The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop T5 or 4.11 in a '54 3600

Okay,
I have been reading alot of posts the last two days and have been hearing the plus and minus of both setups so I will offer it to the group. I have a1954 Chevy 3600 with a 235. It has the original rear end which I believe to be the 4.57. I recently picked up an '87 T5 S10 tranny for cheap and have a line on a Dana 60 8 lug rear end with 4.11 gears for $50. I plan on just using the truck for cruising at 55-60 mph and occasional hauling.
Should I just go with the T5 and keep the original rear end as some have suggested to me on the phone or should I do the T5 AND the Dana 60 with the 4.11 gears?
Thanks
Todd

The t5 shound good but you should be able to go a little lower than the 411. sounds ok either way. I had the t5 in my 67 untill traded and found it great unless you have a bunch of hp. which it sounds like you don't.

Here is an RPM calculator that lets you enter OD ratio. Enter your figures to compare.

With 4.11s, 27" tires and a .72 OD it shows 2394 rpm at 65 mph.

Well seeing that it's a 3/4 ton... I will say stay away from the t5. But I do like the idea of an OD transmission.

Todd, I've installed a set of 4:11 gears in my 3600 and it's great. I thought about the T-5 but I was concerned that it was a bit of a light weight for the 3/4 ton. But, what I learned, and was a total surprize to me, is that the 4:11s were the right decision in that with this ratio at the rear end the truck is so much better thoughout all the gears. Where as the T-5 would only be an improvement once in od/5th gear. Best of luck

JiMerit, quick question. What transmission do you have your 3600? Im kinda in the same scenario and im trying to decide what tranny i want to got with. I have either 4.10 or 4.11's in my half ton and im trying to figure out if i want to keep what i have or swap out. I currently have a 4 speed toploader and id like to keep it but i was thinking about the T5 because of the OD. also thought about changing out the rear end ratio or finding a toploader with the OD fourth. any ideas?
Smokejumper sorry for using your thread for this but it kinda fit in with what i have.

gumbi
more info about your truck please! year and engine size will be a great asset to anybody trying to help you.

As for toploaders with OD, there are a few.
Here is a partial list of OD transmissions that have been placed behind a stovebolt.
T5 5speed
NV4500 toploading 5 speed
A833 (MY6) side shifting 4 speed with OD

gumby-My 3600 has the original 4 speed trans. I think the T5 is fine in a half ton, the truck being much lighter weight, that's whats in my 46. Also the 3600 has the two piece driveline to deal with. My 3600 is mostly used around town so the taller rear end gears are much nicer than the 4:56s around town and I can do ok on the highway if needed.

Ok the truck is a 57 GMC half ton. Nothing about the driveline is original. It has a big block FE 390 motor. The tranny is from a mustang and the rear end from a camaro. Its like a johny cash truck "one piece at a time". it will be used for mostly highway driving but i want it to be able to fly when i want it too.

If the rear end is an Eaton (HO52 or HO72? can't remember which one is which) then you can get the third member from a '68 to '72 3/4 ton that used 4:11 gears and avoid changing out the whole rear end. It is a huge improvement over the 4:57 and makes around town driving far better. Use taller wheels and get more improvement. Then use some type of overdrive like the t5 or a gearvendors and you can cruise at about 65mph and spin at about 2000 to 2300 rpm's. Much greater driveability.

One more question. I have been reading all the threads about the 4:11 gear swap from a'68 to '72 3/4 ton, but the owner of the '72 3/4 ton axle that I found says that it is a Dana 60 axle with 4:11 gears. The question I have is, are the 4:11 gears out of the '72 3/4 ton Dana 60 axle interchangeable with the Eaton HO52? I am assuming not. When everyone talks about this switch they must be refering to an Eaton axle from '68 to '72 that had 4:11 gears correct?

The Dana and Eaton gears don't mix.
Eatons have the drop out third member where the Dana is a salisbury type.

They are not. You do need the Eaton to get the gears you want.

People talk about these gears as if you can find them only any street corner. They are not that common any more.

Speed vs. RPM For Tire and Gear Ratio
A real accurate way to determine your tire diameter is to draw a line on the bottom of your tire, then draw a line on the ground which lines up with the line you just drew on your tire. Then move the car until the car makes one full rotation of the tire and mark the ground where the line on the tire is at the bottom again. Now measure the length between the two lines and divide by pie (3.14) and you'll have your tire diameter to use on the calculator (don't forget to use inches). This is the preferred method to use in determining your actual tire diameter.
http://www.smokemup.com/auto_math/index.php#3
CHEVROLET T-5 Borg Warner Transmission Ratios:
1st: 2.95 2nd: 1.94 3rd: 1.34 4th: 1 5th: 0.74
Tire Diameter 1: 27.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 1: 3.08:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 9 13 19 25 34 0
1500 13 20 29 38 52 0
2000 17 26 38 51 69 0
2500 22 33 48 64 86 0
3000 26 39 57 76 103 0
3500 30 46 67 89 121 0
4000 35 53 76 102 138 0
4500 39 59 86 115 155 0
5000 43 66 95 127 172 0
5500 48 72 105 140 190 0
6000 52 79 114 153 207 0
6500 56 85 124 166 224 0
7000 61 92 133 178 241 0
7500 65 99 143 191 258 0
8000 69 105 152 204 276 0

