1-1/2 Ton Transmission / Overdrive / Gearing Options

L

LFEngineering

Junior Member
So I picked up a parts chassis this past fall to support my 1936 1-1/2 Ton Dump. One of the selling points was the included Warford Auxiliary Transmission. I was really hoping it was going to be an overdrive transmission because my dump truck clocks in at a whopping 40 mph in 4th gear. Well, it wasn't. It was actually a 2:1 under-drive.

I believe my truck and the parts chassis have the optional 6.6:1 rear ends. Making them even slower than the standard 5.14 gearing. Anyone who has seen my custom super single post knows I'm not afraid of fabrication or out of the box thinking.

I would like to make my truck go a little faster, or should I say cruise at a lower RPM. I feel like I'm beating on it driving around at 3500 rpm to keep up with traffic. Not to mention the 7 mpg.

Options:
- Find some mythical overdrive trans?
- Re-Gear rear end to 5.14 gears, that is if I can find some.
- Build some customer adapter and run the Warford 2:1 backwards?
- Build some adapter and run my 2nd 4 speed trans backwards?
- T5? with Open Driveshaft Conversion?

Only Condition is I want to keep using my original rear end housing / axles.

Thoughts?
 
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If it were me, I'd try the Warford backwards (if it's in decent shape). I think you said the splines are the same on both ends. Do you happen to know the ratio? I believe overdrives need to be stronger than undedrives because of the way the gear multiplication works, but it should be plenty strong in any case. Also, If you were to put a real heavy load on it, you would probably want it in dIrect drive, which should pose no problem.
 
If you want to improve your gearing find a two-speed rear end for it.. I have a '36 1-1/2 ton flat bed that has the two-speed option.. A two-speed rear end gives you the best of two worlds, low gearing for power and high speed for highway speeds.
The two-speed differentials of the '30's were manual shift, no vacuum/electric. My '36 FB has a shift lever mounted adjacent to the left, next to the cowl. The brakes on my truck are hydraulic, which looks like a factory application, however, I have been told that the '36 trucks had mechanicals like the cars.. My truck also has an air brake system, however, it is not air over hydraulic, it appears to have been for towing.
I was raised in a farming area of Eastern Idaho. During 1951-52 I worked in a farm shop that did all kinds of things to modify the '30-40 model trucks to have more power/speed out of the small engines. Aux transmissions, usually out of another truck being placed frontwards and/or backwards depending on if the need was for more power or speed.
 
Maybe Mitchell could build you an OD like they have for the AA's or a 4-speed
OD trans conversion.


Bob
 

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Both excellent ideas and more elegant than mine. I am a cheap SOB, always looking for the least expensive way out. AND, you already have the Warford, and probably no use for it.
 
Thinking way outside the box Gear Vendors might have a unit that could be adapted to fit the 4 speed in your truck. https://www.gearvendors.com/f2wdt.html You would have to change to an open driveshaft which would involve some drivetrain re-engineering. A downside of keeping the 4 speed is the lack of syncromeshed gearing. I swapped out the 4 speed in the tonner for a 49 Merc O/D transmission and that swap made a big difference in its driveability and usefulness. Just food for thought.
 
Hi there folks. I have a 35 ton and a half rear diff for sale. Not sure what gear ratio it has. If someone could help me figure it out it could possibly be your fix...???
 
Unscrew the speedometer drive gear on the torque tube and the gear ratio
should be stamped on the bottom of the gear.
 
I'm talking about the driveshaft inside the torque tube. The driveshaft is a tube
with the splined ends welded on.
 
Andyslife said:
Hi there folks. I have a 35 ton and a half rear diff for sale. Not sure what gear ratio it has. If someone could help me figure it out it could possibly be your fix...???
Click to expand...

If on a vehicle, jack up one side, and turn the wheel on that side exactly two turns.
Count the number of revolutions of the drive shaft or pinion. That is the axle ratio. The wheel on the ground stays still.

If not on a vehicle, hold one hub still, turn the other hub two turns exactly. The number of turns on the pinion equals the axle ratio.

Check my youtube video:
https://youtu.be/bkvp3Fq21ZM

Mart.
 
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