Gear Vender (Jay or anybody)

[2ndgear]

I am wondering if you used your gear vender during drag week at the track? The first gear shift under power? I am still on the fence if I should go GV with the wide ratio 4-speed,3.89 gear which is in the car now or the TKO 600 5 speed. I would like it for some mileage and I think the GV would be a little more fun off of the line with it shelf shifting to 1 high under power. This is for street use only. 1969 Mach 1 Thanks ahead

[jayb]

Nope, I just use it on the street.  I tried that gear splitting thing that they talk about and didn't have great luck with it.  Especially on the shift where you downshift the GVOD and upshift the transmission, if its not timed right it feels funny.  The GVOD takes a split second to shift when you click the foot switch, and you have to time your trans shift to match.  If you don't you may shift the GVOD down first, overrevving the engine, before the trans shift takes place.

Gear Vendors was going to put together an electronics box to address this issue, but as far as I know they've never done so.  To me, the main benefit is on the street anyway, moving the RPM at cruise into a usable range.

[66FAIRLANE]

I don't do the gear splitting thing either. With no rev limiter the thought of getting it wrong scares me too much. I have used their auto launch feature a couple of times just for shits and giggles. Seems to work ok and shifts hard enough to chirp the tyres. It would be nice if you could set the rpm however.

[2ndgear]

 I was told by Nick from GV that they have a rocker switch or a button in the shifter handle instead of the foot switch. That way he said the way the upshift works is anything over 700 psi pump pressure it will shift into high. They have a digital box know instead of a foot switch. Another words if you are in 1st. gear and push the switch it will not shift until the pressure is 700psi. Then when you shift to second it will be in 2nd. high. He does not recommend to try to split the gears because after 700psi. which is anything above 1st. gear high the trans will drop back down to the main gear you are in if you push the switch to low. You could over rev if you would do that. Nick also said you could be cruising in 2nd. gear and mat the throttle and hit the switch the GV will up shift right now (no leg) into 2nd. high because the pump psi is above 700psi. He said the best is the auto launch from 1st. to 1st. high where you need it the most in a stick car. Also for the 4th. overdrive on the high way. Sorry so long but sounds like I am going the GV way instead of the TKO 600 -5 speed. Thanks for the replys

[66FAIRLANE]

Exactly. That's spot on. However it doesn't matter if you use a shifter mounted switch or a foot switch. They do the same thing. If your gunna split gears at redline then your a brave man. Probably be easier in a manual (stick for you boys ). I still really like mine. Heres a link to my install if it helps.

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=169.0

[2ndgear]

Thanks Andy for sharing your past post about installing your GV. Rick told me that it would fit in a mustang with no problem? We will see. I did get some good tips on the installation of your GV. I am still a little fuzzy on the driveshaft angles. As of right now my trans angle is at 1.7 degree down and my diff. is at 2.7 degree up. I think I will put some 4 degree wedges in my diff. to angle it back down below center and see how that works. All the reading I did on driveshaft angles just drives me crazy. I am going to order a GV after x-mas. After bills are paid and then I will get my present. Then I have the rest of the winter to install it because I live in WI. and we do have that white stuff on the ground to deal with. Thanks again for the help from you and Jay, and will update when this project begins.

[66FAIRLANE]

I wouldn't put your diff down that far. If you go down just 1 degree on your diff it will put it at 1.7 up. With the trans 'down' the same amount the angles will be parallel. Without revisiting it all I believe this is desirable, you just don't also want them in the same plane. You need them to do a little work as they rotate. Just a couple of degrees at each uni joint.

[2ndgear]

Thanks Andy for getting back to me on the diff. angle. This is were I am a little fuzzy. Hopefully without getting into a big discussion on this, just a couple of questions if you would. Most ever thing I read tells me the diff. needs to be angled down at lease 1 1/2 to 4 degrees for spring rap? This is also what Nick from GV told me? If this is true do I spacer the tran. with shims to get 0 degrees and then shim the diff. to get 1 1/2 to4 degrees?
Or can I do the opposite with the trans and diff. kind of like it is now and have no vib? Does the diff. needed to be pointed down or our we just looking for numbers like you mention? Once again thanks for your time and answers. p.s. great looking car

[Drew Pojedinec]

For a street car, 3 and 3 degrees seems where most end up happy.  Obviously you should experiment a little to find what the car likes for your setup.

It's easier to shim a transmission a little here and a little there, but with a GV floor clearance will limit what you can do.