gear vendors or 518?

[Razorback74]

curious...gear vendors or 518 ?
440 with 500 plus hp/torque daily driver may be too much for the 518...
I already have torqueflite ,total project cost similar.
would appreciate comments for guidance
thanks in advance

 

[Chryco Psycho]

You will not hurt the GV unit .
The real question is the 518 & 727 are basically the same trans + the OD so what power will the OD handle ?
Sorry I don't have the answer but I have seen the 727 take well over 800 HP with no issues .

 

[Razorback74]

Thanks! I feel that to upgrade the 518 will cost about the same as a gear vendors, but with a limited hp/torque ability.
Soooo guess i will be going with the gearvendors/727 combo. As previous this is a daily driver...why not enjoy?

 

[Cratos]

I would like to hear your results when finished , thinking of a GV latter on .

 

[Chryco Psycho]

The only downside with the GV is th shorter driveshaft , you may need a CV on one end to prevent vibration .

 

[Razorback74]

Thanks , will look into the drive shaft length/angle .
I was under the firewall getting ready to install full floor pan. Quite a RATS nest of old wiring from previous owners, scarry!
Considering KWIK wire while waiting on machine work. No time to waste. Wait I am retired...still dont know how much time is available to waste! Ha

 

[tonysrt]

As a Retiree myself, I see the previous 24 hours in the day turn into about 4 hours a day now. Seems like something else is breaking and having to devote time to other than working on the car. Then there is Family doing this and that and taking away more time, although my Family definitely comes first, especially when I have to drive 750 miles to see my other grand kids. The other problem is if you don't do it today it'll be there tomorrow, still broke. This has been my problem for the last 22 years. But it sure beats working 9-5 and commuting.

 

[Razorback74]

As a Retiree myself, I see the previous 24 hours in the day turn into about 4 hours a day now. Seems like something else is breaking and having to devote time to other than working on the car. Then there is Family doing this and that and taking away more time, although my Family definitely comes first, especially when I have to drive 750 miles to see my other grand kids. The other problem is if you don't do it today it'll be there tomorrow, still broke. This has been my problem for the last 22 years. But it sure beats working 9-5 and commuting.

I am trying to make up for lost time, 2 hour commute for the last 30 years, projects get put off. Keep going on your projects, the grand kids will love it!

 

[chargerdon]

I am trying to make up for lost time, 2 hour commute for the last 30 years, projects get put off. Keep going on your projects, the grand kids will love it!

Gear Vendors or an A518 are BOTH longer than the original 727, so Either way you will need your driveshaft cut and rebalanced. Cost me $200 here in NC. I went the A518 route and while its a lot of work it works great !! I did have to make driveline angle change as the A518 sits lower in the transmission tunnel so i ended up putting in 2 1/2 degree shims on the rear axle housings to change its angle as it did have driveline vibration.

 

[Cuda416]

Don't forget to take into consideration the "rules" when using a GV. As I understand it you can't use it under 30Mph? You can fry them and it seems to be on you to make sure it doesn't happen.

That would be my concern. I think they're a great idea as an add on, but a 518 already has it. I have a 46RH for my eventual build.

Full disclosure, I read abou this info or watched it on TV or something.. No practical experience with them. Good luck.

 

[Razorback74]

These replys are the GOLD standard. I appreciate everyone. Upon further investigation the 518 with lockup converter will give the greatest rpm drop at highway speeds. Anyone have experience with a transmission shop online ? Might be better to buy a 518 from someone who builds to a higher horsepower/torque on a regular basis.

 

[MoparCarGuy]

Don't forget to take into consideration the "rules" when using a GV. As I understand it you can't use it under 30Mph? You can fry them and it seems to be on you to make sure it doesn't happen.

That would be my concern. I think they're a great idea as an add on, but a 518 already has it. I have a 46RH for my eventual build.

Full disclosure, I read abou this info or watched it on TV or something.. No practical experience with them. Good luck.

Can you provide any source for the "can't use it under 30Mph" and "You can fry them" statements? The GV is practically indestructible and lugging it at 30mph in OD should not damage the GV unit. OD and slow speeds would more likely cause your engine to stall if you did not make enough horsepower to keep the vehicle moving.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I have heard of gear venders units in Motorhomes , in really gives you 6 gears as you can use OD in any gear .
A friend had one in his Chall that I helped installed & it worked great , it was behind a 383/496ci .
I agree that getting a 518 built by a reputable builder is a must .

 

[Cuda416]

Can you provide any source for the "can't use it under 30Mph" and "You can fry them" statements? The GV is practically indestructible and lugging it at 30mph in OD should not damage the GV unit. OD and slow speeds would more likely cause your engine to stall if you did not make enough horsepower to keep the vehicle moving.

As stated, in my original post, I'm not sure where I saw that but it was recent. Most likely (EDIT: it was GYC) it was on GYC since I've been flipping through episodes lately. MW claimed they went through a couple of them and the info came from GV's. I "believe" it has something to do with the lower pressures being generated by the pump at low speed?

To be fare,
1. It's the only time I've heard of this.
2. I have never researched it, so it might be stated elsewhere.
3. I don't have any interest in one due to cost/ROI for MY needs. i.e. no dog in the fight.
4. Lots of people use them without incident. Sweet...
5. It's hearsay...

Now, that all said, as stated, I have no practical experience. I mentioned it so the OP could do some research and decide for himself. If it's a real thing, then it's a real concern and something that needs to be understood to ensure the longevity of the unit.

For "Me" it seems like overkill when other options are more readily available unlike in the past. They fill a need/gap for some people which is great. That's what a product like this is supposed to do and as far as I know, they do it well.