Th400 auto trans

[THolzknecht]

Question i have a 1985 m1028 , and it has the th400 auto transmission i belive it its a 3 speed it seems like its geard up pretty high is it supossed to be high? can it be lowerd? Should i have it lowerd?

 

[jimmy-90]

First time I ever heard of anyone thinking their cucv pickup was geared to high lol. Is this post for real? Anyhow... guess i'll bite. What is it's top speed? If it goes like 70 or 80mph someone has swapped axles in it or something.

 

[rickf]

A lot of people get high and low mixed up when describing gears. I think what you are talking about is how high the rpm is on the road. That truck will have 4:56 gears in the rear. It has nothing to do with the transmission. You can have the gear ratio changed but it will have to be done to front and back and that is not cheap. Also, the 6.2 engine is not exactly a powerhouse so if you do change the ratios then you will have less get up and go.

Rick

 

[mistaken1]

In 1985 genital motors was unable to produce and install a 4 or 5 speed transmission to help lower highway rpm and fuel consumption. Drive 55 and stay alive was the preferred solution.

PS there is a reason they along with chrysler went out of business ....

 

[drgreg]

Some answers here: Cucv Wiki - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

 

[Recovry4x4]

In 1985 genital motors was unable to produce and install a 4 or 5 speed transmission to help lower highway rpm and fuel consumption. Drive 55 and stay alive was the preferred solution.

PS there is a reason they along with chrysler went out of business ....

Well, the military didn't spec out an overdrive of any sorts. I did have a 1984 K10 that went 400,00 miles and it did have a 6.2 and 4 spd auto with OD and 22 MPG was the norm. 80 MPH was realistiic as well. Unable?????

I don't think the transmission issue was the cause of them crumbling either but I've been wrong before.

 

[mistaken1]

Well, the military didn't spec out an overdrive of any sorts. I did have a 1984 K10 that went 400,00 miles and it did have a 6.2 and 4 spd auto with OD and 22 MPG was the norm. 80 MPH was realistiic as well. Unable?????

I don't think the transmission issue was the cause of them crumbling either but I've been wrong before.

What did the body look like?

I remember my father and his contemporaries talking about 'Japanese junk'. It may have started out that way but they got better (reminds me of current the talk of Chinese junk). It is not that American engineers and assembly workers cannot design and produce quality cars (or anything else for that matter) it is my belief that they are not allowed to do so by short sighted management.

I love my M1009. I don't like that it does not have a four speed transmission (my understanding is that the four speed was fairly new and not as stable as the TH400). I hate the crappy tailgate/back window design. I think the wheel well lip that catches and holds salt and moisture was not well thought out. I still love it though.

I have a ford taurus at the moment with over 235K on it and outside of normal maintenance items all that has been replaced (knock on wood) are the ball joints, a cylinder coil and a broken wire leading to that drivers door.

I am sure you have as many stories as I of friends and neighbors who have been so burned by the American car manufacturers that they have sworn never to by another American made car again. I do believe that without stiff foreign competition our good American brothers in the highest levels of management would still be selling us crap. As far as I am concerned there is no reason (other than choice) why any American car maker was/is not producing the best automobiles the world had/has ever seen. I would like to believe that the global demand for such well engineered, well built and long lasting automobiles would keep the production lines struggling to keep up with demand. I wonder why GM went bankrupt instead.

 

[rnd-motorsports]

the m trucks m1008,m1028, etc. are all built to mil specs and yes gear's high as you state 4:56 witch is actualy low the higher the number the lower the gear say 3:73 lower number but actualy a higher gear! yes the turbo 400 is a 3 speed and the truck will run about 55 and sound like its really screeming when it really is yes its norm and to have it live you should not drive it faster then 55 yes it will go faster but will not live as long .Yes you could regear the rear ends to a lower number gear or higher ratoi or have a overdrive trans put in would help they are built for work depends on what you want to do with it. OH YES WELCOME TO THE SITE!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

What did the body look like?

I remember my father and his contemporaries talking about 'Japanese junk'. It may have started out that way but they got better (reminds me of current the talk of Chinese junk). It is not that American engineers and assembly workers cannot design and produce quality cars (or anything else for that matter) it is my belief that they are not allowed to do so by short sighted management.

I love my M1009. I don't like that it does not have a four speed transmission (my understanding is that the four speed was fairly new and not as stable as the TH400). I hate the crappy tailgate/back window design. I think the wheel well lip that catches and holds salt and moisture was not well thought out. I still love it though.

I have a ford taurus at the moment with over 235K on it and outside of normal maintenance items all that has been replaced (knock on wood) are the ball joints, a cylinder coil and a broken wire leading to that drivers door.

I am sure you have as many stories as I of friends and neighbors who have been so burned by the American car manufacturers that they have sworn never to by another American made car again. I do believe that without stiff foreign competition our good American brothers in the highest levels of management would still be selling us crap. As far as I am concerned there is no reason (other than choice) why any American car maker was/is not producing the best automobiles the world had/has ever seen. I would like to believe that the global demand for such well engineered, well built and long lasting automobiles would keep the production lines struggling to keep up with demand. I wonder why GM went bankrupt instead.

Not sure of the relevance of the body condition but it was very nice. The 6.2 broke a crank at 400,000 and I needed a crew cab so it went away. Wished I had kept it. I've had quite a few 73-91 GM products and while in OH, there was a rust problem. Since being in FL (not on the coast) the rust has been minimal. I currently have a rust free M1008 and a 91 Burb with one dang blasted rust spot where the caulk in a seam cracked. I dunno, I guess I just like the American iron.

As fas as GM's demise, I blame that on the unions and upper management giving them pension packages that no company (but the gov't, paid by the taxpayers) can sustain. The import market did assist in improving the american car market as did technological improvements. IIRC, the import market was not exempt to rust either.

Might also add that there is no vehicle I know of that is cheaper to repair than the 73-87 GM trucks. Windshields are barely $100.

 

[THolzknecht]

thanks for the info guys, yeah it just goes 55 to 60 mph i am new at these kinds of vehicels so sry for the odd question

 

[THolzknecht]

by the way i was thinking about getting a block heater perhapes a zerostart one of the ones that plugs up to your house any reccomondations?

 

[jimmy-90]

by the way i was thinking about getting a block heater perhapes a zerostart one of the ones that plugs up to your house any reccomondations?

I tried that last year. The zerostart coolant heater will not work on a cucv. It's complicated to explain why so I will refer you to my thread about trying to use one. type cucv zerostart coolant heater...help into the search function on this site and it will take you to my thread. Fourbogginchevys posted all the reasons why it wont work and his recomendations on what type of heater to use. Hope this helps.

 

[kipman]

I used a block heater from Auto Zone in my 1009, at 0 degrees, it starts like it is summer, it is 1500 watt, I put in one of the freeze plug ports. not a bad job, took about 2 hours.

 

[THolzknecht]

nice thanks for the help guys

 

[WARWAG]

The numerically higher the gears the lower the gears are. You shouldnt go over 55mph with stock size tires. (235/85R-16).

IE 4.56 gears are considered very low gears but are numerically high
3.23 gears are numerically low but are considered high gears.