Tire Diameter 2: 27.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 2: 3.43:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 8 12 17 23 31 0
1500 12 18 26 34 46 0
2000 16 24 34 46 62 0
2500 19 30 43 57 77 0
3000 23 35 51 69 93 0
3500 27 41 60 80 108 0
4000 31 47 68 92 124 0
4500 35 53 77 103 139 0
5000 39 59 85 114 155 0
5500 43 65 94 126 170 0
6000 47 71 103 137 186 0
6500 50 77 111 149 201 0
7000 54 83 120 160 217 0
7500 58 89 128 172 232 0
8000 62 94 137 183 248 0
CHEVROLET T-5 Borg Warner Transmission Ratios:
1st: 2.95 2nd: 1.94 3rd: 1.34 4th: 1 5th: 0.74
Tire Diameter 1: 27.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 1: 3.73:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 7 11 16 21 28 0
1500 11 16 24 32 43 0
2000 14 22 31 42 57 0
2500 18 27 39 53 71 0
3000 21 33 47 63 85 0
3500 25 38 55 74 100 0
4000 29 43 63 84 114 0
4500 32 49 71 95 128 0
5000 36 54 79 105 142 0
5500 39 60 86 116 156 0
6000 43 65 94 126 171 0
6500 46 71 102 137 185 0
7000 50 76 110 147 199 0
7500 54 81 118 158 213 0
8000 57 87 126 168 228 0

Tire Diameter 2: 27.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 2: 4.11:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 6 10 14 19 26 0
1500 10 15 21 29 39 0
2000 13 20 29 38 52 0
2500 16 25 36 48 65 0
3000 19 30 43 57 77 0
3500 23 34 50 67 90 0
4000 26 39 57 76 103 0
4500 29 44 64 86 116 0
5000 32 49 71 96 129 0
5500 36 54 78 105 142 0
6000 39 59 86 115 155 0
6500 42 64 93 124 168 0
7000 45 69 100 134 181 0
7500 49 74 107 143 194 0
8000 52 79 114 153 207 0



CHEVROLET T-5 Borg Warner Transmission Ratios:
1st: 2.95 2nd: 1.94 3rd: 1.34 4th: 1 5th: 0.74
Tire Diameter 1: 28.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 1: 3.08:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 9 14 20 26 36 0
1500 13 20 30 40 54 0
2000 18 27 39 53 71 0
2500 22 34 49 66 89 0
3000 27 41 59 79 107 0
3500 31 48 69 92 125 0
4000 36 54 79 106 143 0
4500 40 61 89 119 161 0
5000 45 68 99 132 179 0
5500 49 75 108 145 196 0
6000 54 82 118 159 214 0
6500 58 89 128 172 232 0
7000 63 95 138 185 250 0
7500 67 102 148 198 268 0
8000 72 109 158 211 286 0


Tire Diameter 2: 28.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 2: 3.43:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 8 12 18 24 32 0
1500 12 18 27 36 48 0
2000 16 24 35 47 64 0
2500 20 31 44 59 80 0
3000 24 37 53 71 96 0
3500 28 43 62 83 112 0
4000 32 49 71 95 128 0
4500 36 55 80 107 144 0
5000 40 61 89 119 160 0
5500 44 67 97 131 176 0
6000 48 73 106 142 192 0
6500 52 80 115 154 208 0
7000 56 86 124 166 224 0
7500 60 92 133 178 241 0
8000 64 98 142 190 257 0

CHEVROLET T-5 Borg Warner Transmission Ratios:
1st: 2.95 2nd: 1.94 3rd: 1.34 4th: 1 5th: 0.74
Tire Diameter 1: 28.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 1: 3.73:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 7 11 16 22 29 0
1500 11 17 24 33 44 0
2000 15 22 33 44 59 0
2500 18 28 41 55 74 0
3000 22 34 49 65 88 0
3500 26 39 57 76 103 0
4000 30 45 65 87 118 0
4500 33 51 73 98 133 0
5000 37 56 81 109 147 0
5500 41 62 90 120 162 0
6000 44 67 98 131 177 0
6500 48 73 106 142 192 0
7000 52 79 114 153 206 0
7500 55 84 122 164 221 0
8000 59 90 130 175 236 0


Tire Diameter 2: 28.5 inches
Rear Gear Ratio 2: 4.11:1
MPH
RPM 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1000 7 10 15 20 27 0
1500 10 15 22 30 40 0
2000 13 20 30 40 54 0
2500 17 26 37 50 67 0
3000 20 31 44 59 80 0
3500 23 36 52 69 94 0
4000 27 41 59 79 107 0
4500 30 46 67 89 120 0
5000 34 51 74 99 134 0
5500 37 56 81 109 147 0
6000 40 61 89 119 161 0
6500 44 66 96 129 174 0
7000 47 71 103 139 187 0
7500 50 77 111 149 201 0
8000 54 82 118 158 214 0