The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Highway gear for a 1954 6400?

Is there a way to get these trucks to run at about 55-60 mph? I've seen some posts about an s-10 five speed tranny, would that do it? My truck has 250 in it right now which I would like to keep since it runs pretty strong. any suggestions?

Pappy -- Those S-10 5-speeds work okay for the little trucks but I think the guys would advise against using one in anything larger than a 1/2-ton.

To get safely to highway speeds in an AD truck is going to require significant modification to your drivetrain. Several of us are in process of doing that and I'll let the experts tell you about your options. As for me, I am building an AD truck to cruise 65 MPH at about 22k GVW, and to do that, I am upgrading to a 4-53T Detroit diesel, 10-speed Road Ranger RT-610 transmission and a Dana 80 rear axle (with boosted disc brakes). Front axle with be using disc brakes as well and power steering from an International 1-ton.

I don't think there is any way to get highway speeds out of a 2-ton with the 235/250 and the stock rear end, no matter what transmission you use. And the S-10 5-speed isn't enough of a transmission for your application (I think it's barely enough for a 1/2-ton -- those S-10's are actually 1/4-trucks, if I recall correctly).

Hate to be the first of bad news bearers, but you are looking at a significant upgrade to your truck if you want to run highway speeds with it and still carry anything ... AND still be safe.

Grigg is my coach and he is also in Virgina (Lexington area). Where are you? We have a pretty active group of Bolters in the Old Dominion area, so welcome to the Old Dominion Stovebolt Society. Cosmo is our current president.

Regards,
John

There is no gear set available for your current rear that would do the trick.

The T-5 (S-10 five speed) would be a stretch in a truck that weighs 5,000 and can carry another 10,000. I would not expect the transmission to last very long.

There is a transmission known as the MY-5 or something similar to that, someone will come along with the right info, that is a 4-speed with an overdrive 4th. Its hard to find one that fits a GM bell housing, but they are out there and might be a good option. It was used in GM and Dodge pickups late 80's early 90's. I may not have the details right, but again someone who knows will help out I'm sure.

There are the newer pickup 5-speeds which all come with some issues, but may be what you need.

You can also look at changing the rear axle. If you find a post by Grigg and check his signature line you'll find he has adapted a later 10 lug rear to his 2-ton. He could help out with details such as whether or not it supports the original wheels or not, I'm pretty sure he is not using the stock wheels.

And another option to consider is using an axle like a Dana 80 and cutting off the ends and welding on the ends from your stock axle. Provided you measure carefully and get the hubs in the right spot you can then redrill the hubs to take the Dana axles.

That gives you a modern rear with more ratio options but keeps your original brakes and wheels.

Other options are to find a Brownie, which is an axillary transmission providing overdrive, a Gear Vendors overdrive, or a Ranger overdrive.

And since you are running a 250, the GM overdrive automatics are an option too.

This may not be an exhaustive list, but it should give you an idea of the range of options.

Not mentioned yet is the NV4500 5 speed transmission.
So far it may be your best option for somewhat faster gears, it's a nominal 1 ton transmission and has about 0.73 OD ratio. It should hold up just fine for your use.

Grigg

As John says, Be safe. If your using stock brakes and stuff anything more than 40-45 is dangerous. I've found that having something run out in front of you and have to stop going 40 mph in my '52 6400 is a handful. Take what John says with more than a grain of salt. Don

Hello All,

There is the prospect of a ranger overdrive and or a brown lipe with the OD as well.

On a quick tangeant, I have a somewhat funny and pertinent story here. Among some of my stovebolts I own a 1951 6400. Practically stock, except for a built 261 installed and 8.25x20 tires in the rear.

My uncle and I own a nursery in Long Beach, Ca and it is that time of year when Christmas trees are for sale. We buy our trees wholesale in East LA. Anyways we loaded up 261 trees (Nice huh, 261 for a 261) that weighed about 20 pounds a piece giving about 5220 lbs of load. On the way home we actually got pulled over by a HP officer, for guess what? SPEEDING. Yeah that's right, speeding.

Now, my speedometer doesn't work and hasn't for about 20 years, but I never fixed it because I've never found a paired set of speedometer gears for this truck, not to mention that I don't have the vacuum control valve for switching between hi and low on the split rear. That and I never thought that I could ever even speed in this truck.

Well he clocked me at 64 MPH. Being a truck we're limited to 55MPH. Well, to make a long story short I talked to the guy for a little bit and lied. I said I thought I was going 50, my speedometer is old and maybe I don't have the right tires and he bought it. But not before giving my truck a complete safety inspection. He checked my tires, brakes, hydrobooster, wheel cylinders for leaks (just a visual from the outside for a wet tire), wiring, checked my fire extinguisher, and how my load was lashed.

Then he asked for my bill of lading and he did this quick calculation and tried to tell me that I was overloaded. My only luck in convincing him that I wasn't was that I had a split axle. He said I was limited to two tons and I said three. He put my VIN in his computer and my luck had it that at some point someone before me had registered the truck with a load capacity of 10000lbs and I have been paying for the weight fees for years. So luckily, I wasn't legally overloaded even though I know that this is a two ton.

But the guy go me thinking. Might I really have been going 64MPH and loaded? I doubt it. But it's a cool story anyways. I'm going to borrow a GPS from a buddy and see if this is even possible. If it is, I'm going to buy a tach and see what RPM I'm pulling or maybe use an RPM calculator to figure that out. My engine is noisy, but it's supposed to be anywhere near 2500-3000rpm anyways so I've never been nervous about it anyways.

Happy Holidays,
54Monster

Hey Guys,

sorry bout re-mentioning the ranger and brownie, I just noticed.

54Monster

54Monster> I can believe it. Depends what gears ya have in the back there, proabaly taller than mine are! But my 370 dump tops out at 60-63 before I chicken out. I try to keep it under 55 for safety's sake, but she'll run over 55 all day without a complaint.

My firetruck has done 62mph once but it will go 55 on a regular basis but it is LOUD!!!

Find a brownie,I put one in a 46 1.5 ton will cruse easy between 55-65 and with a moderate load will still stop on a dime and give you 8 cents change.

Seems like the best thing to do, is to see what the old girl will do with original equipment. 55 is plenty fast for me.

My '59 Viking 40 will run at 55 with no problem, and I've had it up to 60-65 mph several times. Although it is really rapping out that little six banger. It has a 292 with (I believe) the stock 4 speed transmission and single speed rear end. The tires are 8-19.5 which I think are little small, it would probably do better with 8.25x20's on it.

I think the 292 makes the big difference.

John

My old 42 (that JLucas now owns) really liked 55 mph after I put in a 235. It would do 65 but that was pushing it pretty hard.

I am building a '50-ish two ton GMC chassis with the original two speed rear end. The high range ratio is 6.03 and the low is 8.0?. I am installing a 292 with a 1988 1/2 ton five speed with a .73 overdrive. I will run 8.25 x 20 tires and I have calculated that I will be taching about 2400 rpms at 55 mph. I know that a 1/2 ton transmission seems light for a two ton truck that I plan to load heavily. However, the transmission was designed for a 215 horse Chevy 350 with a much lower geared rear end. With my 292 and 8.00 final drive ratio available, I seriously doubt that I will stress this transmission. I will tell you if my theories work out when I get it running later this winter.
Mark