Gear vendors reviews

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7dart0

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You guys with a gear vendors overdrive unit, is it worth it? I'm really on the fence about pulling the trigger and ordering one.

Show pics and any tips on install.

My setup is 360 magnum, 904 w/2800 stall, 8 3/4 w/3;55 gears possibly going to 4:10 gears.

Tom
 
i know two guys with them and they both love them.. turns those 3:55's into something like 2:76 gears.
 
You guys with a gear vendors overdrive unit, is it worth it? I'm really on the fence about pulling the trigger and ordering one.

Show pics and any tips on install.

My setup is 360 magnum, 904 w/2800 stall, 8 3/4 w/3;55 gears possibly going to 4:10 gears.

Tom
Wow you started a trend on Gear vendors the same time I did.
 
You guys with a gear vendors overdrive unit, is it worth it? I'm really on the fence about pulling the trigger and ordering one.

Show pics and any tips on install.

My setup is 360 magnum, 904 w/2800 stall, 8 3/4 w/3;55 gears possibly going to 4:10 gears.

Tom
I have a 340 904 and 410 gears. and the best I could do was about 45 at 3000rpm. Now I can do about 65 at 3000 rpm or better. and from 2nd to 2nd over she pulls real hard.
Yep best thing I put in the old girl so far.
 
While I have heard from many that they are great units, you can get overdrive for a lot less with a little time and elbow grease. Swapping either an A500 (42RH) or an A518 (46RH) for your 904 would be a lot cheaper. However, you would only have a 4-speed overdrive rather than a 6-speed. Just a thought :poke:
 
While I have heard from many that they are great units, you can get overdrive for a lot less with a little time and elbow grease. Swapping either an A500 (42RH) or an A518 (46RH) for your 904 would be a lot cheaper.

Bopth my 65 wagon and 47 Dodge are getting an A500. The wagon will be definitely more work than the 47!

However, you would only have a 4-speed overdrive rather than a 6-speed. Just a thought :poke:

For either of mine, the 4 speed OD will be sufficient!
 
0401181501a.jpg
Not a good pic but there it is my tranny pan decided to leak just before winter. new pan and no more leaks just got to clean up the mess
 
While I have heard from many that they are great units, you can get overdrive for a lot less with a little time and elbow grease. Swapping either an A500 (42RH) or an A518 (46RH) for your 904 would be a lot cheaper. However, you would only have a 4-speed overdrive rather than a 6-speed. Just a thought :poke:

Some people rather not have to hack into their car to fit one of those units in.
 
Some people rather not have to hack into their car to fit one of those units in.
yea that's why I went with the gear vendor no hacking or pounding. but not cheep. but it's done and i'm happy.
 
I have a 727, 3000 stall and 4:10 gears. Best investment on the car so far. With the overdrive, it takes the final gear down to 3:20. Very easy to install, a couple of small dents with an blunt air chisel and it fit fine. Plus the tech guys are second to none to deal with. Bob
 
I have a 727, 3000 stall and 4:10 gears. Best investment on the car so far. With the overdrive, it takes the final gear down to 3:20. Very easy to install, a couple of small dents with an blunt air chisel and it fit fine. Plus the tech guys are second to none to deal with. Bob

Do you have to shorten the driveshaft or just change the yoke?
 
If you use it strictly as an overdrive, that's a lotta coin.
If you use it as a splitter, there's a good chance, you're gonna forget to disengage it Just one time in reverse, and POOF! It's gonna cost you 50% of retail to get it rebuilt.
But in the right combo, and with adequate protection..it is dyn-o-mite!
But seriously, if I had it to do over again, then either
1) I would not hang it on a 4-speed, or
2) I'd go auto and probably stroker, and just run 3.23s, or
3) do what TB did, namely overdrive automatic, and cut the floor,or
4) get a Tremec, or
5) buy a trailer, and call it a city-only car.

I'm into that thing for more than a Tremec by now
 
If I were to go the a500 route how hard is it to setup to control it? I don't mind flipping a switch evertime I hop on the highway.

It just seems like way more work to make something else fit.
 
Depends on what you want to do with your car. I wanted to road trip mine at a reasonable RPM and my install cruises at 70 MPH at 2300 RPM with 28" tires and 3:73/1 SG gears.
Yeah its a little money but I want to cruise RT 66 with my Notch-----------------

GV1.JPG


GV2.JPG


GV3.JPG


GV4.JPG


GV5.JPG


GVA.JPG


GVB.JPG


GVC.JPG
 
No more than I drive mine, I couldn`t get past / how long will it take to re coupe my money on it.
Decided not too--------


its not always about recouping your money in gas savings.. most times its about not having to change gears and make it slower around towna nd the track while also gaining cruise-ability while not having to hacking the **** out of your car to fit one of many OD transmissions in it..

only thing i wish gear vendors would do is offer an optional better OD ratio...
 
