Anybody know of a good online source for a US Gear Dual Range? i have'nt had much luck with "the Google". alot of 2-3 yr old info. any of "our vendors" handle these? Thanks Barney

 

Here's a list of installers.

http://www.usgear.cc/dr_dealers.htm

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I'm curious about your reason for the dual range. I did a lot of research looking at both the US Gear and the Gear Vendors, and finally decided that the best (and cheapest) was to change the diff to a ratio better suited for towing, and live with that for running empty. I've talked to many RVers using both of these units, and not one said that they would make the choice to go that way if they could do it all over again!

 

I guess I'm an exception then. I had a GearVendor in my 97 1 ton and loved it. I put 45,000 miles on it in a year and a half, fulltiming from Memphis to Yuma to Fairbanks and back. I'd do one again but GearVendors tech told me he would prefer I didn't. He said my new truck was too big and GCVW was too high (25,800 lbs) even though it was under GearVendors advertised specs. so I'm looking into US Gears, dual range.
The reasons are many fold. The splitter alows me to tow in 5th/over with almost the same final ratio as 6th. so no towing in 6th gear so tranny lasts longer. The 550 comes with 4:88 gears, I don't think you can buy 4:30 or 4:56 gears for a Dana 135. wouldn't want to any way, love the way it rolls out with those low gears. also with 4x4 I'd have to change both diffs and that adds up to more dollars. And finally I'd get that 6th/over to run down the road when I'm empty. right now its 2800 rpm at 70 mph. with the splitter it drops about 500-700.

 

Bfife go for it.
I'm saving my pennies for the exact setup that you are considering and have the same truck.
Those 4.88's are great for pulling house sized trailers but really suck down the fuel no matter how light I am on the go-pedal.

 

Kwik, i hope to make this happen in 2-3 weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. It appears there will have to be some floorpan modification. I'll be doing the install myself. I have access to a full shop. next time i get to go though the Seattle area it would be great to meet. we can cuss and dicuss the mighty F550 tow bully!!!!

 

That would be great. Weather just turned good up here, it's 75, a 3 knot breeze and no clouds.
Heaven on earth.

 

My problem with a GV is that you can't use an exhaust brake with it engaged, It also has a switch that unlocks and relocks the TC in your tranny every time the GV engages/disengages, and it automatically disengages at speeds below 15 mph. If you override or defeat these interlocks it voids your warranty!

Before you just install a DR, I advise finding someone with one and getting a test drive. They make one heck of a drive line clunk when they shift. They have quite a delay between the time you push the switch to command a shift, and when the shift actually occurs. An electric motor gets engaged, it turns for awhile to compress a spring, then you get a ready light, then you need to adjust the throttle to relive just the correct amount of load from the drive line so that the spring can overcome the friction and force the shift, then you'll finally get your shift with a clunk that'll rattle your fillings. If you do get a DR, get the UD version. the OD version runs too hot, many have sized up while towing, then you're really stuck because you've cut your drive shaft off. BTW, I've got nothing against US Gear, I use several of their other products and their customer support is great.

 

Sounds to me like his truck is the 6 speed manual, so the TC lock issue wouldn't be there. I am trying to remember on the farm trucks if you had to back out of the throttle to engage the over or not. I know they where pnuematic but cat remember if you had to ease up on the pedal or not. Clutch was only for 1st and R and the rest RPM match. Sure where fun to drive though

Edit: I should state these where actual trucks, big potatoe beds, road ranger type transmission.

 

Ernest the GV is not even close to what a US Gear unit is.
I've never seen one close up or side by side, just hearsay on the design differences.
Based on what I have heard the only OD unit that I would ever consider will be a US gear model.
What kills the GV unit is running them backward while engaged or deceloration loads, something like that. US Gear is immune that that sort of thing is why I would want one.

 

ernest, I'm fully aware of GearVenders operation, remember I used one for 45,000 miles. In that time period I had 3 Jasper MonsterBox failures but never a problem with the GV. I never did hook up the TC override, just let off the throttle as I shifted it and it worked great. i see no problem with the US Gear and shifting, the truck already has a manual tranny, whats one more push of the clutch. i want to talk to some installers before i start on this. I get the feeling our local distributor has never even seen one much less installed one.

 

The recommended shifting procedure for a US Gear is to always shift with the drive line under load. It can be shifted with no load (pushing in your clutch) but that's not the preferred way. When I was considering one with my auto, I talked at length with several reps about manually shifting to neutral when I switched the DR, and again was told that wasn't the best way to do it.

If you want it from the horses mouth, talk to Lee Hamm at the Chicago office, 1-773-375-4900 Ex 619. His extension might of changed, he just sent me some parts for my exhaust brake, but I can't find the invoice from that transaction. Lee has been there forever, and won't oversell the product. Be sure and ask about the OD version running hotter.

I got to drive several trucks like mine with a DR, and shift them a few times, they clunk no matter what. If you put it in neutral to shift, it takes a very long time, and couldn't be shifted in time to finish pulling a grade without your speed falling too much. Under load you wait for the ready light, at which point the load on the drive line is all that's keeping the gears from changing, then as long as you keep the load on you can time the shift better by taking the load off and letting it occur.

There's no substitute for actually driving one of these units to really understand what you're going to have once it's installed, at which time it'll be too late to change your mind. When I was still considering one, I was just going to switch to low and leave it there for towing, and then switch back when running empty. Their shifting mechanism really isn't intended to do a lot of back and forth shifting. The gears are strong for towing, and you don't have to worry about backing as you did with the GV, but the DR employs a rather puny little electric motor to compress a very strong spring for shifting. It's even worse than the little motor on your front jacks, that's geared way down so it can lift the weight of your trailer. That motor is the weak link, and I've run across several who've reported failures. I used to hang out at various Camping Worlds just to drink coffee and talk trucks.

 

thanks for the contact info, I'll try him tomorrow. i talked to a rep today and it appears that US Gear is about 1 month behind in production.

 

Not what I wanted to hear, Ernest.
Do you know if that electric motor is externally mounted?

 

hey Kwik, the motor appears to be external, Its not the same as but similar to a GM with electric shift on the fly. The rep didn't say anything about overheating. but I did ask him about oil requirements. He said a high quality synthetic oil would be nice but most of all to change the oil atleast once a year.