@@Izuna_Elenore i did that but it's still not fast enough... what else can I do? I went to auto zone and got those peal-and-stick hood vents, think they'll add any HP?
@@dchubworldsharenetwork actually, it does change. Most people would simply go for the gear marked "1", instead of "L". That would cause the gearbox to wear faster if the gear marked "1" was actually the second gear instead of being the gear to be used when first moving the car forward from a complete stop.
Prior to the 60s, that "L" was truly an extra low, high torque gear. For normal driving, only the 1, 2, and 3 were used. Anytime the truck was started forward without a heavy load, it was started in "1" gear.
I didn't realize that Granny Gear was used as late as 1970. We used it on the farm when loading hay or feeding cattle in the pasture. Even today, semi truck tractors have a range of granny gears, usually the first 2 or 3 speeds that a driver can choose to use when starting from a dead stop. They might even start up in 4th gear when bob-tailing and depending on the speed ranges of the transmission.
The reason it doesnt have a number is because you didnt have to start in 1/low and can go straight to 2nd gear. They labeled it LOW so people would realizee you didnt need to start in LOW. This is not a secret and this entire video is debunked.
The SM 420 " gear shift nob " is 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. The SM 465 is low, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Both are 2-1/2 ton rated transmissions. I always wondered why they did that. SM 420 is 7.05 to one in first gear. The SM 465 is 6.58.to one. And we call them granny gears also. I've had both transmissions.
You forgot the difference in rear gear ratio. Transmissions marked low are for trucks with numerically higher rear gear ratios. You don’t use first to take off normally with lower gears, you use the second gear in the transmission . In this case it’s better to mark 1st as low to avoid the vehicle from bucking and having to shift instantly.
I had a few pickups with the bull low and all it meant is you can use it as a 3 speed when running empty. It was a very high gear and not needed all the time as these trucks were sold as a tough work truck, which they were.
@@user-78dodge 2nd according to him, or 1st according to GM was the proper start gear in these. Top speed of that low gear is maybe 4mph and in fact was for taking off with a load
I still remember my first truck with the "Granny four speed". The seat was stuck all the way back, plus I wasn't very tall at 16 to begin with. So needless to say driving at night was very interesting, it looked like I was trying to stomp on a hornet when trying to reach the dimmer switch in time so I didn't blind oncoming traffic. Oh man I sure do miss the good Ole days and I miss my Grandparents most of all. I should have listened a little better back then when my elders told me I better cherish these days because they will be gone in the blink of an eye. Oh how right they were, I truly miss those days and oh how I wish I would have spent more time living in the moment!!
My brother has a 91 c1500 ecsb with 3.08 rear gears and nv3500 (5speed) and you don't need first gear in it either and it is a nv3500/getrag290 and not a nv4500 witch in earlier years is a low first gear.
That gear feels like a low gear regardless of the rear end gear, it's nearly unusable. I have one in my squarebody, and it is the least satisfying manual I've ever operated.
I daily drive a 7500lb truck that I believe has an SM465 in it. The L gear is unsynchronized so the only way to shift into it is to be at a stop with the clutch in for a few seconds. I used L for starting on a very steep hill but 1 for normal driving. I use the L gear once in a month maybe.
Those SM465s are great, i got one in my 83 C20, L 1 2 3, but you could start those trucks in 2nd (3rd) gear. There was no stopping that gearbox, or it from eating all your gas in botb tanks.
I did the same thing with 86 C10. 1st gear was useless unless I had some weight in the bed, which was usually when it snowed and I shoveled it into the bed for extra weight.
I had a 87 K5 with that trans. They were not a regular 4-speed transmission like the video suggests. The SM465 was geared like a 3-speed 1-3 with a low gear of 6.55 (reverse was only 6.09). You could not start in low and run through the gears like a 4-speed. If you see a SM465 with a 1-4 ball, The handle has been switched.
