hi guys. i am looking at changing the trans on my F100.it has a T-18 now, and the huge gaps between gears sometimes make life a chore. i have looked at 2 options easily available in australia. the ZF/M5R2/NV4500 are a joke, price wise.
option 1- Use an NP541 which i have laying around. the gaps between gears still aren't the best, but it will be better than the T-18. used with 2.75 gears, and a 31 inch tyre, it should give me 2000-odd rpm at 65. looking at google, someone on oneof the forums said the torque capacity of the gearbox is only 350 ft/lb ! it does, however come out of a primemover with a 37k gvm. i have most of the gear here to make it work. outlay would be minimal.
option 2- use a nissan civilian bus trans. i can swap the trans lid for a patrol one, giving me floor shift. the ratios seem pretty good. 1.48:1 3rd, and a 0.73:1 od. using 3.5 gears and my 31's, it should give me about 1850 rpm at 65. i think it would have an easier time in general, because of using the lower diff gears. i worry about towing with it in 5th though. the bus in question is around 12k gvm, and they run up and down the highway for hundreds of thousands of miles loaded in od. the other drama is that i have to buy a gearbox, bellhousing, clutch , tailshaft, etc etc. about 2k by the time i'm finished. any suggestions ?
option 1- Use an NP541 which i have laying around. the gaps between gears still aren't the best, but it will be better than the T-18. used with 2.75 gears, and a 31 inch tyre, it should give me 2000-odd rpm at 65. looking at google, someone on oneof the forums said the torque capacity of the gearbox is only 350 ft/lb ! it does, however come out of a primemover with a 37k gvm. i have most of the gear here to make it work. outlay would be minimal.
option 2- use a nissan civilian bus trans. i can swap the trans lid for a patrol one, giving me floor shift. the ratios seem pretty good. 1.48:1 3rd, and a 0.73:1 od. using 3.5 gears and my 31's, it should give me about 1850 rpm at 65. i think it would have an easier time in general, because of using the lower diff gears. i worry about towing with it in 5th though. the bus in question is around 12k gvm, and they run up and down the highway for hundreds of thousands of miles loaded in od. the other drama is that i have to buy a gearbox, bellhousing, clutch , tailshaft, etc etc. about 2k by the time i'm finished. any suggestions ?