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By Philo - 16 Years Ago
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I'm running a T-85 o.d. trans with a 4.30 trac-loc in my 57 Ranchero. I want to raise the governor cut-in/out speed from 20 mph to around 30-35 mph. I think that the factory calibration is meant for a 3.89 to 4.11 rear gear and it's spinning too fast now. I've never had one apart, but I imagine it has fly weights and springs like a distributor? Does anyone have any information or advice? Thanks
P.S. I'm new here. Great site!
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By crenwelge - 16 Years Ago
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The factory calibration was around 28 MPH with 3.89 or 4.10 rear. I don't think there is a simple way to calibrate them. You might consider bypassing the governor and putting a toggle switch on the dash. Then you have complete control over it. Or just leave the overdrive handle pulled out in town and only push it in at highway speeds.
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By ejstith - 16 Years Ago
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That's what I'd do, just bypass the governor all together and do it with a switch. I had a '57 Ford with a T-85 and I just put a switch of the Hurst shifter and flipped the switch. Had a 6 speed x-mission.
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By Philo - 15 Years Ago
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Since I'd rather not use a switch and really like the automatic functioning of the stock O.D. system, I took a spare govenor apart today for a look-see. It functions more like a diaphram clutch centrifical assist than a distributer advance. It uses a coil spring with shims to adj. tension. I mounted it on my Dist. machine and determined the cut-in/out rpm. Now I need to know what axle ratio a 1956 Merc 2 dr sedan with O.D. had and what size tires it came with because that's what this particular gov. came from. With that info I can get a rough idea of the correct RPM and spring tention for my application. Thanks
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By ejstith - 15 Years Ago
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Should be the same, a '56 Ford had a 4:10 and 6:70X15 tires. I just got a 6" input shaft so I'm ready to put a T-85 in my '56. I have to tear two transmissions apart to make one but I'll do that next week. I've got everything I need now to do the job. I'm just going to do the switch thingy. No governor, relay or kick down switch.
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By Ted - 15 Years Ago
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The governor is currently out of commission on my ’50 Ford and I simply put a toggle switch in its place. The problem with the switch is constantly remembering to turn ‘off’ the solenoid when coming to a stop. I catch this when I go to take off again and realize I’m taking off in first and overdrive. This ends up being more than a nuisance as there are others who also drive this vehicle who are less familiar with overdrive operation than myself. As such, I will repair the governor so the overdrive function becomes more automatic as originally designed. On my ’55 Customline, I did do away with the kickdown switch due to switching over to electronic ignition and not wanting to essentially short out the ignition circuit to let the solenoid kick out. On that car, I installed a normally closed button that momentarily cuts the voltage to the solenoid so the overdrive can be dropped out for passing purposes.
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By pintoplumber - 15 Years Ago
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One thing to consider is the terrain you will be driving on. Mine's wired just to a toggle switch, and I don't use overdrive until I get out on a four lane highway. With our winding roads and the occasional horse and buggy, there's not enough straight road to use overdrive so starting out in overdrive 1st isn't a problem.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 15 Years Ago
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Those that spend a lot of time on city streets may like a toggle in the governor or relay circuit, which besides saving solenoid wear, also gives the advantage of continuous free-wheeling.
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By pintoplumber - 15 Years Ago
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I like the free wheeling part. I have a bum left leg, and it saves me from having to lift it up on the clutch pedal as much.
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By chiggerfarmer - 15 Years Ago
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Hello everyone, I'm a new member and do not see a place to introduce myself. Since I wanted to reply to this thread I thought this would be as good a place as any. I am from the Waco, Texas area.
On the topic of freewheeling, I agree that it is wonderful for in town driving, I just wanted to say to go easy on the one-way clutch, because it doesn't like froghopping. They are easy to tear up if you get a little aggressive with the driving. I don't usually lock out for town, but am careful, as I know all of you are.
