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Speedo gear selection & change

yakmastermax

1/2 ton status
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Albuquerqu NM/ Austin TX
Hey all, I just scored some 35" tires for an absolute steal and I'm putting them on my 83 K5 blazer. I'm pretty sure I've got 3.42 or 3.73 ratio. I'd like to make my speedo accurate but I don't know what speedo gear I need and how to put it in. I saw a basic guide somewhere around here once but I've lost it. On that note I'm also wondering what engine RPMs my 305 will be at when cruising 65mph with the 35" in my SM464 1:1 gear. Thanks guys.
 
You will need to determine your precise gear ratio and the number of teeth on the drive gear in your transfer case in order to calculate the number of teeth that will be required on your new driven gear for accurate speedometer function. These numbers will also help to determine final drive rpms in gear, but you must have the right info going in to get the right info coming out.
 
You will need to determine your precise gear ratio and the number of teeth on the drive gear in your transfer case in order to calculate the number of teeth that will be required on your new driven gear for accurate speedometer function. These numbers will also help to determine final drive rpms in gear, but you must have the right info going in to get the right info coming out.

Right on. Any schematic pointing to the drive gear on the transfer case?
 
Your best bet will be to pop the speedo housing out of the side of the transfer case and look up into hole with a flashlight while you turn the output driveshaft and count the number of teeth at the edge of the gear like the rays on a sun. This is the only way to really know what is in there, no telling if it has been changed over the past thirty years...
 
my T case is off right now since i'm replacing the transmission and hopefully clutch. seems like a good time to change the speedo gear. i'm having a hard time though even finding place with replacement gears for my NP208.

other than the link given above anything else?

also thanks for the advice, i'll pull that little thing out tomorrow.
 
The drive gears are unique to the transfer case but the driven gears are the same used in many GM automatic transmissions, if you can't find one I may have one for you.
 
The plastic gear inside the TC on the output shaft is the drive gear, the gear in the side of the TC in the aluminum housing is the driven gear.
 
Your best bet will be to pop the speedo housing out of the side of the transfer case and look up into hole with a flashlight while you turn the output driveshaft and count the number of teeth at the edge of the gear like the rays on a sun. This is the only way to really know what is in there, no telling if it has been changed over the past thirty years...

Count? That's the hard way. :D
Just look and see what color it is. There is only four possible colors it can be and even then pretty sure there was only grey and blue for the 208.
15 tooth Gray
17 tooth Red
18 tooth Blue
19 tooth Yellow
 
Count? That's the hard way. :D
Just look and see what color it is. There is only four possible colors it can be and even then pretty sure there was only grey and blue for the 208.
15 tooth Gray
17 tooth Red
18 tooth Blue
19 tooth Yellow
True - only 2 available for the 208. If you need something else you'll have to make it from a 700 gear or something. Typically if you use a reasonable gear ratio you can get the speedo right just by changing the driven gear, which is like a 5 minute job. (What, you can't find a low enough tooth count for your 44's on 3.08s? Good- that should never be done.)

So the easiest way to do the math is grab a GPS and drive at a normal cruise speed (like 55 or 70). The ratio of your real speed to speedo reading is the same ratio you need in tooth change. The driven gears are color coded, too, and even have the tooth count stamped on them sometimes. All you need is a 1/2" socket and the gear is in your hand in 30 seconds. If your speedo reads too low, you need fewer teeth on the driven gear or more teeth on the drive gear. Of course you won't swap the drive gear unless the tooth count you want for the driven isn't available.

If you use the online calculators, find your real tire diameter instead of the size stamped on the sidewall.


That being said, you might want to wait on speedo calibration until you have the right gears in the diffs. With 35's and a 305 you should be running something more like 4.56 -but that's another topic.
 
True - only 2 available for the 208. If you need something else you'll have to make it from a 700 gear or something. Typically if you use a reasonable gear ratio you can get the speedo right just by changing the driven gear, which is like a 5 minute job. (What, you can't find a low enough tooth count for your 44's on 3.08s? Good- that should never be done.)

So the easiest way to do the math is grab a GPS and drive at a normal cruise speed (like 55 or 70). The ratio of your real speed to speedo reading is the same ratio you need in tooth change. The driven gears are color coded, too, and even have the tooth count stamped on them sometimes. All you need is a 1/2" socket and the gear is in your hand in 30 seconds. If your speedo reads too low, you need fewer teeth on the driven gear or more teeth on the drive gear. Of course you won't swap the drive gear unless the tooth count you want for the driven isn't available.

If you use the online calculators, find your real tire diameter instead of the size stamped on the sidewall.


That being said, you might want to wait on speedo calibration until you have the right gears in the diffs. With 35's and a 305 you should be running something more like 4.56 -but that's another topic.


that is really great info thanks a lot. i know the tire size and gear ratio combo are hardly applicable for offroad but i need this truck to be streetable first and foremost. it will never see anything technical.
 
OK, the 465 shouldn't have a problem with the high gears like an automatic would. It will just be slow, but will be kind of like having OD. If you ever want some power, grab some lower gears.
 
Good info I need this to I think my speedometer is fast in mine.
NP 205 and 5.13 gears.
 
The gear may have been changed in 1990 when the 205 was installed behind the 700r4. I just know with the tire and gear combo I have now it seem fast. Will check it with gps.
 
correct me if my understanding is wrong but with 5.13 gears your speedometer should be reading slower right?
The lower the gears (higher number), the faster the driveshaft spins and the higher the speedo reads. Bigger tires have the opposite effect. He has done both, but it's most likely that he is still geared lower overall than the factory gear/tire combo - even with towing/plowing packages they tended to be pretty tall.
 
Just wanted to add these pix for future searches. The black gear has a tooth count stamped into it so no need to count those little teeth. Also the gear retainers have the range cast into them. Now I don't "see" a difference from 39 tooth and down retainer to 40 tooth and up retainer but to be safe run proper gear in proper retainer.
Speedo-2.jpg

Speedo-1.jpg
 
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