And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Until my most recent vehicle, I always had a standard transmission. I miss down shifting since I do not like breaking. It seems as if every single driver these days puts on their breaks for any reason or no reason at all.
Why I love my 2012 Camry, electronic shift and it works like a dream. My second favorite way of slowing down, first is taking my foot off the gas. Braking a distance third.
In over 50 years of driving, never replaced a clutch or manual tranny. And by the way, never had to replace brakes either. I know how to drive, and it shows.
same here, engines wouldn't wear out, neither would the clutch nor throwout bearing. On the other hand, teaching my kids to drive, and arguing over where or not their foot was touching the clutch pedal - how do you watch the road & their foot at the same time?
50-70k miles per year here, driving a service truck, some with automatics, some with manuals. If I could 'hear' the engine, you'd get a feel for the shift points, and slide it up and down through the gears, without touching the clutch.
Pfft. The truly skillful driver can shift up and down the manual transmission while the car is is motion without using the clutch and without grinding the gears. It took me a long time to realize this was possible, and then another several years to get good at it. But with the demise of my last old truck, that skill has atrophied. But it's a bicycle skill: once learned you never forget how. It's easier to shift down without the clutch than to shift up, shifting down is learned first, then shift up is learned. For every vehicle speed and gear, there's a magic engine rpm where the desired next synchro is spinning at the same rate and you can shift smooth as silk. All you have to do is let off the gas a little bit so the engine torque is not pressing tight on the current synchro.
I don't know if that's what others call "double-clutching". Nobody ever taught me that technique, and I never figured out on my own, what exactly it is and is good for.
Not true. Dana and Spicer transmissions in big trucks have no synchros and you don't need to use the clutch to shift them. I once drove a loaded truck from Kyburz to Marysville, CA without a clutch after my throw out bearing failed while I was getting loaded.
Shifting without a clutch is simply a matter of matching the speed of a transmission's input shaft (as determined by the engine's rpm) with the speed of the transmissions counter shaft(s), which in essence is the output shaft.
It sounds more complicated that it is but it's really not all that hard, with a little practice.
I drive trucks with manual gearboxes and was in two minds about using the clutch or not. I tend to use it as there appears a developing consensus in the group of guys I respect that when you do gearbox work you can tell if the clutch was used or not with the gearbox looking better inside if the clutch was used. I was a late starter at about 62 after burning out in my corporate job at 58 and was a bit crunchy for a week but got comfortable pretty quickly. Most trucks in my country now are autos but the few I've driven I didn't like much. Younger guys used to autos can't seem to pick up manuals which surprises me but they also seem to have a shitty work ethic so maybe there's a link.
Double Clutch: Depress clutch pedal, move shifter to neutral, increase / decrease engine RPMs, according to downshifting / upshifting, release the clutch while in neutral, depress the clutch, shift into gear (sometimes very gently, if the engine RPMs weren't right whilein neutral), release clutch.... not for everyone.
Do that with a loaded 66 passenger school bus, while climbing steep hills, downshifting through 3 gears (yes twice), you'll learn how to Double Clutch.
Note: The guys who can't do it, stop the bus, shift into 1st and slowly climb the hill.... while the kids laugh away!
John A. F. Double clutching is used on big trucks to give the engine time to slow down to between 1500-1800 RPMs because that's the sweet spot, and since the gears are cut square- if you don't get it in gear then, you'll never get it in gear unless you come to a complete stop and start all over.
You don't need to do that because as long as you get the RPM right, you can float the gears all day long.
An additional useless fact- the clutch pedal, if you push it to the floor (or too far) has a gear brake to stop gears from spinning when you first put it in gear (square cut gears instead of spiraled in cars).
Clutch Brake: The most abused feature of manual transmission big trucks. I knew a guy who could tear one up in a week. His handle was 'Bigfoot'. Which was fitting. He was a hammerhead whose best quality was that he showed up for work every day.
Some valets at hotels and restaurants have signs that say “no stick shifts” or the like. Nobody knows how to use them anymore, and they’re almost exstinct.
I'm an old guy that learned how to drive a log truck that had a five-speed main box and a four-speed auxiliary (aka: 'Brownie', short for Brown-Lipe) transmission. This was back in the '70s. Not only does it blow my mind that many people can't drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, it amazes me that manual transmissions are fast disappearing as an option in new vehicles.
It's a different time. That doesn't necessarily mean they are better times.
Borgward was a German car maker. The Isabella had a column shift 4 speed manual transmission. The company went bankrupt in the early '60s and the tooling was sent to Mexico where they were built in the late '60s. Al_in_Ottawa
I just drove a Willys CJ-3b a couple of days ago, first time in a very long time, but I still remembered to double-clutch down to 1st gear, and still remembered how to get into 1st 'at rest' by touching over to the 2nd gear synchronizer to stop the shaft from spinning so it would slide into gear.
