The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline i want to go faster

[We have a 58 Apache 3100 ready for the road. My son and i droveit last night and unfortunatley it tops out at about 45-50. Is it difficult to purchase and replace gears in the rear end so i could run around 55 or 50? Are there cheaper or easire options? Thansk

Taller tires.

These trucks were designed to run 45-50. I would take every precaution necessary (brakes, steering, suspension rebuilds) in order to ensure your sons safety. These trucks are death traps at high speeds - they weren't designed for it.

I have a 54 3100 all original engine/driveline. It tops out at about 60-65. 60 is the fastest you want to run it for any length of time because off high engine RPMS any faster. To Patrick's point, the steering gets real squirrely above 55. I haven't been too concerned about the brakes. They seem to do the job. I do know if you search they make a kit to replace the gears in the rear end to gain about 10 MPH but I can't speak to how difficult it is. from some of the post I have read you do need to have some knowledge and even some specialty tools.

There are ring and pinion gear sets for your truck available .One of the venders has 373 ratio .I had a 72 chev truck with a inline 6 and it was okay with that ratio .Would be like 65 mph to your trucks 50 as far as rpm if I remember right.

You probably have a 3.90 or 3.70 rear end (If it has original equipment

What diameter wheels and what size tires?

First determine if the 45-50 is accurate. Use a cell phone app like WAZE unless you think that big brother is watching. As previously mentioned, tall tires may help depending on what size is currently installed. An OD transmission (once you find one) is an easy install.

I replaced the tires on my 2 ton truck, it had 9.00-22.5 that were about 39.5" diameter, my new tires are 10R-22.5, they are about an inch taller, I gained 5 mph and it now can do 50-51 mph against the governor.

On my 1957 NAPCO. I installed an OD trans (first gear synchro) and 3:38 differential gears. Works great, but I am pretty careful at 70 - 75 mph, I usually don't go above 65 on the highway. I did install front disk brakes (strangely enough, the stock front NAPCO brakes are early Studebaker). Typically I am on 2 lane or city roads where naturally I go slower. I do have a warmed over 348 engine that has lots of low end grunt to make up for the 3:38s.
don

It's an age old issue with these trucks. There are many posts on this site regarding better highway performance and numerous choices. There is the factory overdrive, Muncie SM319 with the Borg Warner R10H overdrive, a later Saganaw SM326 with a Borg Warner R10Q overdrive, numerous later model Borg Warner T5 overdrive options, 3.38:1 differential gears, 3.07:1 Spicer differentials offered on GMC trucks of that era. As mentioned, make sure your steering and brakes are up to the task.
Fred

It's an issue of perception, not reality. In 1964 I inherited my late grandfather's 58 Chevy DelRay coupe with a 235 and a 3 speed (SM-318) transmission, and a 3.70 rear end. It also had 14" tires, the first year Chevy used that size. I drove it 65-70 MPH routinely, and mid to high 80's was not impossible if I really wanted to push it. I attended college 150 miles from home, and it was not uncommon to make the trip home on weekends in 2 1/2 hours or less. That's an AVERAGE of just under 60 MPH, with several 30 MPH speed trap towns along the way. Your truck is capable of much higher speeds than you're apparently willing to drive it. Take the fan off and make a highway run, and I believe you'll figure out where most of the "engine" noise is coming from. Your speed is directly proportional to the position of your right foot. I can highly recommend the purchase of a pair of earplugs. They're a lot less expensive than ring and pinion gears.
Jerry

I agree with Jerry. The limiting factor with driving these trucks, that is assuming all brakes, steering, and chassis components are in good condition is indeed the driver.

Let's not kid ourselves. Driving this vintage of truck at todays highway speeds is loud. If the steering is squirrely at 60, then something needs adjusted. I can drive my truck at 75 with one hand on the wheel. However, my truck gets a full tear down annually checking all components and replace the needed parts.

Just make sure you know what you have before attempting.

Yep.
That's all I have. No more words needed in my opinion (yet still, I added more pointless words).

I was going to add, if you go faster well it be able to stop ? I remember last year going to town I was going to make the light but thought better of it and slammed on the brakes, i was all over the road.

WECBOB Listen to green 98,These antiques are just not interstate mobils,brakes and steering are from another age.

Tires on the pickup now are 33X9.5x15. Do yoiu know where is can buy taller tires that will fit on my rims? Thanks

The existing tires are 33X9.5X15. I'm not looking for fast speed but would like to increase my top speed from 45-50 to around 55 if possible without running the engine at too high r.p.m. Can anyone tell me what is the tallest tire size i could mount on my existing rim; approximately how much taller that would be and finally approximately how much increase in mph i would gain with the tallest tire? Thanks for all your advice and help.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=53 size chart
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=54 math for changing tire sizes
http://advanced-ev.com/Calculators/TireSize/ simple tire change calculator

The other thing to consider᠁᠁᠁᠁the engine and road noise are incredibly loud by any modern standard. So it may sound like the engine is about to come apart ᠁᠁᠁..but᠁᠁᠁.it’s just noise.

Realizing that the original topic was about going faster, there is nothing wrong with driving around local
streets at moderate speeds and obtaining better mileage by slowing the engine down with an overdrive
or better gearing.
These vehicles were designed for hauling loads but very few are used for that purpose now. Make whatever changes are needed to satisfy your driving needs but make it safe as well.
Fred