Mitchell overdrive
- Thread starter Lawrie
- Start date
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
Bruce of MN
Well-known member
I have a rubber tip grease fitting that I used one time instead of official long fitting above. It was okay, but not easier. Others may like it.
ModelA29
Well-known member
Mine has a syncro problem. I suspect it has synthetic fluid in it. I'll know better when I drain and flush it. My car has enough power I don't shift it on the fly. Around town I leave it in low. If I'm hitting the freeway I'll put it in OD before the onramp.
Keith True
Well-known member
I just get up to speed on the road,and shift it into OD.Then most of the time I forget to shift it back down,and wind up driving it everywhere in OD.I hear of guys splitting the gears with the Mitchell,but I have never once found a situation where that was needed.I started rowing twin stick triplexes and quadruplex Macks in the 70's,and never thought it would be fun to get in my A and row some more.I have one Mitchell in front of a 3.78 rear,and another in front of some 3.54's.I bought two 3.27 gearsets years ago,that is probably all I really need anyway instead of the Mitchells.
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
For the type of driving I do in my Model A, I wish I had bought my Mitchell Synchro Transmission before the O/D. The Synchro Transmission makes shifting so much nicer because it brings 2nd and 3rd ratios closer together. I would never have bought the O/D.
Bruce of MN
Well-known member
My normal style is like that, but OD 2nd is handy in some traffic situations. Of course, I had to try OD reverse once!
Big hammer
Well-known member
Reverse and reverse OD along with 1st and 1st Od I don’t see that much of a difference ?! If I never used OD in third LOL , using 2nd Od between 2nd and 3rd is well worth the cost, wonder why ford didn’t make 2nd gear a taller gear ratio ? Muddy roads and off road driving I guess ?
The front shaft requires the zerk extension doodad. The rear coupler has a zerk right on it.
Never heard of a failure in service. I did install one last summer for a club member that had a problem right out of the box - wouldn’t shift. Fiddled with the linkage, then finally concluded it was a bad unit. Called Steve Mitchell and he said to bring it back and he’d replace it, no questions. He swapped it out for a new one. Fortunately we are only a couple of hours from the factory so we did it in a single day. The replacement works fine, club member is very happy.
whirnot
Well-known member
Unlike most, I use my overdrive constantly. I am driving in the mountains most of the time and use them as gear splitters. Driving my Town Sedan from coast to coast a couple years ago, it was critical to have one.
Even in town a lot of folks that actually use them, find 2nd over a perfect in town gear. Three of my As have them, all equipped with shifter mounted cable controls.
My latest acquisition had a 27 Y/O Mitchell in it. Unknown miles. I was going to open it up and inspect everything, until I found out they are almost impossible to get open. Mitchell does not use gaskets and everything was sealed with silicone. I could see things pretty well from the fill and drain ports and decided to just install the cable control and run it.
Even in town a lot of folks that actually use them, find 2nd over a perfect in town gear. Three of my As have them, all equipped with shifter mounted cable controls.
My latest acquisition had a 27 Y/O Mitchell in it. Unknown miles. I was going to open it up and inspect everything, until I found out they are almost impossible to get open. Mitchell does not use gaskets and everything was sealed with silicone. I could see things pretty well from the fill and drain ports and decided to just install the cable control and run it.
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
I drive my Town Sedan in 2nd O/D most of the time. With the 15% over 2nd Gear and the 28% O/D, the gearing is close to perfect.
I use 2 O/D a lot in town. I have a Mitchell ****** on order and am looking forward to having an additional 15% in 1st and 2nd as well. I'm also going to get another overdrive to have sitting on the shelf.
If it's not too late- I'd suggest calling them and ask for the "Paul Shinn spec" ratio. 1st and reverse are standard, 2nd is 17% higher. If you get the higher 1st, that also gives you higher reverse. You do NOT want that, trust me.
Y-Blockhead
Well-known member
I don't have any issues with reverse being 15% higher... Stock reverse is pretty tall, 3.25:1. Brings all gears closer together, 1st, 2nd and 3rd is awesome. I have another transmission ordered. Steve told me the 15% over in 1st and 2nd is the most popular.
Is yours a special transmission with 17% over gear ratios?
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I have to back on my flat driveway to get to the garage, and have several times forgotten to take it out of O/D so I back in reverse O/D. I don't find it a particular problem. I suppose it might be if I had to do it uphill...