Our '79 one ton GMC has the 4-speed stick on the floor, with the 'granny' gear. 50 gallon tank, too. We call it the 'Apocalypse Truck'. Shielded HDI ignition is the only electronic in it (other than the radio).
In 1977 I got an award and a promotion in the army for driving 21,000 accident free miles under combat conditions in a 5 ton dump truck with a bolster trailer in Germany. That was 3 times as many miles as 2nd place. My last vehicle had a stick and I drove it for 33 years. My current Blazer has auto on the column and even after 5 years I am still constantly reaching for the "stick".
My sons are now 40 and 38, but when I taught them to drive it was on an old Toyota Pickup with a manual. I had learned from my Dad on a manual, as he taught my Sis and Brother on manuals first, and he said you will need it in the future. My first cars were manuals.
Always loved stick shift cars. Primarily a Chevy Nova fan. Owned several,if it wasn't a 4 speed when I got it was soon after. Easy to covert the old 70 ish models. I worked in a Shell station that had HD wreckers. One of them was an old Mack truck with a duplex? transmission. First time driving it the coworker explained how to shift it. Pulled out of the station,went through all the gears like a pro. The coworker was impressed. That was it though ,next light I couldn't get it.He had to take over. This old jeep in the photo is at least an early 80's model,you can tell by the ALDL plug. First government mandated computer controlled engine system, used in all brands. Miss the simpler times. Allan
Young women can't play?
ReplyDeleteSure, they can enter their man in the contest!
DeleteHah! My farm-kid wife has known how to drive a stick since she was 13.
DeleteDunno the age of that vehicle, but I’d double clutch that puppy, too
ReplyDeleteThis thing consumes the oil.
ReplyDeleteUntil my most recent vehicle, I always had a standard transmission. I miss down shifting since I do not like breaking. It seems as if every single driver these days puts on their breaks for any reason or no reason at all.
ReplyDeleteWhy I love my 2012 Camry, electronic shift and it works like a dream.
DeleteMy second favorite way of slowing down, first is taking my foot off the gas.
Braking a distance third.
Brake pads/shoes are designed to be replaced when worn.
DeleteEngine/transmission parts not so much.
The correct answer - brake pads cheap, clutches and transmissions not. I hardly ever downshift. Sounds neat, but largely unnecessary
DeleteIn over 50 years of driving, never replaced a clutch or manual tranny. And by the way, never had to replace brakes either. I know how to drive, and it shows.
Delete50 years of driving a total of 10,000 miles.
Deletesame here, engines wouldn't wear out, neither would the clutch nor throwout bearing. On the other hand, teaching my kids to drive, and arguing over where or not their foot was touching the clutch pedal - how do you watch the road & their foot at the same time?
Delete50-70k miles per year here, driving a service truck, some with automatics, some with manuals. If I could 'hear' the engine, you'd get a feel for the shift points, and slide it up and down through the gears, without touching the clutch.
Pfft. The truly skillful driver can shift up and down the manual transmission while the car is is motion without using the clutch and without grinding the gears. It took me a long time to realize this was possible, and then another several years to get good at it. But with the demise of my last old truck, that skill has atrophied. But it's a bicycle skill: once learned you never forget how. It's easier to shift down without the clutch than to shift up, shifting down is learned first, then shift up is learned. For every vehicle speed and gear, there's a magic engine rpm where the desired next synchro is spinning at the same rate and you can shift smooth as silk. All you have to do is let off the gas a little bit so the engine torque is not pressing tight on the current synchro.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that's what others call "double-clutching". Nobody ever taught me that technique, and I never figured out on my own, what exactly it is and is good for.
This requires a synchronous transmission.
DeleteNot true. Dana and Spicer transmissions in big trucks have no synchros and you don't need to use the clutch to shift them. I once drove a loaded truck from Kyburz to Marysville, CA without a clutch after my throw out bearing failed while I was getting loaded.
DeleteShifting without a clutch is simply a matter of matching the speed of a transmission's input shaft (as determined by the engine's rpm) with the speed of the transmissions counter shaft(s), which in essence is the output shaft.
It sounds more complicated that it is but it's really not all that hard, with a little practice.
I drive trucks with manual gearboxes and was in two minds about using the clutch or not. I tend to use it as there appears a developing consensus in the group of guys I respect that when you do gearbox work you can tell if the clutch was used or not with the gearbox looking better inside if the clutch was used. I was a late starter at about 62 after burning out in my corporate job at 58 and was a bit crunchy for a week but got comfortable pretty quickly. Most trucks in my country now are autos but the few I've driven I didn't like much. Younger guys used to autos can't seem to pick up manuals which surprises me but they also seem to have a shitty work ethic so maybe there's a link.
