I always liked the 2-speed axle. First one I had was a Leyland Comet (LAD cab) with a 5-speed gearbox. Then a Dodge 500 series 16-tonner with a 6-speed o/d gearbox, plus 2-speed axle to give 12 ratios. It would do 70 mph but it took ages to get there with the Perkins 6.354 engine. I was in London once when the axle got stuck in low ratio but it was still fast enough to drive back to Bolton in low ratio.
hi, did anyone else put an elastic band around the gear stick and twin speed button to stop it rattling. ray.
callme57:
hi, did anyone else put an elastic band around the gear stick and twin speed button to stop it rattling. ray.
Aye, all the ones I drove except the TK Bedfords, Used to have that problem very irritating to say the least, & then sometimes little bits broke off for some reason or another, & the sharp edges were bloody murder, I used to file them off, Regards Larry.
Greetings,All.
Ref. the elastic band.We,on Union Cartage, had Guy Big “J” units (sadly without the 8 cyl.Gardner engine) but with the AEC 505.We,like you, all had the elastic band round the red axle switch.The rattle got to you in the end.
A brilliant mod.
Regards to all,900x20. 
When I first started work (apprentice mechanic) we had some Traders with Eaton two speed axles they were well liked by the drivers also being later models had air/hydraulic brakes,as has been mentioned Bedfords with their own two speed axle were not as good,iirc was a different technique to shift ratios.I took my class 1 test in a Mastiff with two speed axle, removed the switch from the gear lever and tucked out it of the way! the Mastiff did’nt use the normal Eaton switch but a black plastic effort with a little red lever to flick,also used on Boxers with two speed axle.
Dave the Renegade:
I drove a Bedrord KM in 1970, just used to to pull the button up ease the throttle to change up, the axle change went smoothly without touching the clutch peddle, never had no trouble, as you say eaton, good kit.
I AGREE NO NEED TO USE CLUTCH AT ALL TO CHANGE UP OR DOWN. TO CHANGE UP FOOT DOWN ON ACCELERATOR BUTTON UP EASE OFF ACCELERATOR AND DOWN AGAIN. TO CHANGE DOWN FOOT ON ACCELERATOR BUTTON DOWN FOOT OFF & BACK DOWN AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE OR FOOT DOWN ON ACCELERATOR DROP BUTTON & GIVE CLUTCH AQUICK PRESS
yanto36:
Here’s a question for you,I have a restored k series dodge k2413t with 6 speed dodge box and eaton 2 speed axle.Should it do more than 50mph in 6th high or am I doing something wrong?
WE HAD A SEDDON WITH A PERKINS 6.354 TURBO 6 SPEED BOX & 2 SPEED AXLE IT WOULD DO 85 MPH WELL THAT WAS WHAT THE SPEEDO SAID
Its a shame they stopped producing the Eaton two speeds, They were simple to use, Allong with the right gearbox of course, These new types of gearing systems we have to-day in my book are more complicated for the driver and more prone to problems if I may say so, Regards Larry.
Does the phrase, “A boxful of neutrals” remind you of anything, Larry?
Retired Old ■■■■:
Does the phrase, “A boxful of neutrals” remind you of anything, Larry?
Oh yes of course its does, Anyone who drove motors with two speeds will have mems of the bloody thing not going into mesh quick enough, But IMO most proper drivers could remedy that no problem, Eh Wouldn’t you agree, Regards Larry.
I found neutralising the diff great for greasing the universals in our old 2-stroke Commers.
Pretty simple, key off, flip the 2-speed button, then a quick key on/off and you had the diff in neutral.
Spin the propshaft for easy access to the grease ■■■■■■■.
When finished, key back on and the change completed.
We always left our diffs in high when parked up, something to do with taking tension from the big spring in the change mechanism.
Must have worked, we only ever broke 1-spring in zillions of miles.
Found this video on youtube explaining the eaton 2 speed axle in 2 parts
Part 2 if you enjoyed part 1!
youtu.be/osDi3hpovnc
Any newer members on here who haven’t had their say about Two Speed Axles.
Dave the Renegade:
Any newer members on here who haven’t had their say about Two Speed Axles.
Aye Dave there may not be many old drivers still about on this thread that drove motors with the E/2 Speed axles, IMO They were great in their day, They were a bonus to under powered motors, & Even greater to they higher powered ones, Its a pity the went out of production, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Dave the Renegade:
Any newer members on here who haven’t had their say about Two Speed Axles.Aye Dave there may not be many old drivers still about on this thread that drove motors with the E/2 Speed axles, IMO They were great in their day, They were a bonus to under powered motors, & Even greater to they higher powered ones, Its a pity the went out of production, Regards Larry.
IMHO the Eaton axle both single and two speed versions were the best axles available for their era,I could never understand why manufactures such as ERF and Atkinson would always try to “disuade” you from speccing the Eaton and preferred you to use the Kirkstall (our that crappy Group axle in the case of Sed/atk) I always maintained that for normal road going operation you didn’t need a hub-reduction axle when the single reduction Eaton axle was quite sufficient and never required the same attention as some of the HR axles.We never had a bad Eaton axle in all the years we ran them from a Trader through to C Series ERF’s,I think it must have been something to do with the cost of the Eaton axle,but I never could get the answer.cheers Dennis.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Dave the Renegade:
Any newer members on here who haven’t had their say about Two Speed Axles.Aye Dave there may not be many old drivers still about on this thread that drove motors with the E/2 Speed axles, IMO They were great in their day, They were a bonus to under powered motors, & Even greater to they higher powered ones, Its a pity the went out of production, Regards Larry.
You have got it right Larry. Its all range changes and splitter boxes since the two speed axles, also the vehicles have so much more power these days. A different day and age.
Cheers Dave.
I’m not sure what rear ends you were offered in the UK but in Aus. the earlier trucks such as Dodge and International had a double reduction diff as opposed to the Eaton two speed diff typically used in Commers, Fords, small Leylands etc.
Both gave two speeds but the Eaton was much faster on the change and rarely got hung up in neutral.
The change speed of the double reduction diff took some getting used to after driving an Eaton equipped truck.
Here’s a double reduction diff, a very basic concept compared to the planetary gearing used by Eaton.
cargo:
I’m not sure what rear ends you were offered in the UK but in Aus. the earlier trucks such as Dodge and International had a double reduction diff as opposed to the Eaton two speed diff typically used in Commers, Fords, small Leylands etc.
Both gave two speeds but the Eaton was much faster on the change and rarely got hung up in neutral.
The change speed of the double reduction diff took some getting used to after driving an Eaton equipped truck.
Here’s a double reduction diff, a very basic concept compared to the planetary gearing used by Eaton.
Eaton was a very popular two speed axle here cargo.
Cheers Dave.
aye can remember my first time wae a two speed axle in a ford d series with a low loader(knock out axle),was used to 5sp d series& range change on a D series 6wheeler even tried a twin stick (Mack snow plough)…but what the hell was this !!!..drove round the block and back in tae ask the fitters to give me a clue ( sticker on the dash worn out,all i could read was two speed),one o the fitters told me what was expected with a smirk.
later on i drove a maggie Deutz it was a ZF 6sp with splitter but its sister wagon came with a two speed axle…fun fun …when you were dog tired and forgot which one you were on…wasnt quite the same ,i remember 1gear in particular was higher speed in low than when in high on the two speed. 