surgery to make it fit.
Glad it wasn't me who had to do it.

Ran

[turbododge]

Can't speak for the fit of a Keisler, but the 4+1 would probably require tunnel work. It did in my E body. About a 1" bulge in the passenger side side about 10" square. I cut a hole to get the fit and then made a cap to weld on when everything was right. Also cut a hole for the speedo (I used electronic). The rear mount wasn't too bad, used the original crossmember with a couple of angles welded on to pick up the stock mount. Need a turbo 400 GM yoke from the bone yard, and a custom length drive shaft with conversion joints. I modded a Z28 Leonard Long shifter to fit up through the original boot.

It is a very nice setup, but remember it is not an overdrive transmission. The top gear is 1 to 1. They added the gear to the bottom, so you need to change your rear gears to get your highway rpm down. Depending on what your current trans low gear is, you can get a .75 to .80 rpm reduction on the highway and keep the same low gear ratio.

[wheels2]

I race with a friend that is a dealer and uses one on in his car. He owns a truck and trailer repair shop an installs many in piukup trucks. We bracket raced his car Sun nite, 71 Dart 340/727/4.88 gears. He runs ( 1/8 mile) 8.40 on motor and 6.95 with 150hp NOS, lets the trans auto shift and goes in to OD at the traps. Drives it to work 25 miles every day. Thing is tought and criuses at low rpm on the hwy.

Just Info
wheels2

[dkn1997]

some E body guys are havin problems with the Keisler. Check over at moparts, plenty of bad blood over there about this.

Keisler is trying to make it right, though. They are looking for owners of Ebodys who had to cut the floors to make them fit and they want build dates, assembly plants. I think they may be looking for cars to measure too. they are looking for a pattern since some E bodys seem to have no problem bolting it right in and others have to hack the car up to do it.

With that said, and I actually agree with DWC on this, if you drop that kind of money on a kit, a kit that is advertised as a "no hack job", then the welder and cutoff wheels better not have to come out. Keisler claims that making small cuts and welding is not a hack job, but if the welder comes out, it's a hack job in my book

B bodys (except early 60's) seem to be no problem.

[dwc43]

Actually there was a post by two people that had mid '60's cars on here that had problems with the Keisler hack job.

Just got back from our car show and had to E bodies sitting next to me. One had a K 5 speed in it and both bad mouthed them while I listened in. Then someones wife came over and talked about it and sent her husband by to discuss them cause he had one. HE cussed them as well. The guy parked beside me said he had to grind and hack his. HE also said he had to send the tranny back twice to the factory and it's going back again. The last problem has to do with a leak. They sent a clip that goes inside of it that was suposed to stop it, but did not. He said he looses about a pint a month and had to tie a diaper around it to catch it. It's a very nice car so I suppose he did that to keep the bottom of the car clean, cause it was clean. There's no way I need an o.d. bad enough to put one of these in for what they cost and the headaches that go with it.

[it's all dodge]

It's gotta be easier with the 4 + 1 Richmond. I would put in a 2.94. But for now, I think the alum case with 2.66 first 1 to 1 4th will work for my Dart