Yessir. Ol'Dad had a 1975 and a 1983 K5 blazer, plow trucks, 3 speed with granny gear, pretty sure the NP245 or 205(?) Transfer case. Sadly the Wisconsin rustbelt claimed both vehicles. Not before I got a chance to chain up to a massive oak tree stump about 20ft tall and man(well, young man, ha) the trucks vehicular control whilst dad went full send on a McCollough 26" bar chainsaw. My only instruction was to guarantee i kept steady pull on the stump away from the old man. Then start rowing gears and schredding drivelive. 4lo, granny gear and then the damn stump was coming right for me, I absolutelt HAD to snatch 2nd and stand on it. *time to do some sketchy shizz, Hope I get away with it... Think my pants are full of shit...glad I got away with it* Ah, the bond of a father and son realizing aint neither of ya qualified 100% for the task, but the task doesn't seem THAT sketchy, I think we got this. Lol
@@threadtapwhisperer5136 you're not supposed to rip the tree down. You're supposed to keep just enough pressure to keep it from falling on your sawman. You don't want to see that rope snap. The tension released can cause the tree to turn and fall backwards.
On those GM transmissions. Wasn’t it also L was a different gear ratio than the other GM 1 gear? Also L,1,2,3 and R had no direct gear then the other GM 1,2,3,4 and R with a direct gear in 4th as a 1.1 ratio? I never got a clean answer.
Nope all 465s had the exact same ratios in every single transmission they built.Also 4 was always direct drive.I don't know where people get these ideas.
@@sashimiturtle GM did use the nv833 which was a 2wd 4spd with 4th being an overdrive gear. Same scenario, people want to call it a 3spd with overdrive. It's a 4spd. It has 4 forward gears.
@@ripnandtearing i think a lot of that "3 speed with overdrive" came from dealers and manufacturers back in the day. 3 speed was the norm and 3rd was direct drive. When overdrive transmissions started coming out that really wanted to stress that their transmission had an overdrive gear, so they said it was like your old 3 speed, but with an overdrive gear.
The low means it has a lower ratio than the standard first gear on the other four speed. Not only did you not need it without a load, you didn't want to use it unless you were loaded because you would top it out and have to go to the real first gear before you got your foot off of the pedal. At least that's the way every granny gear I ever drove was.
A “L” means your diff has a higher ratio than needed to start off in “L” during normal operation. That’s why they would label them different based on the diff used
I was thinking the same thing. You can take that transmission case and change the gear ratios and completely change the outcome. So what he's saying can be easily debunk. On most vehicles the rear end is given but I've never seen the transmission given so unless you tear it down, there's no way he could know if they have the same gearing. I had a 81 Ford with granny first, a friend bought a new 82, on paper everything same, but first gears totally different.
So, basically you would have to start the older model in 2 during normal operations and the later numbers just indicate a different usage of the gearbox. There are many trucks that you start in the second or even third gear depending on operations and model. Would be logical to call the starting gear 1.
Yup the first gear (low) ratio on the sm465 is 6.55:1 which is very low, making it a granny gear. Normally you just start in 2nd unless towing of course.
I had an 87 f150. 1st gear was "granny low" then you had 2,3,4. Trust me, unless you were trying to pull the world you didn't need to use it. I could literally let out the clutch with no throttle and it would lurch forward and move about 5mph.
Also had this in a Blazer. 1st is an extremely low gear. Never really used it unless I was taking off in the middle of a steep hill way up in the mountains.
A Low gear SM465 has a different first gear ratio than a standard SM465. It often also had a lower rear and/or front differential gear ratio as well making it an even lower final drive gear. The L was called the granny gear by many and it didn't need to be used of you weren't hauling or towing a load. Also handy for soft sand in 4x4.
All sm465 had the same first ratio. 6.55:1. The only variants of this unit were input shafts with 10 or 31 spline, and several different output shafts.
Also, i would debate that a gear that low is good for soft sand in 4x4 or otherwise. Hard to get enough speed or wheelspeed for soft sand in that low of a gear.
1966 F100 Camper Special Stick had unsyncro'd Walking Granny Low & Dash pull throttle control that farmers used . The unpiloted truck would follow row furrow @ 1-3 mph while been loaded or unloaded in the field. 3.50 Dana 60 sure grip axle.
