Gear Vendors

[7TTA]

DodgeCharger members,
I have a 69 RT/SE (440 4 bbl, 727 with 3.55)  that I am digging out of storage after a long and messy divorce. 
It's a horrible silver green (originally A4 silver) so I am giving it new paint, most likely B7 blue.
I want to keep the original 727 so I am installing a Gear Vendors OD.

My question is regarding the manual control, or gear splitting.
If I understand this correctly, for manual control I would need to install a 2nd foot switch.
GV recommends installing this where the current dimmer is and then moving the dimmer to the right.

To manually shift through the 6 available gears I would need to shift the 727 and GV simultaneously.
1st I don't think I'm that coordinated to do this smoothly.
2nd I don't know if I really need this other that the 4th gear.

If you have a GV unit, how did you configure the shifting controls and what do you recommend?
thank you
Mike

[red79]

As I understand it, while it is technically possible to split each gear and end up with 6 forward gears with the GV, the acrobatics required make this clumsy for everyday driving, and largely unnecessary. As you stated, the main benefit of the box is for OD cruising at highway speeds. It can also be nice to split *one* gear at WOT at the track, letting you fine-tune your rear end/tire size/converter combo etc to a more specific powerband and gear spread. 

[7TTA]

Thank you for response.
My understanding is that the GV unit does not "communicate" with the main transmission.
It operates completely independently.
It engages at 47, then disengages at 35 (in the auto mode)
my current thought is to dispense with the manual mode entirely, so the rocker switch would be "auto/off" rather than "auto/manual"
I could add a dash mount manual rocker, as well, but I am uncertain that I would ever use it.

[Kern Dog]

The marketing guys at GV try to sell people on the gear splitting aspect but I see no benefit to it. Who has the lightning fast responses to switch back and forth like that???
I switch manually. Sometimes I leave the OD on all the time. This keeps the 3.91 at a 3.05 ratio. The car has enough torque to run around at that ratio fine. For more "giddyup", I'll leave the OD off and then engage OD at cruising speeds.

[68X426]

Mike - I leave mine in the "on" position all the time, have never shifted manually (gear split).  I don't see the point except to use the OD as intended (4th gear, and the 4.10s become 3.20).  The builder mounted the switch on the dash.  I don't like it but it's done, and always on.

[RECHRGD]

The marketing guys at GV try to sell people on the gear splitting aspect but I see no benefit to it. Who has the lightning fast responses to switch back and forth like that???
I switch manually. Sometimes I leave the OD on all the time. This keeps the 3.91 at a 3.05 ratio. The car has enough torque to run around at that ratio fine. For more "giddyup", I'll leave the OD off and then engage OD at cruising speeds.

X2.  That's exactly what I do.  If you have a B&M or Hurst shifter, GV has those handles with a built in switch for the OD.  I had one for awhile and really liked it.  When I changed my shifter I went with the foot switch and it's fine once you get used to it.....

[John_Kunkel]

Decide the gear-splitting advantage for yourself, here's the numbers:

1st gear = 2.45
1st gear with GV=1.91
2nd gear= 1.45
2nd gear with GV= 1.13
3rd gear= 1.00
3rd gear with GV= .78

[7TTA]

thank you guys
my thinking is crystallizing, as they say.
the ratios really tell the story.
I'll set this up for the 4th speed overdrive, but skip the gear splitting

[Kern Dog]

Decide the gear-splitting advantage for yourself, here's the numbers:

1st gear = 2.45
1st gear with GV=1.91
2nd gear= 1.45
2nd gear with GV= 1.13
3rd gear= 1.00
3rd gear with GV= .78

For an engine with a very narrow power band, the gear splitting would help. Also, if it were done automatically in conjunction with the transmissions own shifting function. I'm simply not quick enough to switch around so fast AND I doubt I'd need to.

[Brass]

One possible advantage I see to splitting gears might be the ability to kick down into 2nd overdrive when you're already cruising outside the RPM range to drop all the way down into 2nd.   

[Mike DC]

 
Is it possible to make the GV stay in either of its ratios all the time, no matter what speed you are running, even from a stop? 

Somewhere I got the idea it wouldn't engage the OD gear until a certain minimum speed.  Like it was a mechanical requirement because of the necessary fluid pressure or something.

The device would appeal to me a lot more if you could choose to manually leave it in one or the other gear and not have it jumping up & down on its own as your speed changes.  You could just think of it as an electrical switch to change the axle gear. 

