BobT-47P15 Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 I have had my R10 overdrive trans for several years now, and may get around to having it installed. At one time I purchased a speedometer cable that indicated it was for use with an overdrive transmission.......I believe it was just a little longer than the stock cable for the normal trans. However, following our lovely tornado in 2011, that cable is in some other unknown place. My question is for anyone here who has added the R10 to their 46-48 Plymouth......is the original cable long enough, or do you indeed need a bit longer one? If so, what one did you use? Thanks for any input. 1 Quote
Mark D Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 Yes yes! Inquiring minds want to know. Had this discussion the other night with Ed. Would be good to learn the answer. Quote
Young Ed Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 My p15 is currently using the stock cable. However its very close to not being long enough and I am considering changing it out to one that fits better because I fear the current one is bent too sharply and it going to break 1 Quote
Jim Yergin Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 My experience with my P12 is the same as Ed's. I was able to connect the original and it worked but it was very tight and I ended up replacing it with one for the overdrive transmission. Jim Yergin Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 These folks will custom make one to what ever length you like. Quote
martybose Posted January 30, 2015 Report Posted January 30, 2015 When I had my speedometer calibration checked it needed to have a gearbox added to correct it, and there wasn't room for it to bolt directly to the OD housing. So they made up a 6 inch cable to move it off of the transmission, and that gave me enough cable to route the speedo cable nicely. Marty Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted January 30, 2015 Author Report Posted January 30, 2015 Wish I had measured the length of the "O D cable" i had before the tornado.........but one of those things you just don't think to do as it's lying around waiting to be used at some future time. Who'd of thought it would go flying away. I imagine if a person would measure the original cable and then look for something listed as about 6 inches longer.....that would work. I think the outfit Don Coatney listed in Nashville is a good place for old car items. Thanks for the input guys............always helpful. Quote
Ulu Posted January 31, 2015 Report Posted January 31, 2015 My stock cable fit OK as well. It was a bit tight but it never failed in some 50,000 miles or more. What failed on me is the rear engine mounts, which were old & let the engine tip back a little what with all that OD iron on the tail. This put tension on the upper radiator hose. That tension split the solder holding the water outlet to the top tank, and one morning I found lots of Prestone on the floor. Anyhow I got some new rubber mounts and had to solder the radiator back together. My speedometer never changed as I recall. It must tap off the mid-shaft and not the tail-shaft. Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 31, 2015 Report Posted January 31, 2015 Ulu, on 30 Jan 2015 - 9:53 PM, said:Ulu, on 30 Jan 2015 - 9:53 PM, said:My speedometer never changed as I recall. It must tap off the mid-shaft and not the tail-shaft. Are you suggesting that the tail shaft RPM's (same as drive shaft RPM's) of an overdrive transmission changes speed when the transmission shifts into overdrive? I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around this line of thinking. Seems to me that engine RPM's will change when the transmission shifts into overdrive but the driveshaft will still be turning the same number of revolutions irrelevant of weather the transmission is in or out of overdrive or any other gear. I should add that with a multispeed rear axle (commonly found on large trucks) the relationship of driveshaft revolutions to road speed does change when the axle shifts and a special speedometer drive gearbox is required to adjust for the change. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 31, 2015 Report Posted January 31, 2015 My stock cable fit OK as well. It was a bit tight but it never failed in some 50,000 miles or more. What failed on me is the rear engine mounts, which were old & let the engine tip back a little what with all that OD iron on the tail. This put tension on the upper radiator hose. That tension split the solder holding the water outlet to the top tank, and one morning I found lots of Prestone on the floor. Anyhow I got some new rubber mounts and had to solder the radiator back together. My speedometer never changed as I recall. It must tap off the mid-shaft and not the tail-shaft. Ulu, I do not think you have you ever looked at the engineering drawing of the OD and compared its physical location to that of the normal tail shaft of the non OD tranny...the concept of OD confuses many people for sure..the book has a good drawing of each for comparison that makes for good viewing.. Quote
Ulu Posted February 5, 2015 Report Posted February 5, 2015 Oops! I should have said off the tailshaft and not the midshaft. I've looked at diagrams of the trans with & without OD, and I've dis-assembled and overhauled both of mine, as well as the Ford versions (OD & non-OD) that I ran in my Edsel. I have this cute little gizmo at home & I should photo here. I think it's from a 1950's military radio or radar unit. Anyhow, it's the fine tuning control from something old & it has a neat little planetary reduction drive inside. I sometimes use it to show people how automatic transmissions work. I freaked out the first time I saw a Model-T trans in a junkyard, until I found out what was inside. It looks like the Borg-Warner OD is basically a Model-T transmission with electric solenoids instead of pedals. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted February 5, 2015 Report Posted February 5, 2015 Somebody straighten me out here, I think there was a planetary gear set at the top of the steering column to gear down the ratio of the shaft into the box.I think it was in a ford T. Shirley someone here knows. Quote
TodFitch Posted February 6, 2015 Report Posted February 6, 2015 Somebody straighten me out here, I think there was a planetary gear set at the top of the steering column to gear down the ratio of the shaft into the box. I think it was in a ford T. Shirley someone here knows. The Model T Ford had a planetary gear set in the steering wheel hub. Might have been other cars that way too. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted February 6, 2015 Report Posted February 6, 2015 Thank you. Some times I think I dream stuff. Some times I make stuff up. Sometimes the line is blurry. Quote
40phil41 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Posted February 8, 2015 To get back to Bob's original post..., on my '40 the original 3 spd has the speedometer cable connection on the pass. side whereas the OD tranny has it on the drivers side, hence the cable length issue. When I installed my OD I rerouted the speedo cable so that instead of it going through a firewall whole on the pass. side it now goes through one on the drivers side and the original cable works fine. Since then I have purchased a cable extension but have not bothered to install it. Don't know if the P15 is in the same situation or not. Phil Quote
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