Manual Transmissions ??
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Joined: Apr 2004
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A splitter in a pickup or medium is a needless complication. 6 speeds is plenty, spaced correctly with the right rear axle.
As for the twin countershaft transmissions--just as with the cost of certifying a manual truck for emissions, this is a cost manufacturers are not willing to pay when they don't sell but 1 to 5% as manual transmissions, and those go to the rubber mat and rollup window crowd who will wait for the vehicle to sit well into the next model year and are only willing to buy it at a substantial discount.
Instead, you put a slick 6 speed or better automatic in it and sell it to a broader market, including the leather and power butt massage crowd who buys power everything the day it's intro'd and pays full sticker to boot.
As for the twin countershaft transmissions--just as with the cost of certifying a manual truck for emissions, this is a cost manufacturers are not willing to pay when they don't sell but 1 to 5% as manual transmissions, and those go to the rubber mat and rollup window crowd who will wait for the vehicle to sit well into the next model year and are only willing to buy it at a substantial discount.
Instead, you put a slick 6 speed or better automatic in it and sell it to a broader market, including the leather and power butt massage crowd who buys power everything the day it's intro'd and pays full sticker to boot.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Moneta, VA
I like to wind it out the way I want to wind it, keep it in gear when I want it to stay in, downshift the way I want to down shift, etc, etc and with a Clutch Pedal to boot.
Plus a Manual Trans has always added a lot of "addtional interest" to driving, along with the tradition of the good 'ol days.
No offense to the Auto guys out there, but I find Autos borrrrring...
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,625
Likes: 5,636
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
It's not really the physical make up of a Trans that I interested in but the actual "Control and Operation" I have of the vehicle. I want to shift, when I want to shift. Not when the trans does. Maybe it's my particular style of driving ??
I like to wind it out the way I want to wind it, keep it in gear when I want it to stay in, downshift the way I want to down shift, etc, etc and with a Clutch Pedal to boot.
Plus a Manual Trans has always added a lot of "addtional interest" to driving, along with the tradition of the good 'ol days.
No offense to the Auto guys out there, but I find Autos borrrrring...
I like to wind it out the way I want to wind it, keep it in gear when I want it to stay in, downshift the way I want to down shift, etc, etc and with a Clutch Pedal to boot.
Plus a Manual Trans has always added a lot of "addtional interest" to driving, along with the tradition of the good 'ol days.
No offense to the Auto guys out there, but I find Autos borrrrring...
i made the auto shift comment as a joke.
i like how all the new driving school gradumates come looking for a job saying they can drive a truck. then they get in the truck, and look for the auto shift touch pad.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Moneta, VA
I'm not too up on the new stuff.
The Driving School Grads you mentioned made me think of something I recently read online. A couple of young guys went to steal a car and couldn't get it going because it was a Manual Trans.
...they ended up getting caught.
I would like to see some of those Grads jump in a truck with Twin Sticks !!
Bill
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,625
Likes: 5,636
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
yea buddy.
give them a quad box and see how long it takes to get it out of the yard.
or maybe the 69 autocar prime mover i ran many years ago. 500hp, 5X5X5 trans with 3 sticks, 2 steering axles, 2 drive axles, 2 tag axles, and a top speed of 26 mph.
give them a quad box and see how long it takes to get it out of the yard.
or maybe the 69 autocar prime mover i ran many years ago. 500hp, 5X5X5 trans with 3 sticks, 2 steering axles, 2 drive axles, 2 tag axles, and a top speed of 26 mph.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Mi'kma'ki
yeah id have to agree.not once have i worked a truck and shifted into a higher gear or had an auto up shift and wish i had a way to split that gear cus i thought the next gear was too much.
no.not most of us.
that one doesn't even deserve this response.
no.not most of us.
that one doesn't even deserve this response.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Moneta, VA
Wow, Low-Low-Low must have really been a Creeper Speed.
I heard of some, but never seen a 3-Stick other than maybe in pictures.
Must have been some truck.
Bill
I heard of some, but never seen a 3-Stick other than maybe in pictures.
Must have been some truck.
Bill
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 2
From: Tri-Cities, TN
I don't get the whole part about folks complaining about manual transmissions in traffic. I just got back from an almost 7k road trip to FL, with close to 1700 miles of it in So. FL. traffic. I really never even think about shifting, although with the heavy clutch (SMF) and the diesel's relatively constricted engine speeds, sometimes my left leg reminded me. But my truck is old, and the autos in that generation behind diesels were unreliable without serious mods, so I only considered a ZF5 truck. Just wish it had one more gear for highway cruising.
Even Ram only let's you have the manual with their lowest output diesel. I understood at the time that apart from the low manual take rate, warranty claims (from people with no idea how to haul/tow w/ a manual) were the reason Ford/GM ditched the option.
Even Ram only let's you have the manual with their lowest output diesel. I understood at the time that apart from the low manual take rate, warranty claims (from people with no idea how to haul/tow w/ a manual) were the reason Ford/GM ditched the option.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Moneta, VA
I agree. Even though heavy traffic is not the best part of a Manual, it never was that big of a deal to me. Think of it as some additional exercise, lol.
(How many drive their Auto Trans vehicles to the gym to work out) !!
(How many drive their Auto Trans vehicles to the gym to work out) !!
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,625
Likes: 5,636
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
yes it was. we moved an oil refinery cracking tower 20 miles from the Exxon refinery to the pier where it was loaded onto a barge to go to Baton Rouge.
150 ft tall/long and 250 ton. the trailer was an Italian model that had 10 20 foot units. each unit was rated for 50 ton.
each unit had 8 axles with 4 sets of tires per axle. and each axle could independent steer from the others. each unit had it's own 200 hp power unit.
each unit could also independently raise lower each wheel set on each axle to keep the load level.
it took us 27 hours to make the move because of all the wires that had to be moved, and the 8 hours down time when a trailer load of tires blew out after running over something in the road. i forget the exact number, but it was something like 48 tire blowing out in less than 10 seconds.
this was also back in 86.
that one move bought me a brand new F-250. i paid cash for it and did not have to take any money out of the bank