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Issues with Gear Vendors

31K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  bugman 
#1 · (Edited)
Some of you may have seen my other posts about the ongoing issue with Gear Vendors. We are at the BBB and Consumer Affair level now. The letter written to the BBB saying quote:
Mr. (my name) greatly differs from most customers in that he rarely drives the vehicle. Vehicles which sit for extended times have low battery on start up and then full field the alternator immediately after the vehicle does start.

I average over 23,690 miles a year. I use the truck everyday. It never sits. Call this misleading or a lie. Your call. What I need information on is his next statement:
This causes two problems for our electronics:
1)If the electronics are started with less the 11.volts our computer can scramble on start up — this explains why a control box can be returned to us and not show a problem (works fine here). A scrambled control box needs to be booted by removing and reinserting the ground lead while the vehicle is running to boot the chip — simply restarting will not boot.
2)If the electronics see a full field alternator which can put out above 14.5volts on the circuit this can damage the internal electronic components.

Can any one with a Gear Vendor post their starting voltage so I can see what to make of this? I appreciate any help. Even those without a Gear Vendor, what is your starting voltage? Just trying to understand if this is a true statement.

Here is how the letter from Gear Vendors is justifying not giving me a refund for a product his company sold and installed, that only worked for a couple times and had over 13 electrical components replaced:

It should also be noted that Mr. (my name) vehicle still runs fine without use of his Gear Vendors when these problems have occurred. He simply does not get the mileage benefit during the driving without the product in use – which is of course why he purchased it and we fully understand that.
Gear Vendors overdrive product will reduce fuel consumption of these hard working diesel trucks by commonly 25% at highway speeds. This year alone, Gear Vendors equipped vehicles will save the planet from more than 20million burnt gallons of fuel put into the atmosphere. A refund to (my name) would just have him using more fuel in the future and is in no-ones interest.

This is what I'm dealing with; any information on the voltage would be helpful in determining why this OD won't work. Thanks.
 
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#3 ·
Walt,
Go to radio shack and ask them for a zener diode rated for 14 volts. Install it between ground and the hot wire coming into the GV unit.
If the voltage exceeds the zener rating, any excess will short to ground and protect the GV electronics. You may have to put a small resistor in there too. Ask the radio shack guy.
You also might ask GV why, if their equipment is so sensitive, why they don't build in protection in their electronics.
Did you try testing your batteries? I cannot buy that just because the truck sits and the voltage goes down, it screws up the GV.
I just thought of this....run the power to the GV through a relay that you can shut off manually to reset if needed. Just leave it off until you are going to use it, therebye isolating it from the startup voltage 'events'.
Good Luck.
 
#4 ·
So they are saying that anytime the voltage goes below 11 volts the gear vendors craps out? I guess they plan on noone ever having a dead battery when they go to start their vehicle? They are trying to weasel their way out of it. I was going to purchase one of these units a while back, while I have read some success stories, the people that have had problems FAR OUTWAY the success stories. If and when I do decide to buy an overdrive, it will be from U.S. Gear.

Dave
 
#5 ·
I have a contact with a former GV employee who has designed and sells his own far simplified control box.

Currently i have the one in the 86 hooked up to a toggle switch that is clamped to the shifter. It is handy for gear splits that way.

The only necessary function of the GV control box is to drop out the OD below 20 mph, since the driveshaft driven oil pump will not supply enough pressure to hold th clutches below 20 mph. It isn't good to forget to turn off the OD and come to a stop. It reminds you!
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the info. Just trying to see if they are trying to confuse the real issues with BS,
 
#7 ·
Gear Vendors - lost reverse - Dodge 2500, 300K

Dodge 2500 had no problems with GV but lost reverse. Came on sudden. Worked, then had a shimmy only in reverse. Next day (cold) it worked. Drove 10 miles, shimmied, then locked up in rumble in reverse.

Mike McCarthy at GV seems to think it's the 12V to GV, or a signal to it. Tried pulling 12V off rev. solenoid. Said: If you have reverse, then it's electrical. Guess the GV goes to straight . He doesn't think it's the reverse. ASE friend says not clutch. GV was dropping RPM's as usual. Shifted well, until just now when I went 3rd/4th. Shimmied at speed, then better.

Anyone had an issue similar? Think it came with vehicle new. Dates on these posts would indicate users have added the years and miles to your vehicle closer to my 300,000.

GV signal, GV gearing? Clutch, tranny?

Anyone ditched their GV and gone back stock? Inspect tranny then find ailshaft housing and proper length shaft?

Could use help. Like the unit. WVO'd the vehicle. Too far in to quit. Other vehicles to drive while sorting out. Thanks.
 
#8 ·
The Dodge 5 speed had a problem with a nut coming loose in the transmission which required a tear down to repair, which took out the reverse. I have seen a number of them do this. But then it still could be the gear vendors.
 
#12 ·
The Dodge 5 speed had a problem with a nut coming loose in the transmission which required a tear down to repair, which took out the reverse. I have seen a number of them do this. But then it still could be the gear vendors.
I thought the problem with Dodge's NV4500 was they lost the Over-drive 5th gear when the nut came loose.
 
#9 ·
I had the GV taken out and went back to stock. The peace of mind is great. I can travel cross country without wondering when the GV would go out. Got tired of having GV send replacement parts cross country. Got so tired of the BS and lies, I just wanted anything to do with that company out of my truck.
 
#10 ·
alternator output voltage

I am monitoring my vehicle voltage very closely in the last couple month.
My observations at startup (all voltages stated are included in the range):
When the glow plugs engage, the voltage drops to anywhere between 11.1 and 11.4 volts
During starting (starter engaged) the voltage is between 9.7 and 10.4 volts, eratic
Once truck is running, the voltage stabilizes for the first approx. minute at around 11.8 to 12.0 volts, even when pulling out of the driveway, so revs up to 1500
Once I start driving, the voltage slowly climbs to 13.8 to 14.0 volts, very seldom do I see 14.1 volts. I think I have never seen 14.2 or higher. It takes approx. 1.5 to 2 minutes to reach this level. At idle the maximum I am seeing is 13.5 volts, typically 13.3 or 13.4 volts.
My driving:
48 kms one way to work, daily. approx. 25,000 km a year.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Walt, my name is Steve, I'm across the border in southern California, do you care to sell the Overdrive unit? I am running two of them, one in a 92 f250 7.3 IDI turbo ZF, the other a 95 f250, converted from 460CI to Cummins 5.9 and I'd like to have some spare parts around because I also gave up trying to patronize the mfg with their our way or no way attitude. I been turning wrench as a mechanic professionally for 35+ yrs and have never had as hard a time buying parts or getting information as I had trying to get it from these guys and as you decided, I too will not give a penny to them, BUT I do enjoy the capability provided by the added gear and if I can keep them functional in a cost effective way then I'll keep um in hoping eventually the slight fuel savings will equal the investment(though doubtful) so I'm in the market for g.v. parts used or otherwise.
I boat and fish the Picacho area of the river so a detour to Yuma would be easy (cash excepted?) Let me know if it is available Walt and if so,your as-is price.
Thanks, Steve email, piperpilot55R@aol.com
 
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