DeleteDouble Clutch: Depress clutch pedal, move shifter to neutral, increase / decrease engine RPMs, according to downshifting / upshifting, release the clutch while in neutral, depress the clutch, shift into gear (sometimes very gently, if the engine RPMs weren't right whilein neutral), release clutch.... not for everyone.
DeleteDo that with a loaded 66 passenger school bus, while climbing steep hills, downshifting through 3 gears (yes twice), you'll learn how to Double Clutch.
Note: The guys who can't do it, stop the bus, shift into 1st and slowly climb the hill.... while the kids laugh away!
Now do the shifter on the column (no diagram to cheat by either).
ReplyDeleteUsually 3 gears, plus R. Not so bad
DeleteJohn A. F.
DeleteDouble clutching is used on big trucks to give the engine time to slow down to between 1500-1800 RPMs because that's the sweet spot, and since the gears are cut square- if you don't get it in gear then, you'll never get it in gear unless you come to a complete stop and start all over.
You don't need to do that because as long as you get the RPM right, you can float the gears all day long.
An additional useless fact- the clutch pedal, if you push it to the floor (or too far) has a gear brake to stop gears from spinning when you first put it in gear (square cut gears instead of spiraled in cars).
Clutch Brake: The most abused feature of manual transmission big trucks. I knew a guy who could tear one up in a week. His handle was 'Bigfoot'.
DeleteWhich was fitting. He was a hammerhead whose best quality was that he showed up for work every day.
Ah yes....a simpler time. That's when gas was what???? 25-36 cents a gallon?
ReplyDeleteSome valets at hotels and restaurants have signs that say “no stick shifts” or the like. Nobody knows how to use them anymore, and they’re almost exstinct.
ReplyDeleteI'm an old guy that learned how to drive a log truck that had a five-speed main box and a four-speed auxiliary (aka: 'Brownie', short for Brown-Lipe) transmission. This was back in the '70s. Not only does it blow my mind that many people can't drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, it amazes me that manual transmissions are fast disappearing as an option in new vehicles.
ReplyDeleteIt's a different time. That doesn't necessarily mean they are better times.
Dad came home with a Borgward - 4 speed on the column - we beat the crap out of it...
ReplyDeleteNot to pick nits, but that would be Borg Warner.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BorgWarner
Borgward was a German car maker. The Isabella had a column shift 4 speed manual transmission. The company went bankrupt in the early '60s and the tooling was sent to Mexico where they were built in the late '60s.
DeleteAl_in_Ottawa
Wow, I was going to comment but you all have it covered.
ReplyDeleteLooks to be a Jeep Wagoneer or Pickup. Nice.
ReplyDeleteMillennial anti theft device...
ReplyDeleteI just drove a Willys CJ-3b a couple of days ago, first time in a very long time, but I still remembered to double-clutch down to 1st gear, and still remembered how to get into 1st 'at rest' by touching over to the 2nd gear synchronizer to stop the shaft from spinning so it would slide into gear.
ReplyDeleteYa gotta know which nits to pick, Elmo...
ReplyDeleteOur '79 one ton GMC has the 4-speed stick on the floor, with the 'granny' gear. 50 gallon tank, too.
ReplyDeleteWe call it the 'Apocalypse Truck'. Shielded HDI ignition is the only electronic in it (other than the radio).
The floor tells us it burns oil :-}
ReplyDeleteIn 1977 I got an award and a promotion in the army for driving 21,000 accident free miles under combat conditions in a 5 ton dump truck with a bolster trailer in Germany. That was 3 times as many miles as 2nd place. My last vehicle had a stick and I drove it for 33 years. My current Blazer has auto on the column and even after 5 years I am still constantly reaching for the "stick".
ReplyDeleteMy sons are now 40 and 38, but when I taught them to drive it was on an old Toyota Pickup with a manual. I had learned from my Dad on a manual, as he taught my Sis and Brother on manuals first, and he said you will need it in the future. My first cars were manuals.
ReplyDeleteAlways loved stick shift cars. Primarily a Chevy Nova fan. Owned several,if it wasn't a 4 speed when I got it was soon after. Easy to covert the old 70 ish models. I worked in a Shell station that had HD wreckers. One of them was an old Mack truck with a duplex? transmission. First time driving it the coworker explained how to shift it. Pulled out of the station,went through all the gears like a pro. The coworker was impressed. That was it though ,next light I couldn't get it.He had to take over. This old jeep in the photo is at least an early 80's model,you can tell by the ALDL plug. First government mandated computer controlled engine system, used in all brands. Miss the simpler times. Allan
ReplyDelete