It was no attempt to fool anyone into thinking they had something special. It was because normal operation usually started out in 2nd and first or low only used for difficult take offs. Whether you think of it as 1st, low or Granny, it really depends on rear end ratios.
I remember back in the day when the shifter (on fords) had an 'L,' that was the creeper gear with no synchros. You had to stop to put it in low gear and top speed was between 4to8 mph and 2nd gear was like a normal 1st gear. If it had a 1 for 1st gear then it was synchro'd so you could down and upshift into the gear like normal and hit speeds of 25 to 40 mph before you had to shift.
This is so wrong it’s ridiculous. Most ALL of Fords Four speeds were marked as 1234 like this even the T18’s with the Non Synchronized first gear. The T19 was fully synchronized but many of them still had a very low first gear so they were driven much the same as the granny gear/bulldog transmissions.
You did not need to stop to put it in that gear, you needed to let the clutch out and rev the engine to match the speed to go to that gear while moving if you wanted to. Thats how a semi truck transmission is in every gear.
@@poellot no, with these old four speeds you Have to stop, then put it in first gear. You should always come to a stop before shifting into your takeoff gear anyway but with these old four speeds you generally always takeoff in 2nd gear and first gear is Not Synchronized and is geared so low that coming to a stop before shifting is damn near the only way to do it. These aren’t Heavy duty Semi Truck transmissions, they’ve smaller parts are are built much tighter than a heavy duty truck trans and are designed to be shifted using the clutch.
The reason some vehicles have what's called a low gear is because the are instances when the low or first gear is used for jobs that require it to travel at a very low speed. Doing a job that requires that in a higher gear means you'd have to ride the clutch which will burn it up very quickly. For those wondering, I've seen that happen way too often, it's much more common than some would think.
That only happens when the truck is used for actual work. Most trucks are just commuter cars.....grocery getters. I like cars when I am not at work. Trucks are dumb unless you actually use it as a truck.
To my knowledge 1st was always 6:55:1 please let me know what years that was different I'm honestly asking not tring to attack you just asking I would really like to know. Thanks for watching 👍
That's because 3rd gear was basically 4th direct I have the exact same transmission in my 1991 Chevy K 2500 With 373 gears front and rear with an NP241 stock
All SM465's had the same gear ratios: 1st(L) 6.55:1 2nd 3.58:1 3rd 1.7:1 4th 1.1:1 Reverse 6.09:1 There was the similar SM420 trandmission, which had slightly different ratios, maybe you were thinking of that?
Rock solid transmissions. Awesome for crawling. The sm420 was a little shorter in size. Biggest common problem was 2nd gear or 3rd if it didn’t say low would pop out do to warn synchros. The fix was a torque lock. The synchros we’re back cut slightly so the more you stomp the gas the more it holds the gear. This upgrade requires a complete tear down and rebuild. Very well worth it if you plan on crawling. Having a truck that can idle over curbs is impressive.
@Shaun Faust please stop kid, you sound like an idiot. 1) In 73 gm switched from 1st gear to "low" as a marking gimmick because the first gear was useless during normal drive and not because of the "transfer case" like you so ignorantly claimed. 2) the 208 was introduced in 81 in k5, burds, k10, k20 platforms, the k30 still used the 205. 3) the sm420 had a lower first gear and lower total crawl ratio, they were considered a 4 speed.
Final drive also matters. Even if it's the same transmission, a very low final drive could make first gear useless except when you're hauling heavy loads. It went indicate that most people should start in the transmission's second gear for normal acceleration.
Ford done the same thing grandparents had an f150 with 4+r but the dealership showed them the year earlier of the same model truck that had L 234 + reverse but the truck they bought had 1234+r basically the salesman threw ford under the bus on that. He also told them unless they was towing they could start in 2nd because how low 1st gear was. Which was true. The truck took off like normal in 2nd.
