Well, I finally gone and done it!!

Good luck and be safe.

 

If the transmission has been driven halfway right it should last for years. Signs of weak clutches (sycros in Eaton) are sloopy gear changes with a tendency to scrape a gear with very little pressure on the shifter, and the shifter being extremely easy to slide in and out of gear. Popping out of gear will be a big indicator of any problems.

Don't worry about it until it breaks. Just don't jam it in gear, pop the clutch, ect. Drive and shift easy, and it should last for many years.

I have only driven a few N-14s, but the ones I drove had a great amount of low end torque, meaning lots of power around 1200 RPM. You don't need to go above 1800 unless needed to have enough RPMs to shift with. Run it around 1400-1500 and you should be good to go. Above that is wasting fuel and wearing out the engine.

If I am wrong with any of this, someone will come along and straighten it out.

 

yeah the N14 is just happy as a clam at 1400-1500rpm's, no need to wind it any tighter than that unless you just want to hear it scream (and pay for it in fuel mileage) With 3.73 rears and a OD tranny, you should be about the right RPM range at 60-65mph.

I can't help ya much with the tranny... the only 10 speeds I've dealt with were eatons, and they'll last a couple million miles if taken care of.

 

The newer 10 spds all have the same shift pattern. They did away with the goofy shift pattern for some reason, I'm assuming cause of drivers and the fact that for a while alot of companies used the 10 OD.

 

Hi North1: Congrats and good luck with your truck! It sounds like it is fairly well set up for what you do. I have no experience with Meritor transmissions, so cant give you any idea on that......... david

 

I did not see where you mentioned the tire size so I will give you a range
of RPM's.
Your meritor trans has a final ration of .73 FYI
with rear end gears of 3.73 at 65mph hear is a break down or RPM Ranges.

LP 22.5 = 1450 rpm
22.5 tall= 1480 rpm
24 LP = 1480 rpm
24 tall = 1330 rpm.

22.5 tall and 24 LP's are almost the same diameter

These are only estimate since every tire manufacturer is going to have a slightly different overall diameter but it will give you an idea. Hope this helps.

 

good choice, lol,, they are some of the tightest cabs around. the top cover in the trans has a reverser that moves the shift fork in the opposite direction for 4th,5th,9th,10th, the very front gear in the trans is direct drive and the 2nd one back is over drive. thats why they have to reverse it in the top cover. its hard to explain, but when u move the stick back the fork goes forward, and moving stick forward makes fork move back. so thats why they use a reverser to keep the shift pattern correct.. those are good trans just don't slam the gears, the gears are held on the main shaft by snap rings. u can push them out of the snap ring. as far as the clutch goes, just as long as it ain't a solo u will be fine..

bullhaulerswife, do u know where the doors are leaking,, like the top rear corner, lower corner?

 

Open the door, grab the bottom of it and lift. If it moves any, your hinge is shot or just about shot. If the plastic piece at the top is cracked that will also make the door loose. Another thing to check is the pin and latch.

A few other things to look for.... take the cover off the door and the tin plate thats behind it, if its loose ( there are screws all around the frame for it) that will also cause a loose door.

Make sure the door isn't sprung out also. The biggest mistake guys do is use the door to pull themselves up and into the truck. That will wear a door out in no time!