CUCV M1028 / Gear Vendor Info & Installation Results

[richpres]

After many years of being a member, and having learned many things on this website, I would like to make a first-time post regarding my recent installation of a Gear Vendor on my M1028. I am but the most inexperienced online "blog" poster you will ever meet - I hope this goes well. But mostly I want to say "many thanks" to all of you who have posted useful CUCV info - to you I owe a greater debt of gratitude for helping me with my truck's restoration - about 5 years ongoing now - than I can ever express .... I still have some parts I'm looking for to complete my restoration ... but for now I would like to give back to the community by sharing the following info.

CUCV M1028 / Gear Vendor Info & Installation Results

M1028 Info:
Stock truck but running BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 LT235/85R16 LRE RWL Off Road Sport Tires. Specs for tires – and note – the overall diameter of the tires is 32-inches, not 31-inches, which as I understand it the stock M1028 came with (although I standby to be corrected at any time).
· Speed Rating = Q
· Max Load = 3042
· Tread Depth = 18/32
· Overall Diameter = 32
· Raised White Letters (I, of course, mounted mine with letters inward)
Here is a link to one vendor of the tires. Note, however, that I bought mine via Costco, like $219 each, because I shop there regularly and they have great “follow-up” service like rotation, nitrogen airing, etc., all for free:
http://www.tirepackage.com/Tires/LT...h.aspx?t_c=13&t_s=156&t_pl=6396&t_pn=BFG39551

I’ve seen a personally unverified Steel Soldiers post related to M1008/M1028 speed and RPMs stating the following for the stock CUCV:

2872 rpm = 55 mph
2250 rpm = 43 mph
1800 – 2200 rpm = best mileage/range

I installed the following Gear Vendor Model Number: 3D0208B
When I originally bought the GV, I thought I my truck would wear 31-inch O.D. tires, so that’s what I told them and they included the appropriate speedo gear.
But, that changed, so I purchased from GV a new speedo gear, Part No. 180213, 43T P-Type.

GV’s website publishes the following Gear Vendor installed gear reduction info in case you are interested:

TH375/400/475 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC
	Axle Ratio	4.88	4.56	4.10	3.73	3.55	3.42
	Trans Ratio	Final Drive Ratio
1st	2.48	12.10	11.31	10.17	9.25	8.80	8.48
Over	1.93	9.44	8.82	7.93	7.22	6.85	6.60
2nd	1.48	7.22	6.75	6.07	5.52	5.25	5.06
Over	1.15	5.63	5.27	4.73	4.31	4.09	3.95
3rd	1.00	4.88	4.56	4.10	3.73	3.55	3.42
Over	0.78	3.81	3.56	3.20	2.91	2.77	2.67

After installing the Gear Vendor, I installed a Tiny Tach because I wanted to see what the results were.

I also installed a custom made aluminum drive shaft (to take some weight off the GV), along with new yokes and U-joints.

Today I finally got everything together and took her for a test drive. I am tickled pink and the speed/rpm results are as follows (These are the speed/rpm measurements I recorded although I could have recorded more. I was driving alone and wanted to pay attention to driving as much as I could – looking up and down and writing stuff down while driving is like, well, talking on your cell phone while driving – not a great idea!)

35 mph = 1810 rpm
40 mph = At 40 mph, and with the GV set on auto, the GV’s overdrive kicked in and the rpms dropped from 2000 to 1650.

Thereafter, with the overdrive operating, here is the rest of the story:

45 mph = 1750 rpm
50 mph = 1950 rpm
55 mph = 2120 rpm
60 mph = 2270 rpm
65 mph = 2460 rpm
70 mph = 2650 rpm
75 mph = 2860 rpm

And although I decided not to push it – I’m sure she still had at least 10 more mph in her no problem! Anyway, I’ve never posted anything on Steel Soldiers before, although I’ve been tempted. I have a couple parts I’m looking for to complete my restoration. I know there are a lot of purists out there who do not approve of modifying CUCVs, but trust me, every modification I have undertaken, including the installation of the GV, was done so as to not alter the truck’s stock condition any more than necessary. That is to say, everything can be removed and completely restored back to stock condition with the least amount of effort! Of course, I saved all the takeoff parts just for this purpose.

 

[doghead]

Great info, Thank you

Would you mind sharing what it cost to add this to your truck?

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Very nice! Both the post, and the results you got! Me likes!


