Going with a Gillig

[syutk80]

Greetings to all! i can't say how awesome it is that i found this site.....well, alittle back ground first i guess.....i'm coming back from my last deployment in Iraq pretty soon and after taking with my wife, we decided to convert a bus(something i've always wanted to try) and travel the northern states. So, about 3 months ago, i decided on a 1978 Gillig (78 pass.)pusher with a 3208NA connected to a 5 speed spicer...i got it off ebay and drove it back from oregon to southern cali on my R&R break..... it's a blast to drive! but not knowing to much about these buses.....well, i'm just starting the conversion and have alot of questions so any help will be appreciated!

my first problem was that i'm getting about 50mph @2600rpm(fuel mpg was 7)....i've considered going to a 7 speed spicer with the overdrive but that was looking to be about $3000....so digging alittle more, i'm pretty sure now that i have a timken 5.68 rearend...so if a changed the rearend, what should i go to? what kind of cost would i be looking at? any thoughts?

 

[oldog12]

Thanks for your service.... What are you ...11B? If I were you.... I'd talk to your motor SGT.... 5.68 rear end, sort of a "standard" RE.... on you drive with it on R&R, did you have any problems going up hill?.... You remember to put your flashers on?.... I can't remember what RE my first bus had, but it was a 5 something, and I had a hard time getting it over the crest of every ant hill in my route of travel... OK, OK .... ant hill may have been exaggerated... mole hills would be more apt..... I think I could have walked along side on some of those up hill tugs.......

Ain't got any experience with those Spicers....

Stay safe.... Keep your eyes and ears open, your mouth shut and your nose clean....

All the best

 

[chrisxj2001]

This is my first post but I think I may be able to help. I am putting a sp 4054d 5 speed that I pulled out of a 87 c60 in my 89 ward. I am having the big truck tranny shop in SA drop the low first gear and add a .07 to 1 overdrive in it. He also said he had put a divorced over/under drive unit in a bus for a guy recently but this is a much more expensive option.