Gear Vendors

[jimr]

I just purchased a 3000RK and will tow with a 2000 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab 4WD Short Bed. I have the 3.54 rear end so I am installing a Gear Vendors under/over drive. Does anyone else have any experience with the Gear Vendors unit?

[azstar]

Hello Jim,

Welcome to the MOC and congratulation on the new Rig.

Can't help with the Gear Vendor U/O, but I noticed your also towing with a 2000 2500 Dodge.

I was having some growling noise from the rear diff. only to find out my Dealer was putting the wrong oil in it. They were putting the standard wt. oil instead of the towing weight oil as recommended by Dodge.

I investigated myself and decided to go with the pure synthetic from Amsoil 75W-140. What a difference. I also measured the oil temp. when towing on a hot day. The Temp. got as high as 235 deg. Pretty hot. I change it every two years or about 20/25K miles.

If your not using the tow weight oil, I hope you'll consider it and also go with the Syn. Mobil 1 and Amsoil make the 75W-140 in Synthetic.

Happy Camping

[stiles watson]

Thanks for the oil tip. That counsel should probably be good for just about any TV.

[kwbosch]

Jim,

I don’t have any personal experience, but my neighbor just had a Gear Vendor added to his Ford 1 ton truck. He’s pulling an Alfa SeeYa 5er (14,500#’s dry weight). He’s very happy with it other than the expense. He went from SoCal to Yellowstone last summer and was very pleased with the results.

Ken

[jimr]

Thanks for the advice on the gear oil. The truck has positraction and I have had the oil changed twice by the dealer. The dealer dose use a special oil because of the positraction.
Glad to hear someone has had good results with the Gear Vendors unit.

[azstar]

Hello again Jim,

I too have the Posi. unit. My Dodge Dealer also used the "special oil additive" but it was the WRONG WEIGHT oil with the "special oil additive". For heavy duty towing, Dodge has a paragraph in the book that tells the Dealer to change from the normal 75w-90 or 80w-90 with "special oil additive" to the 75w-140 if the Truck will be doing heavy towing and still add the "special oil additive" for positraction units. My service writer simply wasn't getting the word to the Techs, that were doing the work that our Truck was used for Heavy Duty Towing, so they were putting the usual 75w-90 with the "special oil additive" in it. Make sure you ask what weight their using now that you'll be doing some serious Heavy Duty Towing. The normal weight oil with the "special oil additive" isn't good enough. Synthetic Oil can handle the higher Temps. much better than Pet. Oil if you decided to go that way and Amsoil says you won't need the additive although they still sell it. I still use the Dodge additive even with the Syn. oil.

I now have 80,000 miles of mostly Heavy Towing and It's still a sweet running machine. I hope to get 250,000 out of my Big Dodge.

Best Wishes and Happy Camping

[jimr]

Thanks for the tip, I have to go to the dealer to get a Mopar synthetic for the Gear Vendors so I will ask what they put in the differential the last time they changed it.

Happy Trails

[Bill DeMeulle]

I have had the Gear/Vender unit on my 2002 F-250 gasser for 3 years now and we did 11 western states last August. I would not be without it,it is terrific going up and down mountains. In my next truck I will definitely add it immediately.

Bill DeMeulle