Road speed

[amphibian]

This may have been covered in the past,but has anybody altered diff ratios to say ,4.27 to increase road speed with original engine.I suppose an overdrive may be easier,but as these vehicles are sedom used off road,then maybe this is a better option?
Rick

[W. Winget]

Speed increases, then you want to increase braking, then stability, then it's a never ending circle of upgrades.
There have been multiple ring and pinon sets to change the 1/4T since the 50's onward.

Here's 3:73 for $283 each (then there's seals, fluid, bearings, shims for each end...$$)
https://walcks4wd.com/ring-gear-pinion-3-73-44.html

Cheapest is a good tune-up, followed by milling out your front hubcaps or placing lockout hubs on her so you reduce that rotating/driven mass.

Best bet is usually an overdrive on the rear of the transmission which allows you to keep all the running gear the same with exception of the rear drive shaft. Ultimately easier as your not messing with ring and pinon setup(s) and you get to keep the off road capability.
(NOTE THIS IS NOT MB/GPW Model, I'm sure there is one out there though, I just haven't searched deep enough. about $1600 here)
https://walcks4wd.com/26-tooth-overdriv ... odels.html


V/R W. Winget
PS: Don't tell my buried up to the axles muddy GPW that it was supposed to be a road/show vehicle it may break down on purpose.

[tamnalan]

I'm thinking of going the other way! (Post war 5:38 gears).

The engine horsepower just doesn't allow for strong highway speeds, IMHO. An overdrive with 4:88 or 5:38 gears works very well -- lots of range with good splits between gears. I want the lower axle gearing because I do take my MB off-road a lot and the lower gearing makes it easier to run obstacles (approach speed is lower).

The overdrives sold by Walck's and others do not require a driveshaft change. These overdrives are basically bolt-ins, with some fabrication required for the shifter install. Marty has a good thread in the modifications forum.

That's a neat pic, RW! Here's one of my MB in the Yankee Boy basin near Ouray, CO last fall.