Converting Toploader to wide ratio

[CDXXVII]

What parts are needed to convert big input close ratio to wide? I've looked at all the parts vendor's websites but I don't see a concise breakdown.

[machoneman]

David McKee can give you a list and is the eminent toploader guy.

http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/

[cjshaker]

Done this a couple of times. The input shaft, 2nd and 3rd gears, along with the cluster gear are needed. David Kee sells a kit to do the conversion here: http://4speedtoploaders.com/store/gearsets.html

[plovett]

Is it easier to convert a big input close ratio to wide ratio or to convert a small input wide ratio to big input?

paulie

[cjshaker]

Is it easier to convert a big input close ratio to wide ratio or to convert a small input wide ratio to big input?

paulie

I don't know about easier, it takes about the same amount of work. As for price, it depends on how cheap you can find a big input bearing retainer and correct tailshaft housing (or modify your old one). Other than that, you just need to change the input and output shafts. Just guessing, but it would probably about equal out the same, either way you went.

[gt350hr]

   The same amount of work either way unless it involves changing the output shaft between 28 and 31 splines. The tail shaft housing MUST match the spline count. The bushing and seal are larger on the 31 spline housing. Same for the throw out collar/ front bearing retainer. I've done the swap both ways  and with both outputs many times.
    Randy

[plovett]

Thanks for the info!

[CDXXVII]

Yea thanks. The Korea made gears I see all over look decent. Are there any new US made gears for this swap?

[gt350hr]

    NOS Ford gears are scarce. Many years ago ( 40) Perfection American ( now Zoom) used to sell american made gears they too are very scarce.

[garyv]

I converted a 66 Fairlane  SI/SO Wide Ratio to a BI/BO with parts from David Kee. I sent him the tail
shaft to have it bored and he put the new bushing and seal in it for me and installed another breather in the tail housing.
He was great to work with. 

garyv

[BattlestarGalactic]

If you want a wide ratio, it's better to just sell the close and buy a wide.  You have to change near everything and new parts are more expensive then ever. 
You can put a big input in wide pretty easy.  Just but an aftermarket input and change it out.  Same with output shaft.  Just have to bore the tailhousing and replace with big bushing/seal.

[CDXXVII]

Trans is original to the (rare) car so I'm not changing that. I don't want to change any shaft splines.  The thought is to see about lowering first gear and how that improves driveability.
The Kees site says input shaft, cluster gear, 2nd gear and third gear is needed.  I don't think Kees has a gear manufacturing plant so he must be getting his parts from the same Korean house as the other suppliers.

[gt350hr]

  BINGO.

[cjshaker]

In my opinion, it makes for a much better street tranny, especially in heavier cars. It saves on clutch life and just generally makes take-off a much smoother task. The wilder the engine, the more it helps. I'm not even sure why Ford put the close ratio behind big blocks, which were never intended for road racing.

Wherever the gears are made, the ones I've gotten have been pretty nice and I've not had any problems with them. Some years back, I had issues with the replacement blocker rings. They just didn't seem to work as well as the originals, which were getting harder to find. I think they had different friction ridges machined into them that didn't work as well. The current ones seem to work and shift better.

[gt350hr]

 FE engines with big torque aren't bothered by wider gear ratio splits. Small blocks with narrow , lower torque bands are. I have a big in/out  wide ratio for my 68.5 CJ fastback in the car as well as the original numbered C/R unit on the shelf.
     Randy