Being Able To Drive This Properly Should Be A Drivers Test Requirement

akamcfly wrote:

Twin_Cam wrote: So, if I understand correctly, there's 3 gearsets, each with a 5-speed shift pattern within them? And when you shift to the higher gearset, you have to return the other shifter to the '1st' gear position? Damn you, GRM, you make my head hurt

There's a transmission with 5 speeds (we'll say). There's a separate transmission (called an Aux Box) with low range, 1:1 direct drive, and reverse. Almost like the transfer case in a 4x4, but instead of just high and low ranges, it also houses the reverse gear too. One stick for each transmission. Because there's some overlap in the gear ratios, there are times when he switches gears in the Aux Box between low range and direct to fill in the holes. It's sort of like a bicycle with 2 chain rings up front and 5 cogs (in this instance) out back. You can stay in the high or low range on the front chain rings and use any cog out back. But there are some ratios in the setup that overlap The ideal ratio for your situation may involve you shifting to the other front chain ring and moving a few cogs over on the back to get your ideal cruising or climbing gear.

That sounds completely easy.

e_pie wrote: That sounds completely easy.

It is on a bicycle.

Says the guy with one chain ring (32) and 9 cogs (12-36) on the cassette.

Now add a vacuum shifted two speed rear axle to that and you can really have some fun.

jimbbski wrote: My experience driving "Big" trucks is with newer ones but the lever on the left is for a "Gear Spliter" It can double or triple the number of gears the truck has. A 4 speed becomes an 8 speed. On modern trucks most transmissions have 5-6 gears but with the spliter they end up with 10-12 speeds and some can have up to 15+ gears. On modern trucks the shifting of the spliter is accomplished with a simple switch on the transmission shift lever. Usually up for high range and down for low. Most times you shift through all the gears while in low range and then shift to high and go back to what is normally 1st or 2nd gear (Depending on the trans.) and start over until you reach top gear. With the high torque engines we have today a simple 10 speed is all most trucks need, unless they are used in hilly/mountain areas. And with the shortage of truck drivers many companies are going automatic to make the driving part easier for newbies!

A splitter is actually a second gearset that effectively divides each gear into two, for a half ratio increase or reduction. These are commonly 13 speeds which have the splitter on the top range of 4 only or 18 speeds which have a splitter for both high and low range. They are very nice to drive and give you a gear for every occasion. The more common and cheaper multi range transmissions are 5 speeds with either 2 ranges for a total of 10 or 3 ranges for 15 total. The 15 speeds are known as "glorified 10 speeds" and the bottom 5 are deep reduction gears to pull a load out of a hole. But once you get going they are just 10 speeds with large gaps bteween the gears, so not as handy as an 18 or 13 speed. There are lots of others but those are the common ones on highway trucks around here. The new ones all seem to be autoshift, but they are still conventional trannys with a computer doing the shifting.

Speaking of Detroit Diesel engines, it sounds so right revved to infinity, but so wrong at the same time.

Skip to 2:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M1o2rpO_JY&feature=related

bearmtnmartin wrote:

jimbbski wrote: My experience driving "Big" trucks is with newer ones but the lever on the left is for a "Gear Spliter" It can double or triple the number of gears the truck has. A 4 speed becomes an 8 speed. On modern trucks most transmissions have 5-6 gears but with the spliter they end up with 10-12 speeds and some can have up to 15+ gears. On modern trucks the shifting of the spliter is accomplished with a simple switch on the transmission shift lever. Usually up for high range and down for low. Most times you shift through all the gears while in low range and then shift to high and go back to what is normally 1st or 2nd gear (Depending on the trans.) and start over until you reach top gear. With the high torque engines we have today a simple 10 speed is all most trucks need, unless they are used in hilly/mountain areas. And with the shortage of truck drivers many companies are going automatic to make the driving part easier for newbies!

A splitter is actually a second gearset that effectively divides each gear into two, for a half ratio increase or reduction. These are commonly 13 speeds which have the splitter on the top range of 4 only or 18 speeds which have a splitter for both high and low range. They are very nice to drive and give you a gear for every occasion. The more common and cheaper multi range transmissions are 5 speeds with either 2 ranges for a total of 10 or 3 ranges for 15 total. The 15 speeds are known as "glorified 10 speeds" and the bottom 5 are deep reduction gears to pull a load out of a hole. But once you get going they are just 10 speeds with large gaps bteween the gears, so not as handy as an 18 or 13 speed. There are lots of others but those are the common ones on highway trucks around here. The new ones all seem to be autoshift, but they are still conventional trannys with a computer doing the shifting.

Yeah, I called it wrong. I know the difference but used the wrong term. It's been a few years since I drove one. (6 years).