feasability study

I found a 2 speed rear end in the local junkyard. They claim it came from a bus? It already has a 10 bolt wheel pattern. It measures about 70" from ms to ms. Which would be about 3" narrorer than my stock rear. The pumpkin measures 21" and the rotors on the stock disk brakes measure a shade over 16". Does anyone have any idea how I could find the gear ratios? Could I run that with an auto tranny or would it have to be manual? Are all 10 bolts the same pattern? Can you get 10 bolt 19's since 22's wont fit on a doored square body? And heres the big one, is there any chance I could make it fit?

I'm sure I'll think of more ?'s but I thought it would be pretty cool to have a 2 speed rear and something that beefy. Gonna take 1 hell of a notch.

Also is there a market for my stock rear 4:10 w/ posi?

The only sure fire way to find out the ratio(s) would be to count the teeth. As for the tranny, you could run whatever tranny you want as long as it is strong enough and the gear ratios will work for you.

You can get 10 bolt 19.5's if you look around for them, and 22's will fit on a doored square body, cause my friend has one.

You can't get a very low profile 19.5 tire. I was going to try and get a 22 under there but it seems to be general concensus that it wont fit. I don't really feal like pulling the carrier to count the teeth, but I may have to. I thought if I could get it to spin I could count that way.

Not real sure if an auto trans would work right with a two speed rear.

It's been MY experience that typically when going into high from low (or vice versa) you need to be able to match the RPM's of the motor/trans, to the speed of the rear end. Not to easy to do with an auto trans.

Not saying its IMPOSSIBLE, just maybe not too practical.

We had an old '86 Ford L-8000 dump truck with a 5/2. Those 2 speed rears will grind a bit, but once you get the hang of it, there quite handy. I would typically leave it in low around town and only kick it up into high when I was on the freeway or running empty.

I can buy the axle for $150 so I might not be out much to try it. I dunno. Can you shift them not moving?

Uh...


I think so, yeah.

It came out of either a 70 or 75 chevy school bus.

So is trying to use a 2 speed bus axle in my dually a dumb idea??

Eh.

It's a tad bit overkill if you axe me.

My hope was that the high gear would be like a 3.08 or something like that. Then I could really go on the hiway.