Road Ranger Transmission

[Lin]

I have been exploring options regarding my clutch repair.  Simplest, of course, is just changing out the clutch and getting on with life.  However, since the engine will be coming out, it is always mentioned as a good time to make changes.  For me, the ideal would be an automatic.  The Allison 740 appears not to be an option due to size.  The MT644 is doable although just not as good a transmission.  That option may be more complex and costly than I want.  Another possibility though is to change to a different manual transmission.  I have come across a 10 speed Road Ranger for about $700.  It is out of a Crown, and I am told it has been professionally checked out and had a couple of hundred spent on changing out control switches.  How difficult is it to swap out my Spicer with something like this? 

[johns4104s]

Lin

Do you have room?

John

[HB of CJ]

First off, no offense meant at all, but I'm not sure I understand what "control switches" they could have changed out that would have cost hundreds of dollars.

Back to the beginning, what kind of Bus Conversion do you have?  Reason I ask is that the Roadranger is a kinda very flat, very wide and very long tranny.

If it is from a Crown Supercoach ex-schoolie, MOST LIKELY it is an overdrive (RTO) type Roadranger and most likely it is either a RTO 910 or possibly an 11510.

My old Crown 10 wheeler had a RTO-910.  Great tranny.  However, again it is kinda wide and long.  Do you have the driveline room?  What about the shift rod?

Mine was very long and had several pillow bearing supports along its length with grease zerts.  boogiethecat brought them to my attention.  Thank you Gary.

Price wise, if you can find one, a used 910 or 1150 Roadranger can be had for slightly more than the scrap price of the iron case and steel guts.  That's all they are worth.

A rebuilt tranny with a warranty can be had for about $1200 to $1500 bucks.  Yep, dirt cheap right now.  Does your example have a guarantee?  Who is the seller?

So many questions.  The actual tranny is max cool.  My Crown had the choice of three gears at 55 mph.  You would be sooss happy with 10 gears and 2 reverses.  HB of CJ

[RJ]

Lin -

Regarding your powertrain potential combinations:

6V92TA bolted to an HT-740 was an option in the very late MC-5Bs and all MC-5Cs.

The MT-644 is the only automatic that will work with the 8V71.  It's not a bad transmission at all, just not quite as robust as the 700 series, but then again, your two-axle is a lot lighter.

I know of some folk who have 10-speed RoadRangers in their MC-7s, so I think the transmission compartment is wide enough.  Problem is overall length, compared to the Spicer.  You don't have the extra room like the three-axles do.

Have the seller measure the length of the RR for you, and compare it to the Spicer, then you can make a more intelligent decision.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[TomC]

Check out the Spicer 7spd (now made by Meritor).  Has a good low, either direct or overdrive versions, and no air select shifting-all in the gear shift.  Good Luck, TomC

[HB of CJ]

I think the actual model is the T0 14507.  Seven gears with a very low creeper granny and reverse,  plus an .75 overdrive top gear.  Six good road gears.

Believe Fuller makes three different ratios.  I would pick the one overdrive model.  A little bit taller first gear in exchange for a very good highway overdrive.

Like already said, the tranny needs no air line hook ups: also it is about three and one half inches shorter or sooss than the 10 speed and a little bit lighter.

This tranny has a little bit wider splits and ratios than the 910 10 speed, but in a Bus Conversion, the math works out just about perfect in all road applications.

Anyway, just an alternative to the very long Roadranger 10 Speed.  Saw several advertised on the net for a whopping $1000 bucks each, brand new.  HB of CJ

[Lin]

I did not think about the length of the RR.  It is a good chance it also will be too big.  I will look into the Spicer 7 speed.  The funny thing is I was recently thinking that this Spicer 4 speed needed 3 more gears to be right.

HB-- Where did you see them for $1000?

[Tom Y]

Lin, You should look at tranny width. With it off center,you may be to tight on the drivers side if the lenght is ok. Been there, very disapointing.  Tom Y

[TomC]

Surprisingly- the 7spd is only 1" shorter then the 9 or 10spd.  The 13 spd is an additional 4" longer.  Good Luck, TomC

[Lin]

Oh well, the plan is for Don to do the actually work, so I will be driving it up to Bakersfield soon.  We won't commit to anything before he has a look a it.  It's good though, to line up the possibilities beforehand.