   

[7TTA]

I believe that you are correct, that you cannot engage the overdrive if the vehicle speed falls below 5mph.
If you have the OD manually set, the computer will disengage the unit and light the red light.
I don't know why they wont let you run it as a 2 speed rear.

[Kern Dog]

Mine has a panel with a green light and an amber one. Green means the GV is in OD. Amber is direct drive non OD. I am able to keep the OD on at all times, switch off at any time for passing, turn on at any speed....It is that way with mine anyway. I have a 3.91 diff, 3.05 in OD. I sometimes forget I'm in OD when leaving a traffic light, wondering why the car feels slower....

[John_Kunkel]

 
Is it possible to make the GV stay in either of its ratios all the time, no matter what speed you are running, even from a stop? 

No OD at a stop because the OD is engaged by fluid pressure from a pump inside the GV unit, if the trans output shaft ain't turnin' the pump ain't pumpin' and no pump means no OD. There is a road speed at which the internal pump won't supply enough pressure to keep the OD engaged.

[hemi68charger]

Here's the GearVendor installation in my '69 Charger Daytona. It was relatively painless.......

As far as the configuration, leave it simple. Yes, you can "split" the 3 gears, but that's a pain in the butt...... I have it in either of two modes; on or off. Also, I didn't use the floor-mounted-dimmer-switch-looking-thing. I used the harness, but routed it under the dash and used a small black toggle switch next to the steering column mounted to the bottom of the dash frame. That way, it is easily accessible, out of the way/sight and you don't have a 2nd "dimmer switch" down there on the floor.

When I'm cruising around the streets of my community, i just leave it off. When I'mgoing to go cruising on the highway, then I just flip the switch on. It automatically shifts into OD at around 45 mph. With the 4.10's I have, I get into 3rd real quick. The GV was the best thing I did to the car to make it more enjoyable..

[7TTA]

Guys
thank you for your input
this is a great forum

[hemi68charger]

opps..

I forgot to paste my installation thread..   

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,76597.0.html

[Kern Dog]

 
Is it possible to make the GV stay in either of its ratios all the time, no matter what speed you are running, even from a stop? 

No OD at a stop because the OD is engaged by fluid pressure from a pump inside the GV unit, if the trans output shaft ain't turnin' the pump ain't pumpin' and no pump means no OD. There is a road speed at which the internal pump won't supply enough pressure to keep the OD engaged.

I can't say how it works, but the car leaves the line in 1st OD if I leave the OD on. Explain that one.....

[hemi68charger]

 
Is it possible to make the GV stay in either of its ratios all the time, no matter what speed you are running, even from a stop? 

No OD at a stop because the OD is engaged by fluid pressure from a pump inside the GV unit, if the trans output shaft ain't turnin' the pump ain't pumpin' and no pump means no OD. There is a road speed at which the internal pump won't supply enough pressure to keep the OD engaged.

I can't say how it works, but the car leaves the line in 1st OD if I leave the OD on. Explain that one.....

Mine leaves from true 1st gear and shifts into overdrive at 45mph. At about 15 mph, it downshifts/releases, into the 727's lower gears. 9 times out of 10, you don't even know it's happening......

[flyinlow]

So with a G.V. do you get a Hi and low reverse?   

[John_Kunkel]

Gear-splitting explained:

http://www.gearvendors.com/operationtips.html

[1974dodgecharger]

So with a G.V. do you get a Hi and low reverse?   

I bet they do.....

Nothing against GV but for the price vs rpm saved is very expensive.  It would be a very last item for me after my hood turn signals.


Based in what people are saying they spin 3k going 80mph in 2nd gens.  I can spin that with 30 diameter rears in mine then again I have a manual. 

[7TTA]

30" rears ??
what tires are you running on your 74?

[lukedukem]

DodgeCharger members,
I have a 69 RT/SE (440 4 bbl, 727 with 3.55)  that I am digging out of storage after a long and messy divorce. 
It's a horrible silver green (originally A4 silver) so I am giving it new paint, most likely B7 blue.
I want to keep the original 727 so I am installing a Gear Vendors OD.

My question is regarding the manual control, or gear splitting.
If I understand this correctly, for manual control I would need to install a 2nd foot switch.
GV recommends installing this where the current dimmer is and then moving the dimmer to the right.

To manually shift through the 6 available gears I would need to shift the 727 and GV simultaneously.
1st I don't think I'm that coordinated to do this smoothly.
2nd I don't know if I really need this other that the 4th gear.

If you have a GV unit, how did you configure the shifting controls and what do you recommend?
thank you
Mike

Let's see some pics of this car

Luke

[7TTA]

OK I'll post em up