[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 15-Jul-01 AT 01:16 AM (EST)[/font][p]There is an auxillary transmission in the bed of my recently purchased '74 F250 4x4. The previous owner can't tell me anything useful about it, except that the guy that gave it to him said that it is an overdrive unit. The inspection covers are off it, and the gears seem to be in good shape, ant it turns smoothly. Does anyone know where I can find out more about this transmission, and would it be worth the trouble to attempt to adapt it to my truck? It looks like it would fit neatly between the existing 4 speed tranny and transfer case, if I just had some driveshafts built. (and a custom crossmember to mount it, and a shifter, etc...) I'm mostly interested in the overdrive to squeeze out a little better fuel mileage, but I understand that there were 3 speed brownies as well, with a lower gear in addition to the OD. This would be cool too, to have a lower "creeper" gear, even though I don't drive much off road right now.

The data tag on the gearbox reads as follows...

Watson Transmissions
Brown Lipe Gear
Mfg. by Spicer

model # 31M1 37M7
serial # w8959

(I may have these last two numbers mixed up)

Any help would be appreciated.

Mayday Mike
1974 F250 4x4

 

Mike, the brownie trannies were built for the medium and heavy duty trucks so it is strong enough for your truck. check if it has syncro's. it may not. since you have the case open then check by counting teeth and checking input/output shaft spin for ratios of under/over drive. If it can work on your truck I would be very interested to find out. I too am looking for a way to go OD on my '73 beast. NV4500 is just too expensive. besides having an aux. tranny just sounds way too cool.Good luck.
Eric

Proud owner of a '73 F-250 4x4 High Boy, 460 V8, NP435, NP205, Dana 60 rear w/Detroit Locker
And a '68 Bronco 289 v8 , NP435 , Dana 20

 

I'm not sure exactly what you have there. My Spicer transmission book shows 3 and 4 speed auxiliaries but none of those numbers match. If it's only a 2-speed it's probably pretty old (although that's not a problem if it's in good shape).

I put a 5831B in mine (2.35, 1, 0.85) behind a 360/NP435 to a Dana 70 4.88 rear. 32.5" tires. 2570 rpm at 60 mph in OD, 3025 in direct. The low range is very useful for backing up really slow (about 1 mph at idle without slipping the clutch). I'd have preferred a different set of ratios (some have 0.73 OD) but that's the only one that I found.

You are right that there is a fair amount of fabrication (front and rear crossmembers, shifter and linkage, front and rear driveshaft. My front shaft was so short (11") that I just used two splined yokes slipped together (with no tubing). Someday I will take pics and post them.

It's whiny in OD and doesn't have synchros (both typical of larger truck trannies) but it's a lot easier on the engine going down the interstate. Mileage is so bad anyway I haven't bothered to check but I'm sure it's better than it was.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-Aug-01 AT 11:08 PM (EST)[/font][p]Acually , I played around with it, and figured out that it is indeed a 3 speed box. Unfortunately, one of the gears on the OD side is missing 4 or 5 teeth. If anyone knows where to find parts for this thing, I still might try to use it. I would be very interested to see the pictures of it mounted in your truck. I don't much care about the lack of synchros, as I used to drive a semi, and don't have any problem "floating" gears. As for the whine, the truck makes so much noise from the wind, tires and exhaust, that it would have to be VERY loud to hear it at all.

MaydayMike
1974 F50 4x4

 

Kinda off the subject, but that new Advance Adaptors OD unit I just installed "sings" when in OD, but not Direct.

It was originally designed by Warner Gear in the mid-'60's and uses T98 internals.

I thought I'd done something wrong, running it in on 40W (the instructions said 30W, but I just couldn't do that!)

That whining is a characteristic of OD units?

Eddie

 

Eddie, I've heard that the Ranger gear spliter is noisy, I believe the 'whine' in OD is 'cause the gears are spur cut and not helical. spurs are noisy.
Eric



Proud owner of a '73 F-250 4x4 High Boy, 460 V8, NP435, NP205, Dana 60 rear w/Detroit Locker
And a '68 Bronco 289 v8 , NP435 , Dana 20

 

I have an '86 F350 with a 4speed and a Brown Lipe/Dana Spicer 5831F I need service information and parts for the 5831, specifically the front support bushing, anyone know where I may be able to find them?
dieselguy

 

For some info, go to www.ttcautomotive.com and click on spicer. Depending on what you need, they can help you. Parts, they may know where to refer you. Elliott

 

>Kinda off the subject, but that new Advance Adaptors OD unit
>I just installed "sings" when in OD, but not Direct.
>
>It was originally designed by Warner Gear in the mid-'60's
>and uses T98 internals.
>
>I thought I'd done something wrong, running it in on 40W
>(the instructions said 30W, but I just couldn't do that!)
>
>That whining is a characteristic of OD units?
>
>Eddie

I'd like to know more about that "Advanced Adapters" OD!! What
type vehicle do you have it in?? Approx cost?? Is it an
independent unit, or does it fit on the rear of an existing
tranny?? That "Elliot" fellow and I have discussed about all
the options except this one I believe.. I ud=sed to drive a
car(actually 2 of them) that had the T98 Borg Warner OD units
and I liked them very much. I as a matter of fact have a
complete unit out in my garage from an early '70's F series
right now, but can't figure out a good ise for it.

Azie
in very cold N. Al.

 

Mike, I just found this web site so I came in a little late on your questions about the Brownie. Did you get your questions answered ? I have some info if I can be of any help. Thanks.

 

>
> Mike, I just found this web site so I came in a little
>late on your questions about the Brownie. Did you get your
>questions answered ? I have some info if I can be of any
>help. Thanks.

I could use some Brownie info if the offer still stands..

Just bought a small unit, about 12" high and 21" yoke to yoke. Supposed to be a 3spd.

My ID tag reads similar to the one above -

Watson Transmission

mfg

Brown Lipe Gear Divison of Spicer

Model M47
Serial 012466

I'd like to determine gear ratios and other pertinent information on this unit before I go through the trouble of trying to install it.

Thanks,

-Tom

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-May-02 AT 01:03 AM (EST)] Tom, the model 47 is a doubleunder unit. the unit has no overdrive but does have 2 underdrives. The ratio of first gear is 1.49 to 1, the ratio of second gear is 1.20 to 1 with the third gear being a straight through ratio of 1 to 1. These ratios hold true as long as somebody didn't go into the unit and swap gears. There were several models of the "40" series units made with different gearing ratios but all having the same case size. Over the years sometimes people have taken two bad units to make one and mixed gears. That changes things. The best thing to do is to shift the unit into first gear and than second gear and determine if the revolution of the input shaft to the output shaft is the ratio given above for first and second gear. Lastly, if you take off the top cover you can inspect the gear teeth to make sure that there isn't any bad or stripped teeth on the gears.
I could talk about these Brown-lipes for ever as I have been researching these things for years and have quite a collection of them. I hope this info is of some help to you. If you like, You can reach me at RRMM4(No Email Addresses In Posts!).
Brown Lipe Bob

 

 

I all so have a Watson trans with model# 31M1 serial# W17731 & Im wondering if it's a over drive or what it's in a1940s F 5 2ton with a 4spd & 2spd rear with 5 lug 750x20 tires truck was up graded with a 292 y block any info would help thanks

 

new to this forum--looking for brown lipe bob! over. need info.! over. lew