F500-F600 transmissions?

[LOWERED 69]

What transmissions came in these beasts? I heard that some of them have 9 speeds? Its hard for me to believe though just thought I would ask.

[SteveC]

I believe it was a regular 4 speed but i also remember there being a 2 speed rear axle ...basically giving you 8 forward gears and two reverse.

Dads 72 ford N600 is setup this way.... though that thing has the screwiest shift pattern.

[fmartin_gila1]

Depended on drivetrain options when purchased. some had 4 spd and some had 5 spd. Some had 2 spd Electric, Air, or Vacuum operated rear axle. I don't remember any 9 spd available in this small a truck.

The goofy shift pattern may be the result of an OD tranny. The two top gears had reversed positions on some trannys with OD.

Fred

[kaptnkaos]

Hey LOWERED '69

Many of the F / B 500-600's had Clark 5 speeds w/a 2 speed rear end.
That's what's in my '68 B-500 bus Olde Skool.
Also, like has already been mentioned, they had NP435 4 speeds as well.
I have a 361 FT, that came out of a U-Haul F-600, that came with an NP435.
It is a little different than the light truck version in that the tail piece has a drum brake mounted on it and an e-brake lever that comes up thru the tunnel cover.

KaptnKA S

[averagef250]

The older medium duty fords used the NP435 as the base tranny. If it has a screwy shift pattern as a 4 speed it's an NP540. The 540 was made in both 4 and 5 speed versions. The 4 speed is a 5 speed minus second gear with 2nd and 3rd gears from a 435 installed. Screwy shift pattern and 5 speed could be either a clark or NP540.

Many of them had allison 545's as well.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey averagef250

That's good stuff to know...

Thanks

KaptnKA S

[fomocoguy]

The older medium duty fords used the NP435 as the base tranny. If it has a screwy shift pattern as a 4 speed it's an NP540. The 540 was made in both 4 and 5 speed versions. The 4 speed is a 5 speed minus second gear with 2nd and 3rd gears from a 435 installed. Screwy shift pattern and 5 speed could be either a clark or NP540.

Many of them had allison 545's as well.

Ok, so the real question is if I was to come across a 5 speed F600 in the junkyard, would the trans bolt into my highboy???

[19674x4]

The older medium duty fords used the NP435 as the base tranny. If it has a screwy shift pattern as a 4 speed it's an NP540. The 540 was made in both 4 and 5 speed versions. The 4 speed is a 5 speed minus second gear with 2nd and 3rd gears from a 435 installed. Screwy shift pattern and 5 speed could be either a clark or NP540.

Many of them had allison 545's as well.

that and clark 5 speeds with 2 speed rears. like allan said

[averagef250]

No, you can't bolt any 5 speed into your highboy. A clark or NP540 doesn't have anything useful over 435. Even if you did happen to find the hens teeth clark 280VO overdrive it's only a .8 overdrive.