Looking forward to more from you! opcorn: That OD is on my "someday, maybe.... " wish list.

I am but the most inexperienced online "blog" poster you will ever meet - I hope this goes well.

Well, since this is not a blog, no problem.

(It's a forum. Different thing entirely.)

I know there are a lot of purists out there who do not approve of modifying CUCVs...

Feel free to completely ignore those people. You need not justify your decisions to them, nor explain yourself to them. You do not need to engage in any "thought and self-evaluation" for daring to deviate from OEM.

Just do what you want with your own property, and enjoy it!

 

[Drock]

Thanks for the write up. I've had my Gear vendors in for about 4000 miles now but I haven't gotten around to installing ah tach. I drive 220 miles a day, at 80MPH. I haven't calculated the fuel mileage yet either, but round trip is about $52.00, or aprox 3/4 ah tank. It's definitely a must for these trucks if you plan on driving long distances.

 

[GPrez]

I am with you 100%. installing the Gear Vendors OD was one of if not my favorite modification. It makes the truck usable for more than around town. I just returned from a long range hunting trip with mine and was my longest trip yet and couldn't be more thrilled.

As for the purists on here; MarcusO is spot on. Don't worry about what others think. It's your truck. Build it to work for you. No one in their right mind is going to change out the GV and put it back to stock.

 

[Csm Davis]

I am with you 100%. installing the Gear Vendors OD was one of if not my favorite modification. It makes the truck usable for more than around town. I just returned from a long range hunting trip with mine and was my longest trip yet and couldn't be more thrilled.

As for the purists on here; MarcusO is spot on. Don't worry about what others think. It's your truck. Build it to work for you. No one in their right mind is going to change out the GV and put it back to stock.

No not back to stock but I would pull it off and sell it quickly if I ended up with it. I have had a gear vendors that was installed at the factory that went bad and played heck getting it replaced then sold truck and found out later it happened again about a year later and couldn't be replaced again. I hope they have gotten better, I would look at putting a temperature gage on the gear vendors unit. Best of luck with it.

 

[richpres]

Many thanks for y'all's replies. Regarding Gear Vendor related costs:

Gear Vendor - $2,895, but I bought it several years ago directly from GV and now the price has gone up to something around $3,200.
Custom aluminium drive shaft $556.81 - from Driveshaft Specialist, Inc. in San Antonio - great folks to work with - ask for Brent Crownover - was $556.81.
Cost for installation at GM dealership was $600.

Best money I've spent on my CUCV so far. I'm a turkey hunter and drive long distances to get where the birds are!

Here's the driveshaft info

Custom 1350X 4.00x.125 6061-T6 DOM Aluminum Tube with Spicer XL U-Joints and Hi-Speed Balanced - $225.
1 Transmission Spline Slip Yoke - 2431X 1350/32 Spline - 85.00.
1 1350 Parts Kit - 200.00
UPS Shipping Charges - $28.00
Sales Tax 8.25% $18.81
Total Cost = $556.81


If you have any more questions just let me know - happy to answer them if I can ....

 

[GPrez]

Regarding Gear Vendor related costs:

Gear Vendor - $2,895, but I bought it several years ago directly from GV and now the price has gone up to something around $3,200.....

For anyone interested in pricing one. Get a price from a local dealer like a Speed & Performance shop. Mine was a few hundred less going this route verses buying direct from Gear Vendors even after paying sales tax. Installation is very easy also.

 

[truck1]

I run 37" x 16.50 surplus radials and gain a decent drop in RPMs over stock tires with the GV unit. At 70mph I'm at 2350 rpm. My GV has been flawless for about 25,000 miles . Great setup.

 

[CUCVLOVER]

richpres thanks for the info on the GV. I was thinking about doing this to my truck and was wondering how has it held up and was it worth doing???

thank you

 

[richpres]

Great info, Thank you

Would you mind sharing what it cost to add this to your truck?

Hi Doghead - well never thought I'd end up in this space, but oh well ... that's what I get for thinking ....
Having horrible GEN2 charging issue - read all the posts and I think I've tried everything except trying what I need to do to fix the prob ....
Can you please help me - thinking about driving the truck up to Oklahoma City from Houston and asking (former) Warthog to eyeball it and help me out.
Have done all the tests - have to hand the results - but hesitant to open a new channel of communications - everyone seems to me to then pitch in with this and that such that you get a lot of "this and that" and that's exactly what I do not need at this point, if you catch my drift ....