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By Philo - 15 Years Ago
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About freewheeling; I also own a '68 SAAB 95 (the '95' denotes a station wagon back then...and by the way, thanks gm for destroying the marque...real nice!) It has the FORD 91 cu. in. V4 (a GREAT engine design). It has a column shifted 4 spd with a freewheeling feature which can be locked out. I believe this feature was useful on the two-strokes to eliminate the annoying popping on deceleration. I leave it locked out. I like engine compression braking when I lift my foot off the throttle and as "Chigger" says, those one-way roller clutches aren't designed to take a whole lot of abuse. With the gearing in my Ranchero, 3.01/1 in O.D., any speed over 30 mph on level streets is fine without lugging the engine. And I just don't want to fiddle around with a switch!
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By Ted - 15 Years Ago
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chiggerfarmer (2/28/2010)
Hello everyone, I'm a new member and do not see a place to introduce myself. ..... I am from the Waco, Texas area......Welcome to the site. Looks like we are neighbors as I’m just a hop and a skip outside of Waco.
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By PF Arcand - 15 Years Ago
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I know very little about O.D.s but a couple of things come to mind. How much of this applies to a modified unit, I'm not sure. Free wheeling in the city is hard on brakes is it not? And as I understand it, if parked in free wheeling, without the emergency/park brake on, can result in a run away. Also, I believe I read here or elsewhere that it's possible to damage the O.D. if not disengaged, while backing up. Is that correct?
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By Philo - 15 Years Ago
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In normal unmodified operation in O.D., The trans only freewheels below about 28 mph. Therefore no real extra wear on the brakes. When parking, either lock out the O.D. with the dash cable or shift into reverse which locks it out inside the transmission. There is no harm in backing up with the overdrive engaged.
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By chiggerfarmer - 15 Years Ago
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I think that freewheel would be harder on brakes, but probably not as much as aggressive driving habits, and in order to prevent runaway, it has to be parked with the transmission in reverse gear. It has a lockout feature that should prevent shifting into reverse with the overdrive engaged.
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By Ted - 15 Years Ago
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PF Arcand (3/1/2010)
Free wheeling in the city is hard on brakes is it not?Freewheeling is no worse on the brakes than an electric powered vehicle that is not using the generator function for drag when slowing down. But brakes are cheaper to rebuild than transmissions for what that’s worth. I've two overdrive cars and simply leave them in overdrive at all times as the free-wheeling part of the operation at low speed is not an issue for myself.
PF Arcand (3/1/2010)
And as I understand it, if parked in free wheeling, without the emergency/park brake on, can result in a run away.As per the owners manual, just park the car with the gear selector in reverse while using the parking brake to prevent the roll-a-way from taking place.
PF Arcand (3/1/2010)
Also, I believe I read here or elsewhere that it's possible to damage the O.D. if not disengaged, while backing up. Is that correct?That’s right. If the overdrive solenoid is not disengaged and you do manage to get the transmission into reverse, then the planetary gears can be damaged due to the angle of the gear cut not wanting to run in reverse. The T85 does have an internal linkage built into it to block out the reverse function if the solenoid is engaged but nothing says that particular linkage can get bent or out of adjustment thus allowing the transmission to go into reverse and subsequently destroy the planetary gears.
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By chiggerfarmer - 15 Years Ago
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Philo is right. The freewheeling is at such low speeds that it would not bother brake wear at all.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 15 Years Ago
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A famous Indy/road racer (I forget who), when asked many years ago why he didn't use compression braking to slow for corners, replied; "Brakes are a lot cheaper than engines".
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By crenwelge - 15 Years Ago
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I drive with overdrive locked out around town for several reasons: First of all I'm from the generation that thinks part of the fun of a Y block is listening to the pipes when you let off the gas. I just don't like for an engine to fall to an idle when I let off the gas. I don't want it to shift into overdrive on Main street at 35 MPH when I let off the gas. I want to have the 3.89 rears right there if I want to change lanes without having to kick it down first. Or maybe I need to change my driving habits before I get a ticket for aggressive driving.
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