Have you installed a gear vendors overdrive transmission unit on your rig?

[thinkerbell]

Welllll!

We just took our rig over the Rockies and the Cascades...TWICE!

We love her, but by golly, she's a gutless wonder.  Hubby wants to install a gear vendors overdrive transmission. I wanted to know if any of you guys have either installed one or has one and what you think of it.

I appreciate your help!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The Gear Vendors unit works quite well, according to all reports I have seen. We have a few GV owners here, so hopefully you will get some first hand reports.

That's a lot of money to invest in a 1990 Tioga, though. The auxiliary transmission is only part of the expense - you have to shorten and re-balance the drive shaft and the installation is a fair chore too. You better really love that Tioga and plan on keeping it a long, long time!

 

[Taxman]

Tinkerbell,

I had Camping World install, among other bits and pieces, a GV unit and a Banks PowerPack in my 33' 1990 Airstream Land Yacht.

As Gary pointed out, it is expensive.  However, if you intend to keep your mh for a long time, I think you will like the GV overdrive.  I am very pleased with the results, so far, and, of course, intend to keep my Airstream for a very long time, indeed!

I haven't been to the big mountains out west, yet, so can't comment on performance on the really big hills.  However, the Poconos were a piece of cake for it this past April-May.

I'll have more to report later this year re: fixing up and driving older motorhomes;  we are leaving on a 95 day, 9500 mile trip next Wed., and my Airstream will get a good workout (including Yellowstone! and other areas of the mountain west) between now and November 5! 

DW and I believe we have thoroughly prepared ourselves and our Airstream for our second Great Road Trip (first was towing my 24' TT to Maine and back in 2005, but that is another story!).  We'll know whether we did Real Soon Now!

BTW, this forum, along with several others, have been most beneficial in helping us prepare for our much-anticipated trip.

Safe Travels,

FRank

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Thanks for the actual user feedback, taxman. It helps validate what we hear and pass on to others.

 

[Taxman]

Gary,

I am quite pleased with the GV overdrive (and the other mods I have done to our mh) -- RPM is now 2400 @ 60 mph vs. 3000.  Engine is much quieter and runs cooler. 

Can's say that I have better gas mileage, yet.  Will find out next week.  But on two legs of our April-May trip, we got almost 11 mpg.  Suspect strong tailwind!  Rest of trip was in the 7.5 to 9.0 range, depending on type of driving, terrain, winds and genset usage.  Overall trip average was 8.4 mpg for 2750 miles of mixed FReeway, in city and "through the woods" driving.

Safe travels,

FRank

 

[Chet18013]

I've got a GV on my 95 Dodge 4x4 3500. Drove the truck about 1500 miles and towed our 40' Teton 5th wheel --heavy heavy trailer. Got about 12 mpg. Installed the GV and mileage towing went up to 14-16. It made an incredible difference in pulling hills. One near home on I80 was a 35-40mph max and after the GV install, I could pull it at 45-50 mph. I like the truck so much, that I kept it when we sold the Teton and got a motorhome. My mileage now has been as high as 22.5 when not towing.

Would I recommend the GV? You bet I do!

Chet18013

 

[thinkerbell]

Thanks so much!!! You guys don't know how much your help means.

I can personally attest that I was chewing dashboard through the Cascades and the Rockies. I almost threw up two or three times in Utah and Colorado, once in the Cascades. And once on a spooky looking bridge they actually allow trucks to utilize on 95 in Idaho.

I kissed terra firma when we arrived home in Colorado.

Earth! Dear, sweet, succulent ground! So soily.

We spoke to some truckers when stopped on a pass in Colorado for a few hours when a few motorcyclists had an accident in some road constructuion and we were waiting for coroners to pronounce the scene (it was a tragedy). The truck drivers really liked their ability to have all those gears. Even with twice as many and we'd be better off.

Then one of the truckers called some guy running to the front of the line to find out why we'd stopped "Forrest". "Run, Forrest, Run!" he yelled. The guy didn't think it was funny, or he usually scratches the back of his head with the middle finger.

Near truck driver fights aside, almost vomiting on the gnawed dashboard and being passed by bicyclists up hills, the trip was a success.

We love this rig, and we're bound to keep it for darned near forever. I wanted to make sure the Gear Vendors would be the right move. It sounds like we're going to go ahead.

Thanks to RV roamer, Taxman, and Chet. You are the best!