Are all american trucks using unsynchronized gearboxes

I remember a driver telling me he had a Volvo once that he had to clutch, now, that makes sense. I owned several farm tractors with Synchro-Range transmissions, you had to clutch those to get them into gear, they were even synchronized into reverse.

 

I drove a Volvo with a synchronized tranny once, but that was a 9 speed, not a 14.

 

Just wondered if you had to use the clutch while shifting that Volvo?

 

Yes, and actually it was an 8 speed with an extra low hole. I believe it said "C" for crawl. You didn't use it to take off.

 

Ok I would guess it was similar to a 9 speed but synchronized, the fourteen speed would have the top range split like a 13, but the split also would work in high range crawl, that gave me one more ratio with a 13 on a really tall geared tractor pulling heavy loads. It's easier to shift a non-synchronized transmission if you float it, than to clutch a synchronized transmission to shift it, but for farm usage it worked better synchronized, you could get it into gear more easily if the clutch was dragging than the unsynchronized ones.

 

Thanks, PackRatTDI, I hope I never have to drive one.