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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Recently picked up a nice old 65 GMC 1-ton flatbed, 305-6/4-speed. As all of you know, it rides like a buckboard and maxes out around 55mph. I'm new to trucks bigger than 1/2-tons so I'm learning as I go - what is the rear end in this thing and ratio?
I'm going to find something to swap into the rear so I can go down the highway at mellower RPM's. Thanks! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | "rough" estimate is to mark the tire and turn the pinion(or driveshaft and count the number of rotations of the pinion/driveshaft needed in order to get one full revolution. If it takes a hair over 3 revolutions of the driveshaft to get one full tire revolution....you have roughly 3.08 gears.
your truck probably has maybe 4:57 or there about...
you might find a tag or stamp on the rear axle/pumpkin saying what you have
Last edited by joker; 08/22/2013 5:23 PM.
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Thanks, Joker. I runs like a 4:57 that is for sure. I'll go climb under it. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | I am sure others might chime in, I know just enough to be dangerous...lol
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | I appreciate it, and hate asking what might be dumb questions, but I have to learn somehow. It is a 10-bolt/round pumpkin. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | sorry, did not understand your question..
did you find any tags anywhere on the pumpkin or there about
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Sorry, Joker, I just stuck my head underneath and looked at it. Will dig around in the grease tomorrow to see if I can locate a tag or any numbers. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | hey Brew, does your truck look anything like this one I am thinking it does..
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | neat looking truck, like the wheels.. I need that
at my country place...
help is coming your way
Last edited by joker; 08/22/2013 8:23 PM.
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 | Brewmiser I too have changed the rear gears. First we'll need to see what diff you have. I had a Dana 44 with stock 3.93 gears (at 65 she was screaming) I contacted precision gears and picked up a ring and pinion set for the Dana and dropped her down to 3.23 (made a world of difference) http://www.precisiongear.com/Jake Groby | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Good chance you have 5.13 gears, which was the standard gear in the Eaton rear in 1 tons. 4.57 was an option in some years.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Thanks guys!
With 16" tires it is screaming at 55mph.
I have a 4.10 14-bolt dually rear end laying around, I might try it. Or I hear some newer diesel rear ends are 3.73.
Appreciate it guys! | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Thanks Modelman! Longbox... Danville is pretty close!
And Joker, kick cancer's [censored]! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | hey brewmeister, check out longbox's last name...
I was almost confused ...not hard for me to be in that situation though
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Nice name!  | | | | | Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 56 | Hey Brewmeister, 3.73 gears are the way to go as they give you speed and save you on gas over the 4.10, also they will let you pull something easier, wish my 2006 silverado had the option of 3.73 instead of having to use the 4.10 setup when I bought it new, I traded in my old truck and it had 3.73 in it, it would pull the earth if you could get a pulley on it somehow. Pat
1966 Chevy C 30 1 ton truck
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | keep the 5 something gears and put them in a dirt track car...lol
actually a lot will depend on what you intend to do with the truck, remember it is still a big truck and an old truck..
might be good as is, take it easy and enjoy the farm roads...
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Thanks Smiles, and Joker.
I've yet to find a dually rear end with 3.73's in it.
I take that back, I found one in a fire damaged truck and the guy wanted $600. Keep in mind I paid $1000 for the whole truck.
I already own the 4.10...
Joker, the truck is just a toy for the brewery now - light hauling and just cruising around, but I'm in the suburbs so going into the city is an interstate adventure with the 5.13's... so I'm just wanting to get into something a little more user friendly.
Last edited by brewmeister; 08/23/2013 4:27 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 |
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Nice name! You would be surprised at how often it gets pronounced as "brewmeister"  Now for something weird, when I looked at your pics, then you mentioned not being far from Danville, I almost though that your truck was this one! That truck is a local one, don't know the owner, but I have seen the truck at most of the local shows recently.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | I have never seen a one ton at a show, we folks in Tx must be missing something.. wait I take that back, I do know one but he really wasn't at the show, just dropping of some tires.. here it is.. should be in the gallery, I will see if I can get the write up here it is,,, a 59 so off topic...lol real interesting guy, loves trains and such.. have not seen him in awhile
Last edited by joker; 08/23/2013 10:11 PM.
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | We don't get too many bigger trucks at the local shows, but some do show up. Like this 1 1/4 ton Jeep and this Kenworth.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 197 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2012 Posts: 197 | Hey Brewmeister, 3.73 gears are the way to go as they give you speed and save you on gas over the 4.10, also they will let you pull something easier, wish my 2006 silverado had the option of 3.73 instead of having to use the 4.10 setup when I bought it new, I traded in my old truck and it had 3.73 in it, it would pull the earth if you could get a pulley on it somehow. Pat Actually, that's kinda backwards. The deeper gears mean more mechanical advantage, so you put more power to the ground. If taller gears pulled better his truck wouldn't have 5.14's to begin with, lol. Back to the topic, I have 4.10's and like them. With a 235/85r16 tire I turn a little under 2,900 @ 65, and a little over 2,400 @ 55.
Some of my crap: 1963 C-30 flatbed dually 292/SM420 1965 C-10 LWB fleet 250/column shift 3 speed 1965 C-30 9' stepside 250/SM420/4.10 gears (my DD) Website I made for my crap: http://www.66submarine.com | | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | lower numerical numbers mean higher gear
higher '' '' mean lower gear
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 56 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 56 | Just saying that for me the 3.73 works a lot better for me than the 410, as they pulled everything that I needed them too ,should have worded my response better. Pat
1966 Chevy C 30 1 ton truck
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | you did fine, the old man just messing with you...
my 52 with a 235 and s-10 five speed and blazer rear end had 2:73.. folks said I would not be happy, they were ok because I did not do any towing and live in a flat area, how ever
I did run in fourth a lot because it was hard to use the over drive on the hiway, to many folks driving different speeds and it like the over drive at 60 plus, but you could go 80 at about 2,900 rpm..lol I probably should have had a 3:08 or higher though
it all depends on how one wants to drive the vehicle
Last edited by joker; 08/24/2013 6:49 PM.
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 63 | Thanks for all of the great replies, guys, much appreciated!
Will likely try the 4.10 I have, see how it does.
Cheers! | | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 20 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2007 Posts: 20 | My 1960 GMC 1-ton, don't know with the year difference between the two, is 4:56. | | |
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