FMTV Highway Speed

[lmtvjunky]

Here's the pile 10 months ago!

 

[lmtvjunky]

Hers the pile 10 months ago!

 

[expeditionnw]

I called Mike about 45 days ago and talked over the phone. At that time he said he still had them in stock, $550 per pumpkin, and he would put it on a pallet. Even recommended a shipping company that he deals with often. Called the shipping company, they have me an estimate of $330 to ship the pallet from TX to MD.

There are two Mikes at the business, so if you ask to speak to Mike, they'll ask which one. I told them "the guy in charge of the caiman axles," and the nice lady said "oh yes, mike (insert last name here)." I've since forgotten the last name, but it was something close to Bennett or ..?

I didn't buy them yet. Thinking Bryce's whole axles are only a little more money and Lots of spare planetary parts.

Think again. Bryce dicked me around for three months giving different prices every time I talked to him. final call was $2200 plus $900 shipped to about 1000 miles away from where I needed them.

Ill cut new gears out of billet titanium with a pocket knife before I ever do business with that guy.

 

[coachgeo]

Think again. Bryce dicked me around for three month....

Sorry it didn't work out well for you. Has for many others based on what read in here and in discussions with him myself.

 

[expeditionnw]

Sorry it didn't work out well for you. Has for many others based on what read in here and in discussions with him myself.

...which is why I was so eager to do business with him.

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Here's the pile 10 months ago!

Holy cow!

 

[Duckworthe]

 

[DiverDarrell]

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can finally get my gears installed.

Center sections, check
New seals for front hubs, check
Seal drivers, check
new u-joints, check
u joint tool, check
hub nut socket, check
shims for setting gear lash, check
modified hub cover for setting gear lash, have cover needs lathe work.
elbow grease, looking for a good supply

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can finally get my gears installed.

Center sections, check
New seals for front hubs, check
Seal drivers, check
new u-joints, check
u joint tool, check
hub nut socket, check
shims for setting gear lash, check
modified hub cover for setting gear lash, have cover needs lathe work.
elbow grease, looking for a good supply

Hi Darrell
I have not done a pumpkin carving. How hard is it? I have torn down engines, but nadda with a pumpkin. Where did you get your shims from? So the cover has to be modified? Takes some picts when you do the mod. please : ) Thanks!

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Swiss cheese cow there

 

[DiverDarrell]

Hi Darrell
I have not done a pumpkin carving. How hard is it? I have torn down engines, but nadda with a pumpkin. Where did you get your shims from? So the cover has to be modified? Takes some picts when you do the mod. please : ) Thanks!

Got shims from the evil e site. Cutting up the cover to make a tool to set gear lash with. You can do it per the TM but Steve6x6 has come up with a better method. Had to buy an entire hub rebuild kit for the hub cover to modify.

You have to pull the front hubs to pull the axles out enough to release the center section. The rear axles you can just pull the axles out the big plug in the center of the hub cover. But I will at least check all the hubs gear lash while I'm at it.

Other than the hubs that look complicated, the process seems to be quite simple. Been told it takes a day to do. Parts are heavy, big, and not fun to handle

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Got shims from the evil e site. Cutting up the cover to make a tool to set gear lash with. You can do it per the TM but Steve6x6 has come up with a better method. Had to buy an entire hub rebuild kit for the hub cover to modify.

You have to pull the front hubs to pull the axles out enough to release the center section. The rear axles you can just pull the axles out the big plug in the center of the hub cover. But I will at least check all the hubs gear lash while I'm at it.

Other than the hubs that look complicated, the process seems to be quite simple. Been told it takes a day to do. Parts are heavy, big, and not fun to handle

I just tried to find the Evil E site to no avail. Is that the actual name? Do you mean that over price auction site? So you are making a tool to set the lash?

 

[DiverDarrell]

Over priced auction site indeed. A tool to set the gear lash in ambloid gear reduction hubs. The tool will actually hold the gear pack in place so the actual lash can be measured, vise going strictly by measurements and hoping your gears were machines to spec. The center sections I got are used takeouts, but it looks like only a few miles were ever driven on them. Much like a ford 9" the gear lash for the diff can be set before they are installed.

 

[expeditionnw]

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can finally get my gears installed.

Center sections, check
New seals for front hubs, check
Seal drivers, check
new u-joints, check
u joint tool, check
hub nut socket, check
shims for setting gear lash, check
modified hub cover for setting gear lash, have cover needs lathe work.
elbow grease, looking for a good supply

Darrell, I will be doing the same job in a few weeks, wanna make a day (or two) of it?

 

[Reworked LMTV]

I was wondering what the top speed would be for these gear ratios?
3.07
3.55

Are there other ratios available from Meritor or Spicer?

Do the junk yard donors have ABS?

Anyone know what new gears ( as opposed to junk yard donor) would cost ?

Thank you kindly!

 

[Steve1031]

Have you got the pumpkins yet?

 

[lmtvjunky]

I've still got a few whole axles and pumpkins left from my trip out to Texas, call if your interested, Erik 916-626-2109

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Have you got the pumpkins yet?

Not sure who you are replying to, but I have not gotten them yet.

 

[Duckworthe]

I have a question. How many of us growing up have had pickups, Jeeps, Broncos that we have put bigger tires on it to make it look Bad A.? But after we drove it around we found that it got even worst mileage and would barely get out of its own way from a stop. My1997, 1078 will go 62mph on a flat road, (verified by GPS). Going up a steep grade through mountain pass is about 40mph, sometimes 35mph if there is a head wind, (verified by GPS). My 3116 is the little 225hp version. Here is my question. If I swap in the "high speed gears" what is that going to do besides get me up to a faster speed? With the loss of torque is it just going to take me longer to get to 62mph and above? Is my speed up hill now going to suffer from the normal 35-40mph down to 20-25mph up the same mountain pass? I just cant conceive that just dropping in these "high speed gears" Is the total package that people are saying. I have been told this, quote "I was able to go 58 mph top speed and up hill was pretty much around 40mph. After I put in the new high speed gears I can cruise at about 65 and go even faster at lower RPM, but I don't have a tach to verify what it is. Climbing hills is about what it used to be before the swap" end quote.

So with that question and the Quote from a guy who said he did the swap, I didn't see his truck so I cant verify. I also don't make large modifications like this before getting more than one guys opinion. Simple automobile knowledge dictates that just putting in gears to go faster also requires other additions to make the whole package work. As in adding more HP. Take into account that I am speaking of the 1078 first gen, not an A1 running more HP. I don't want to do the swap and then suffer with taking even longer to get up to speed due to the loss of torque to make the truck get moving. There are people out there that will say chopping their dominant hand off was the best thing they ever did!
Thanks guys.

 

[scottmandu]

acceleration will be less and performance overall will be less with less of a mechanical advantage.