I've been looking at a Ford F650 Medium Duty truck. It has a 5 speed transmission, with a "two speed rear".

What is the value/purpose of this? I assume that it is for high range/low range. Is this correct?

Thanks for your help.

Ron in Central New York

 

a better selection of gears it the best thing in the world when towing. i used to leave the truck i drove in high and use those gears when empty. it's very useful when hauling or towing.

1978 F-250 Ranger Explorer 4x4


Drive It Like You Stole It!!!

 

Two speed lets you split the gears, and gives you a 10 speed set up. Check out the shifter instructions, should be a big sticker on the visor or in the cab somewhere. On a 5 speed, 4th over may or may not be lower than 5th direct. Check this out at low speed as it is a rude surprise at higher speed. (found this out in a Chev water truck owned by the city of Clovis NM, figures, it was a Chev)

We had two speed rears on:

'48 Ford F-6, two of them methinks, with flathead V8's

'51 Cornbinder 2 ton farm truck with a six.

'58 F-600 with 292.

'60 something C-600 the old man had as a 40 year project....


The '51 Cornbinder and the '58 F-600 had been tractors for moving vans, or so the old man told me. The frames had been lengthened and hoists put on with flat beds, cab protectors and overheads, and stake pockets for side and back boards. Can you imagine pulling a hill with a loaded van and a gasoline six for power? Or the 292 for that matter....

Anyway, the two speed either gave you a 5th gear if you drove it like my old man, or an 8 speed if you drove like I did while he cringed and looked out the window as I split gears like I was an extra in "White Line Fever"....

So, get in touch with your combo shifting heritage, and learn how to split gears the "modern" way, with one hand... Upshifts and downshifts now....and wonder how the big rig guys did it in the old days, bellysteering with one hand on the main and the other on the brownie...

And because your's is a newer one, you will probably never have it hang up and bang back into engagement like a sledgehammer hitting the truck....
(learned to split those gears without the old man on board....)