It was in 80's not exactly sure on the year I was a little kid.but I remember grampa having I think was a 100 but it was a 70's model he didn't have that truck when they moved back to Florida in the early 80's
I just bought a 92 Z71 Silverado auto trans I wish it was manual transmission. But it's perfect, hardly any rust amazing shape for 31 years old. Looks exactly like the blue interior in this vid
One thing that cannot be argued about is the sm 465s ability to make 185 hp seem like it's 300+ , we just had a 78 4x4 shorty with 35s that hustled like a hot rod. Besides the football field length throws between gears its an awesome transmission
That was such a great transmission. I have an 87 F350 with a Borg Warner T19. The top loader 4 speeds were perfect for heavy haulers until everyone wanted to drive above 70mph. I also run 50 weight motor oil in them.
I swapped a 465+205 in my k5 and it made that thing a blast to drive, I liked putting in low sometimes and just walking beside it while it just creeps forward
And that gear is huge! I've rebuilt a few that came from UPS trucks, really reliable. Tricky to take the lid off I'll keep that secret back and see who says what!
I honestly can't remember how I did it but I remember clearly removing the last bolt and it moving alot but not out😆 I'm thinking I might have removed the shifter or something. Only did it once, but before everything was on a RU-vid video!
@@richardswancer4103 alright, months now and no one played, it's gotta be half way into reverse. Look through the lever hole, the front of the reverse fork gate will line up with the back of the 3/4 gate. When you put it back together, line up the back of the reverse idler with the back of the either the second speed gear when in neutral, or it's the first speed/ reverse gear. Been a really long time and they aren't on the road any more!
A 4-spd has syncros for 1st gear. a 3 speed with a low has no syncros for the low and the gearing is way different. just because the case is the same, it doesn't mean the guts are and that they can be driven the same way.
@@ripnandtearing you're right! sm465's didn't have a synchronized 1st gear. I was wrong about them having different guts. That said, there is no real reason to use the "1st", or low gear, on the street unless you have an extremely heavy load. The first forward gear on a sm465 is a low gear. Calling an unsynchronized 6.55:1 gear anything other than a low is just silly. My '67 C40 has a SM420 with a 7.06:1 "1st".
Drop my pickup in 1st gear and put the transfer case in low range. Redline the engine and you're doing about 7 mph and at idle 1.3 mph. (Max torque to the ground is 35,680 ft lbs)!
You start most proper trucks moving in second unless you're fully loaded on a hill. Marking it low is sensible to discourage peop-le from using it that don't know better & are likely to break their truck.
And you know the funny part is, my fathers' truck had the knob labelled L-1-2-3 and he rarely used the L gear choosing to start the truck off in 1. Sure it worked but years later when I inherited the truck, I would start in L and it was so much easier to drive and the clutch was much more forgiving.
@@psd28 idk because the old school mechanic that was Mentoring me called it a Granny low gear He said she's used for pulling like we have to pull out a stump or something
@@davidaix5771 probably 4 speed then because on the mixer truck I drive there’s 4 low range gears an 4 high range plus low an reverse. They say it’s a ten speed transmission, but on some they got low-low (granny low I guess) an you can flip a switch and get a lower ratio in reverse and in the first four gears. Still a 10 speed, it’s weird shit
That was what is called a granny/crawl gear. You could just let the clutch out without giving any gas and truck would move without stalling. It wasn't synchronized but 1st 2nd 3rd were. You'd be lucky to get 5 mph out of it. It did save on clutch wear !
No, first gear isn’t synchronized, second third and fourth are. You can call first gear anything you want but it’s still the first gear in a sequence of four. Why is it so hard for people to count to 4 these days?
@@warrenmcelroy4718 Maybe because people back then realized that the synchronized gears were the common gears to use and like low range on 4x4 the granny gear is for special applications. Unless you came to a complete stop or double clutched you'd grind gears going into low/1st gear. Too keep people from thinking they had to use that gear all the time it's listed separately. It really has zero use unless pulling stumps or hauling something crazy heavy. I had a truck from new back in the 60s with the granny gear and used it when pulling my boat from the water and moving trailer around the property. If it was to be used as you state, it would be synchronized.