Depends on what you want to do with your car. I wanted to road trip mine at a reasonable RPM and my install cruises at 70 MPH at 2300 RPM with 28" tires and 3:73/1 SG gears.
Yeah its a little money but I want to cruise RT 66 with my Notch-----------------


i like the switch location.
 
You guys with a gear vendors overdrive unit, is it worth it? I'm really on the fence about pulling the trigger and ordering one.

Show pics and any tips on install.

My setup is 360 magnum, 904 w/2800 stall, 8 3/4 w/3;55 gears possibly going to 4:10 gears.

Tom

You know, I got to doing some math;go figure.
If you had an A998 with ratios of 2.74-1.54-1.00 and you bolted a GVOD onto that, and started splitting gears......then you would have 6 very usable ratios of
2.74-2.14-1.54-1.20-1.00-.78 and splits of
.78-.72-.78-.83-.78
Combo A)
If you had the power to go 103, you could use 3.55s and use the first 4 ratios and shift at 6000, with road speeds of
47-61-84-103@5730 and still cruise at 65=2240 @zero slip; like as if you had 2.77s in the back.
Accelerating up the on-ramp, you might shift at 3600;you would probably shift 1-2- 2od and then drop it into 3od at 65mph
But the thing is, you can't backshift the GVOD under power, so you'd have to rig up an electronic ignition kill for the few microseconds it takes for the GV to outshift. It takes slightly longer to outshift than I can clutch and pull the stick, so I hit the GV outshift a few milliseconds early.
Combo B)
If you did this, you could run 4.10s, and maybe one size smaller cam, and shift at 5800, for roadspeeds of
40-51-71-90-103@5500 and maybe she'll be just as quick. But your 65 will now be 2580@zero slip;like as if you had 3.20s in the back.
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IMO, you don't need much more than two gears for zero to 60; but not less either,lol. So I'm liking combo A for a streeter.
But I'm liking Combo B for the dragstrip........ for the short fifth ratio;
and nuttin wrong with 2.5 gears for 0 to 60.
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Splitting the 904 is almost as good... maybe better. The ratios are
2.45-1.91-1.45-1.13-1.00-.78 with splits of
.78-.76-.78-.88-.78
You would need to run 3.73s to work with that 1.13 ratio, (assuming a 103 trap again). And with the 1.91 second ratio those 3.73s would hit 60=5600; pretty sweet.
And at the dragstrip, using the 4.10s to use direct again, you would gain that really short 4-5 shift of about 700 rpm, so that's cool.
_______________________________________
Just remember; while the GV is outshifting it can't have power running thru it.
But on the in-shift she'll take full power, and squalk the tires even at part-throttle.
 
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I bought mine used and like it for the OD. Money isn't everything, the GV allows me to run 4.10 gear for the track and cruise 50 miles home in the flow of traffic 75 mph in FL is slow.
 
I bought mine used and like it for the OD. Money isn't everything, the GV allows me to run 4.10 gear for the track and cruise 50 miles home in the flow of traffic 75 mph in FL is slow.
I think having a diff brand overdrive auto. trans would be pretty expensive to build and get working to handle 700 plus h.p. I can run 70-mph w/ my 30" drag radials w/ a 3:73 rear gear, and not be real concerned about rpm. I`m curious if my 275`s will be better on the dragstrip tho , because of my gearing. Will find out this summer.
 
I had one in a D350, and them moved it over into a 71 Challenger when I sold the truck. It was ok, but not very useful for other than an OD unit. Splitting gears was fun for a while, but it just gets old if you're not drag racing a lot. Splitting gears on the street is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I'll do a 518 the next time I need an OD unit. There would be no more fab work and tunnel pounding with that than the GV. I've done both in an E body, and the 518 is less work.
 
If you use it as a splitter, there's a good chance, you're gonna forget to disengage it Just one time in reverse, and POOF! It's gonna cost you 50% of retail to get it rebuilt.

Hey dredging this back up as it is a really great informative thread. AJ/FormS, please explain the above. Sounds like you're saying this will take out the trans if reversing with the GV inshifted?

Is this true? Why would this be the case? It doesn't make sense to me, which is why I'm asking. I know me, and I'll forget that it's in-shifted almost every time. Seems like if this were the case, GV would be forced to find a way around it. Let me know, and thanks!


7milesout
 
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