DOUG NASH ENTERPRISES OVERDRIVE - DNE2 - US GEAR - DUAL RANGE revival

[johnarsen24]

does anyone know how to tell if a DNE2 is an under or over gear unit? an '86 chevy g30 i just purchased has one on it and i've never even heard of them before...

complete newbie

[Loren]

Probably there is no way to tell without opening it up or actually using it, I believe cases were the same just w/ different gears on either side of the "planet"s as they call them. The planets (or planetaries or lay shafts) would just be reversed. I'm sure that given the era, 95% of them were geared to overdrive. Hopefully yours works, see my earlier post.

[johnarsen24]

thanx loren, it works fine. unfortunately i have a feeling the previous owner was using this rig for heavy towing and it feels like the unit i have is an under which doesn't do anything for me. does anybody know what current resale value is for a th400 2wd unit?

[TheSilverBuick]

Re-gear the diff?

[rightpedal]

The diesel 14bolts are in the in the lower range and simple enough to bolt in. Heavy as crap but that what jacks and drinking buddies are for.

[Loren]

thanx loren, it works fine. unfortunately i have a feeling the previous owner was using this rig for heavy towing and it feels like the unit i have is an under which doesn't do anything for me. does anybody know what current resale value is for a th400 2wd unit?

With the reversible-motor-connected-to-a-lead-screw method of gear change I'm not sure how you'd positively know if it were actuated or not, if you didn't already know if it was an under- or over-drive. If your truck has 4.56's (possible) and you're used to 4.10s, you could possibly have the unit in overdrive and think that was the 1:1 (the unit's under or over ratio is not very much). Maybe the actuator switch is marked correctly or not and of-course w/ an automatic you can't just count revolutions at the damper and compare them at the driveshaft.

I suppose one way to tell if it were really engaged or not is noise. With some torque on it (going up a hill) it should be a little noisier when engaged and quieter when in 1:1.

I overpaid for my thrashed unit at $500 but that included a good SM465 at least. If yours is in better shape and an overdrive you could probably get that for it or more from the "right" individual. If an underdrive I think you might have a tough time selling it except for parts, it would be easier to just leave it in there and not have to deal with going back to the stock driveshaft length, etc.

[johnarsen24]

thanks for the input loren, unfortunately gearing is mostly greek to me. what i do know is that the switch unit (on the column) appears to work (lights respond, and if the switch is hit there's a definite change. with the switch in low, it kinda feels like a 4wd on pavement, slower, grippier. with the switch on high, it feels normal, hence my under drive assumption (plus the rig has a super serious tow hitch). regardless, i'd just leave it in there and forget about it, but i blew a u-joint the other day,which damaged the drive shaft a bit, which i can't readily replace because it's custom...
if the unit doesn't benefit me in any way, i'd rather sell it and go back to an original drive shaft so as to avoid other similar situations. or reverse the gears to be an over, which would definitely be a benefit...