@@benkrom2737 nobody who knows how to drive would think they have to always take off in first gear just because it’s marked 1st. And there are a blue million uses for first gear other than pulling stumps, I can’t think of a single time where I ever got in one of my old Fords and didn’t use first gear at least once each time. It was designed as a lower ratio gear than normal and obviously wasn’t designed to be used for just driving around we are all aware of that, that’s obviously why it isn’t synchronized. People aren’t as dumb as you’re making them out to be.
My dad had the GMC 2 speed rear , vacuum assist - starter button on the floor ... He'd park in high & on a cold morning , take forever to get back into low (hauling wood).
All about the rear differential, the 3 speed with low might be unusable in low gear on the road. The 4 speed might have a lower ratio rear dif and therefor useful on the road
My dad had one of the last of those standard transmission with the Low. We could really only use it to pull out the our fishing boats out of boat landings. Press clutch, put in Low, and release clutch, do not touch gas pedal, and it would walk itself out.
In a lot of trucks, 1st gear was creeper gear for use when hauling heavy loads. to start out with more torque. With no load, you started in 2nd gear and shifted up from there. i had one of these trucks, and 1st gear wound out at about 10-15 mph.
Learned about shifting with 2 vehicles. A 5 soeed geo metro, And a 4 soeed 72 ford. Learning the difference between the 2 vehicles was like the day i realized i could read. Such a valuable lesson.
It's similar to some tall buildings in the world where "G" is the ground floor and "1" is actually up in the air, where we'd normally call it the 2nd floor.
@@mowgli2071 Yes! That's right. Especially in Las Vegas, no hotel wants to have a 13th floor. Bonus fact: In Chinese speaking lands, they skip all floors ending in 4, so no 14th, 24th, 34th, etc. The reason is the number 4 sound very close to the word "die" or "death" in Chinese.
@@bryang9290 "B" is for basement. Which is some houses is also known as a cellar. I know I'm probably not getting to the street entrance from the basement
How did i learn something i already knew? That's how I feel after watching this. I knew L was basically a 1st gear... but i never thought of it that way before. Thanks man!
@@warrenmcelroy4718 you should say "WoW, I just don't know what to say" Also, I've started driving my automatic like a manual and my car is so much faster now..I go L, 2, OD, then Drive, then I turn off eco mode.... I've won at least 7 races against the kids with the pedal car that run around my neighborhood like their the next Richard Petty.. Really showed them.
Pro tip. The trans has to be half way into reverse to remove the top cover. Most of them the front input shaft is replaceable without complete trans disassembly. There's a notch in the clutch shaft that allows easy removal.
yea maby but by the time the imput gear is bad the rest of the transmission is shot as well. ive rebuilt a truck load of sm465 and np435 and a few 420 as well. all great durable units too.
My '85 had this trans behind the original 350 until recently at nearly 200k it suddenly locked up. Swapped in a '95 NV4500 and now I have an overdrive gear!!
I have a 94 silverado with a NV4500 5 speed but "1st" is "L" and "5th" is "OD". "L" is some crazy ratio like 6.somethig:1 I only use if I'm towing, otherwise I start out in "1st" gear (the second forward gear position). Both those transmissions are the same but the first forward gear position ratios may not be the same
was going to say the same thing! it was a loophole. from what I remember, the test for noise pollution was done in 3rd gear which would actually be 4th in this case making the car quieter and more fuel efficient.
I think the reason is that you could in most case start moving on the 2 gear, the 1st gear was only for situation where the truck was super loaded. So it made sense changing the markings so people would feel weird putting on the Secound gear...
Well I know the low in my dad's 77 Chevy square body was a very very low first gear I remember reading the instructions talking about top speed in first gear four-wheel drive.. he won many awards for that truck during the blizzard of 78
I had one it was lower than first gear it's a three speed with low gear because I had to be completely stop before it would go into low gear and you don't have to stop completely to put it into first gear