The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Safe speed for a 52 3/4 Ton

I am very lucky to have an original '52 3600 with the original engine. It runs great and I am probably babying it, only 19,000 miles. I don't want to hurt the engine, but at 35 mph it is revving pretty good.

Thanks,

Jim

i will generaly run mine at 45 or so, it also is original, so i don't beat the crap out of it, but 45 runs about a medium rev in my truck

I run mine at 45 also, with occasional quick jaunts up to 55.

They say that the "red line" on a 216 is somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000-3500 RPM. Just so long as you don't rev the engine higher than that, you should be fine.

Approximate RPM Breakdown in High Gear:
25 MPH ≈ 1300 RPM
30 MPH ≈ 1600 RPM
35 MPH ≈ 1900 RPM
40 MPH ≈ 2100 RPM
45 MPH ≈ 2400 RPM
50 MPH ≈ 2700 RPM
55 MPH ≈ 2900 RPM

Your numbers may vary based on gear ratio (should be around 4.55:1), transmission ratio (should be 1:1) and tire diameter.

I have a 235 in mine but I don't go much above 40-45. I feel happy there and even though my front end is in excellent shape I still don't see the point in pushing it.

my brothers 50 1/2 ton with 4.10 gears and newer (1960ish)235 feels good to 60 one time evan did 70 one time but needless to say it was NOT A GOOD IDEA!
on the outher hand my 46 2 ton with old style 235(bord and stroked 216) never wanted to go over 40-45

my 52 3/4 won't do more then 40-45 , and with the old huck brakes to slow it down , 45 is really pushing it.

had mine up to 60 today. It was the fist time it has made a rode trip in 37 years. I drove it about 50 miles.

My '51 1-tonner had 5.14 gears and would have been flat out at 50 mph. 35 - 40 was comfortable. I've changed up to 4.10 and now 50 is practical all day long. I'd say, jbc, that 40 - 45 is okay for yours.