Two-speed axels?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 167
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From: Kansas
Two-speed axels?
Does anyone know if it is possible to put a two-speed axel (like on F-600's, although I'm sure that would be WAY too big) on a half-ton, mid-70's Ford? I love the idea of having the brute, grunt pulling force of some really tall gears, but I'm not willing to sacrifice mileage and RPM's on the road. I have a 74 F100, 390, C6, 9in with 3.00:1 gears right now. 70 MPH is spinning the mill at about 2800, give or take (speedo is off, so I'm using my GPS for accuate speed), and I don't want to go any higher than that for prolonged runs.
Matt
Matt
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 2
Two-speed axels?
I'm not sure,but a two-speed axle would give you the best of both worlds.Ford(or was it Mercury?)experimented in the late-60's with a "Streep" axle in a few prototype cars.I think I read that one was a '69 Cougar.It never was put into production,but it sounded like a good idea.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 12
From: SW Michigan
Two-speed axels?
Matt, your speedo is way off. If you have 28" tall tires, 2800rpm is going to push you along at about 78 mph. If your tires are taller, you are going even faster. I don't know of any two speed axles that are small enough for a pickup. But you could change your axle to a 4.10 for the pulling power and hang a GearVendors off the back of that C6 and get the same effect. Ask Beartracks, I think he has one. DF
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
Two-speed axels?
Dino-fan, you are very right. I didn't know how off the speedo was until I got a GPS unit. I have been very lucky for many years, having never been pulled over for speeding. But it's fault is on a curve, ie the faster I go, the more off it is. So I've done the calculations for tire size and such, and know what engine speed to look for, but still use the GPS on trips for safety. When in doubt, I go slower.
GearVendors? I'm guessing it's either an overdrive or a spliter. I'll look into it. I pretty much figured the two-speed axel was a pipe dream, but it never hurts to ask, right?
M
GearVendors? I'm guessing it's either an overdrive or a spliter. I'll look into it. I pretty much figured the two-speed axel was a pipe dream, but it never hurts to ask, right?
M
