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overdrive gears available soon

m-35tom

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eldersburg maryland
.69 overdrive gears available now

i need to know how much interest there is in the .71 overdrive gear set. it involves changing your 2nd gear to the new style with 4 holes in the web and installing a special main shaft that will accept needle bearings for 2nd gear so it will not seize. the cost for all this will be approximately $1200. i am not making a profit on this, just something for the hobby. the result you will get is 66 mph at 2500 rpm with 1100x20 or 14.5r20 tires. other od ratios will be available as custom sets for slightly more $$

if you are seriously interested, contact me. the first 5 out of the first production run of 10 sets are spoken for. production may be finished by the end on november.

so that you can do the speed math,
stock overdrive is a final ratio of 5.3088
the .71 set is actually .7087 giving a final ratio of 4.762
the .69 set is actually .6939 giving a final ratio of 4.663
the .66 set is actually .6637 giving a final ratio of 4.46

i have driven in PA up I83 and over I81, there are hills and with the .71 set i sometimes drop to 1900 rpm, the top of the torque curve and it stays there. this seems to be a good choice for 42" tires (14.5R20) also my fuel is turned up to a conservative but near the max amount. anyone near baltimore who wants to test drive one contact me.
 
Last edited:

Westech

CPL
6,104
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Location
cow farts, Wisconsin
I think CR has a point there... There is a Tm that I remember that states the max speed of the NDT's is 55 mph and after 4 hours of high way speed a one hour cool down time is needed. I have the XL's and dont worry about going 65 mph for long times, but a NDT..... I dont know about that.
 

jasonjc

Well-known member
5,326
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Gravette Ar.
You better rethink the XL's they are only rated for 55-56 mph max. 12.5R20xl - 16.00R20xl. But the 11.00R20xl are good for 68mph.
 

m-35tom

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
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eldersburg maryland
right, a 14.5r20 is rated for 55 mph. why? who knows, it is a steel belted radial. does it get hot? no. does it get even warm? not really. i had new ndt 9:00x20's on my last truck and drove at 68 mph for 10,000 miles. they did not seem to care. i think it's like when you get a power tool and it has a 3" cord and says not to use an extension cord!! product liability. of course if you want to run a deuce at 65 mph or better, i expect you to be smart enough to have safe brakes and good tires, etc. these gears are best suited to people who have improved their trucks enough and want to use them on the highway for trips of more than, say 20 miles. i drive several hundred or more at a time and it is an advantage to me to be able to drive at that speed. there are also people who use the 3053 in repowers of other vehicles that are interested in a better overdrive. anyone who wants to is welcome to drive my truck to see what they think of this gear set...........
 

jimk

In Memorial
In Memorial
1,046
45
48
Location
Syracuse, New York
I like the idea, just too many other projects, and my towing seems to dictate -no change- right now. For those happy at 55mph (like me) there are some really big advantages. Better fuel economy, longer engine life, reduced noise... The new engine rpm will run at peak torque for those at 60mph ( running just beyond is nice too as it will fall there when the load increases). Either way it seems like a good change for many here as we [often] have a different agenda than the army's . JimK
 

jwaller

Active member
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Columbia, SC
I'm in. I have 11x20's and it's just not enough. I need my deuce to be able to keep up with the 5T. these gears will make that happen.
 

Stretch44875

Super Jr. Moderator
Super Moderator
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Tiro, Ohio
Personally not worried about the tire/speed issue.

What kind of harding is done to the gears? Are they going to last? 5th is where the truck spends the majority of the time driving.

I am interested, but will have to save up for it. What other ratios are you thinking?

Dennis
 

m-35tom

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
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eldersburg maryland
the gears are made of same material and to the same standards of the originals.

(a recap of the edited first post)

if you are seriously interested, contact me. the first 5 out of the first production run of 10 sets are spoken for. production may be finished by the end on november.

so that you can do the speed math,
stock overdrive is a final ratio of 5.3088
the .71 set is actually .7087 giving a final ratio of 4.762
the .69 set is actually .6939 giving a final ratio of 4.663
the .66 set is actually .6637 giving a final ratio of 4.46

i have driven in PA up I83 and over I81, there are hills and with the .71 set i sometimes drop to 1900 rpm, the top of the torque curve and it stays there. this seems to be a good choice for 42" tires (14.5R20) also my fuel is turned up to a conservative but near the max amount. anyone near baltimore who wants to test drive one contact me.
 

cranetruck

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Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,350
75
48
Location
Meadows of Dan, Virginia
My empty weight is 17,000 lb (K-boom) and have had a total rig weight of 36,000 lb. The top speed is of minor importance when you put the truck to work IMHO. Don't care much for the relatively big step between 3rd and 4th, though...
 

TacticalTruck

Active member
928
48
28
Location
Va Piedmont
11.00x20 Load range F max load single is 5920 at 85 psi. Six tires is total max load of 35,520.....the hairy edge, not even considering the design limits of the brakes and suspension of a deuce. I'd be at least as concerned about over loading as over speeding.
Jeff
 

ken

Active member
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Houston Texas
M35tom Could you check your fuel milage with these gears? If you stayed at 55 it seams milage would improve?
 

SasquatchSanta

New member
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Location
Northern Minnesota
Wouldn’t it be great to cruise at 60 without having to go over 2,200 RPM! I’m definitely interested… got to do some homework first.

m-35tom … Do you know what the RPM spread is between 5th and 4th with the .71 gearing?

Does anyone know the speed ratings for Goodyear 395/85R20s? I’ve Googled around and can’t find anything?

With a stock pump setting on my bobbed deuce I felt the LDT-1C had a hard time turning 49 diameter 1400R20s so I changed to 46” diameter 395/85R20s

I'll soon be installing a new LDS-1A engine. It remains to be seen how much better the LDS will turn 46” diameter rubber. One quick trip up a local hill with the new engine will easily tell the difference. Given the 45 added horsepower and the fact that my deuce is a hobby truck, I have a feeling the LDS-1A will easily pull the .71 gears.

If the new engine has the juju, it sure would be nice to get the cruise RPMs deeper into the torque and economy curve

2,000 RPM yields maximum torque and maximum economy with the LDS-1A. At 2,400 RPM, fuel economy quickly heads south.

With 46” rubber .71 gearing yields the following speeds at the following RPMs:

2000RPM = 56MPH
2100RPM = 59MPH
2200RPM = 62MPH
2300RPM = 65MPH
 
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