The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New rear gears and freeway driving..

Hi guys. My daily driver around town for the last year a 235 4 speed 1959 apache just got a set of Patrick's 3.38 gear set. I have been driving at varied speeds round town and since install have put 200 or so trouble free miles on them. I want to take my first freeway trip this week some 120 miles each way. Anything need to know or look for on my maiden voyage? Should I pull off and give it a rest or am I good to go without a break? Have had it at 75 or so without issue but not for more then 15 miles at a time. Just thought someone else on here has been in the same boat. Any info you can offer would be great. Thanks!

if it didnt break by now drive the hell out of it. bty how's the brakes when your driving 75?

Sounds like a plan! As for the brakes I went through them and set up new drums front and rear just a couple months back. They work out great and as long as I am paying attention I haven't had any issues.

Had 3.33 gears made for my 39 Chevy Truck about 5 years ago. The original was 4.11. Whata difference. I can cruise at 55-60 without the 216 engine screaming. Top end before was 40-45. As long as the suspension, brakes, steering, etc. are in great shape drive it. The only major differences I've noticed are low-end torque, and because I don't have a sychronized 1 gear, downshifting to 2nd gear and going around a corner will sometimes make the engine lug.

Yep that's exactly what I have noticed here as well. Better cruise speed and easy 70 mph without sounding like she's going to blow. Everything else you mentioned is in grade a shape as well so it seems I'm good to go! Thanks.

Did you have any problems installing the gear set?

None at all as I sent it to my local shop and let them do it for me. Just don't have the lift or tools to go in and without the know how I'm not afraid to pass it on to someone who does. They did mention it took a couple try's and a call over to Patrick to get it set right but then again I don't imagine trucks this old come across the shop every day. Runs great now. Just need to get the speedo adapter so I can now exactly how fast I'm running.

Joshm; do you have a GPS???.It will tell ya the exact speed your going.go from there

Take your Garmin or phone with gps and you'll have your speed till you get your adapter.

So does anyone have the website or address or what ever for patricks? And who has the speedo adapters?

Here you go, Patrick's.

http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/

http://www.speedometershop.com/rep-pag.htm

Click on ratio test

All I can say guys is WOW! These new rear sets rock! Super nice run up without a hitch. 75 or so (still guessing!) smooth as can be. Zips through town traffic too now. Great idea with the gps will do that till I can fix the speedo. Not one to praise product often but it really is a game changer. Patrick's has the speedo adapter too I noticed when I looked over the site again. Guess I missed it when I ordered everything else. Thanks everyone for all the input.

I am considering doing this swap in my 59 GMC this summer.

How many hours did the shop charge you to do the swap?

Ran $600 to replace ring pinion along with all bearings for pinion, axle, carrier, replacement of all gaskets and seals. Had it back to me once and it had a small rear whine so it went back and was torn down and redone at no additional cost and now its perfect. Seemed fair to me..

Nice

So this $600 was for the labour? Any idea of how many hours this was?

No sorry I don't. Not the only truck I own and I was in no hurry so I dropped off Monday and picked up Friday. Next time I am by the shop I can ask and update this post if you like?

I'd guess it's less than $100 an hour. I recently swapped out the third member with the new gears already set up. I bid it at five hours and it took me five and a half.

RICKMG thank goodness you're still around, where did you get the 3.33 gears? Several people are curious, I want some too...

Hey rickmg --- can you tell us more about getting a new R & P set made? My '46 needs the same thing and I've had no luck finding a shop to take it on here. Thanks in advance.

if any of you get hold of rickmg concerning the 3.33 gears he had made and where he got them made, please post it, I've sent him 5 or 6 PM's either he doesn't want to talk to us or doesn't realize he has messages.