13 speed shift pattern confusion, how did I miss this?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by georemo, Apr 16, 2021.

  1. georemo

    georemo Light Load Member

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    I picked up a truck with a 13 speed, no shift pattern in the truck or on the shifter, the door sticker says it's an RTLO-16913a which has a pattern like this '-|-| , I've alway driven it that way and never realized that there was another gear right under reverse like this |-|-| which is a characteristic of RTO-6613 , so what's going on here? this truck is 15 model and before I bought it it was part of a 300+ fleet that dumps trucks before 500k so I don't think the transmission was swapped.
     
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  3. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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  4. rbrtwbstr

    rbrtwbstr Road Train Member

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    That's low, or granny gear. For pulling out on hills with heavy loads.

    I've heard it called a cheater gear also. According to some, you can use that gear in high range also. Others will say absolutely do not use it in high range. I've never tried it myself, others have told me it's handy at times.
    I always figured that if Eaton Fuller doesn't recommend it, it probably isn't a good idea. Hence the reason on the shift pattern sticker it only shows that gear as LO.
     
  5. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    That be the "mystery gear". It eliminates going to the low side, and I used it all the time. The reason they don't recommend using it, it eliminates reverse gear clash, but it's a gear like any other.. I used it all the time.
     
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  6. georemo

    georemo Light Load Member

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    That makes sense now, I've actually used it in both high and low range just to see what geat it was I shifted into it from 4th gear as soon as I switched to high range, and it felt just like you would shift from 5th to 6th in a 10 speed, and it shifted as normal so I assume it's just a crawler between 4th and 5th in high range and a super slow crawler before 1st gear in low range
     
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  7. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    I've only done it once by accident. Not sure how true it is but I've heard the gear is weak??
     
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  8. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Nah, a gear is a gear. Actually, using 1st low range, makes up the "13". Ridgelines post is confusing, and if L wasn't used, it would be a 12 speed.
     
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  9. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    yeah we called it a "secret" gear, and it is a fully certified, bonafied gear. By the time you're in 5th, you don't need a lower gear, kinda' like a half gear. Now, back to trying to figure out what these un-marked toggle switches are ! Right ?
     
  10. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Don't forget, 3 in reverse too, if you dare,,,:eek: at least the old ones, you could split reverse.
     
  11. skallagrime

    skallagrime Road Train Member

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    Dear lord, ive used high range reverse and the truck liked it better than the driver did, 3rd gear reverse seems like it wouldnt go slower than 35 mph, cause high reverse by the time the clutch was out of the way was easily 20 mph no throttle
     
    Vampire, 201 and Roberts450 Thank this.
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