Gear ratios & highway speed

motto (RIP) · #1 28-12-11, 01:11

Hi Rick. Seasons Greetings to you and Jill.

Yes I had a set of White M3A1 Scout Car wheels modified by Austral Wheel Works to go on my 3/4 ton Dodge WC and used 9.00-20 ND bar tread tyres. I still have them but don't look upon them as being a success. I thought it an easy and easily reverse able way to increase road speed.

Where they weren't satisfactory was as Lang commented in relation to the C8AX, 20 inch wheels just looked wrong and added to that the 230 cu in engine is barely adequate anyhow so I was back to 3rd earlier. Another negative affect was the degredation of off-road performance that the single speed transfer case couldn't help with.

I currently have a Dodge 3/4 ton Command Car on the build in which I have installed 4.89 diff's and a two speed transfer case as against the 5.83 and single speed originals. We'll see.

David

Mike K · #2 28-12-11, 02:03

This is just rambling thoughts . You can buy a aftermarket gear set for the series Land Rover transfer case . The ratios are such that the high range road speed is better but the low ratios for off road use are hardly affected . At the Traf swap a few years ago, a guy had a land Rover FS with that aftermarket gear set fitted ...the complete car was $600 ..... cheap when you consider the special gear set is about $900 to buy .

All that doesn't mean much for a C8AX ..but there were two diff ratios fitted on the C8A series ...

Lang · #3 28-12-11, 04:24

Mike,
Do you know if it is possibe to adapt a Fairey overdrive to a Blitz transfer case? If you could do this by even getting a new gear cut it would be the answer to Peter's prayers. Those Landrover overdrives are not too hard to find and probably the perfect upgrading for the Blitz which certainly has more power in reserve to pull a higher gear than the Landrover 4's. A Dodge or any of several other (Nissan, Suzuki, International 1200, F150 etc) remote transfer cases might take the overdrive and be easily fitted in place of the original.

Lang

Mike K · #4 28-12-11, 12:33

lang

The Standard 2 and 1/4 litre Land Rover 4 engine puts out about 70 bhp.

Lang · #5 28-12-11, 13:16

Mike,

The 216 Chev puts out 90hp so should handle the Landrover overdrive ratios quite OK.

Lang

Pete Solomon · #6 28-12-11, 13:59

Thanks every one for your input - I certainly have a few options to consider. Probably the simplest is dropping the front drive shaft, axles and transfer case and getting a longer rear shaft made. That way everything original can be kept and ref-fitted after the trip.

I have considered an intercom and headsets - they are on the wish list, as is a whole pile of camping gear, generator etc etc. This trip is something I am not undertaking lightly - I have sent letters to Legacy for official sanction and will be seeking sponsorship and assistance from the Australian Army any one of the fuel suppliers that wants to get on board, hotel chains, equipment suppliers etc etc - the list is endless.

Im doing this because not because it will be fun, ( ok - a bit) but because it will be so hard - I really want to re-focus Australia's attention on Legacy - in my mind the most important charity orgaisation we have - it seems to be over shadowed by red nose day, daffodil day and pink day and all the others. I also want to try an make our young people understand the sacrifice the diggers (my grandad - your dads and perhaps even some of you - I dont know) and allied soldiers made - they drove these things across Africa in the blazing sun, through the snow of Europe, all over the Pacific for 6 years - getting shot at. I can sit in one with my mate for 4 months Im sure!

I hope to get in contact with all the military vehicle clubs along the way and welcome people joining in where ever possible. The more attention we can make - the more media will get involved - the more money we raise. It's a big job, but with your help I will put it together and pull it off.

Thanks everyone.

Phil Waterman · #7 28-12-11, 17:39

Hi Peter

In considering how to make the vehicle and you happier at sustained 55-60 MPH don't forget to consider engine swap. I suggest this for a number of reasons with the gear you are mentioning carrying the 216 will be pulling hard.

A late 50's early 60's 235 or best yet 261Chevy is a reasonably simple bolt in conversion. When properly setup either of these engines has more use able RPMs and far more usable horsepower and torque.

In looking at 235s you want the later pressure crank version.

Just a thought.

Cheers Phil