What is up with the questions about gearing?

I don't understand the controversy.

Since the 1960's trucks have been geared to cruise and operate in their engine's power band between 55 and 65 mph.
This......, 65 mph, is like a golden number, where the reasonable trade off between speed, time and economy versus profit loss lies and has been recognized.
It's a reasonable and safe cruising speed for trucks on most highways, and in my opinion for cars to.

A lot of cryers feel restricted and hard done by driving neutered trucks, but it's been a reality since long before many of you were ever born, back in the mechanical days.
Companies and O/O's geared and governed trucks to maximize profits and to prevent their drivers from affecting their bottom line or wrecking or driving the she'et out of their expensive equipment before it pays for itself.
The tach/clock, or tattle tale, was the mechanical version of an ELD that showed road speed, engine speed, shift points and time of day.
(little harder to do with an ELD)

All the driver had to do was change the card every day and hand it in to dispatch.
A lot of tach cards got tossed out the window in those days to avert prosecution by management or a hot load was given priority.

Nothing has changed in 50 years except there's more drivers that can't be trusted and need to be restricted and it's just easier to paint us all with the same brush than to deal with stereotypes and individual personalities in the electronic world.

Unlike Sammy, I can drive 55, no problem, just pay me enough, but I can't and will not drive a neutered truck or be micro managed.

(WARNING)
Old, crippled, retired, seen too much, hates society and may be opinionated, please do not antagonize.

 

All fine and dandy, but every truck I ever owned had a limit of how many times you could shift, even the old ones that had to have two shifters to get them all rounded up. lol

 

different Strokes for different folks..some like it from a business angle some look at it from a different angle..

 

lot of people don't realize back in the day when you had a twin stick brownie.. and a big old 12-cylinder Jimmy..
lot of barely ran over 50 mile per hour..
they had torque they pulled like monsters but you didn't have triple-digit Cocaine Cowboys flying along until way later in the 70s as they went into outlaw mode..
that's why I take you almost a little over a week and a half to get from New York to California..

it just needed some California turnarounds to stay awake and running those slow speeds 4 days on end.. making it down the highway and having a 300-mile day you did pretty good back then..

 

In the 50's and 60's most 2 stick rigs were 4x3 or 4x4 and maybe one od, but then look what you had for engines. The logger I pull for still has and uses a 71 buzzin dozen 2 stick, and even with 5.29 gears it will run out at least in the high 70's with the double od.

I still have a 56 model GMC that has a factory 453 or 471 in it, I have never checked to see what engine it has, but it still does the old jimmy scream. lol

 

Do you want torque? Or top end speed? Or mpg? Or a mix? And what mix?

On flat ground? Or in the mountains? Or a mix? And what mix?

What engine? What transmission? How much money you got?

Now the problem starts to get interesting.

 

i don't get it. I'm still confused,
how are the newer trucks with these tall gears pulling?
Is it bc they are direct drive?
How do you know which one you have?
I heard a 3.55 is a good gearing and anything taller is to tall. But i see so many trucks at 2.47 or whatever.

 

@Cowpie1

 

I liked the ones that invoked KRs name into the discussion. That was my first thought.

 

Back in the mechanical days?? You mean there over....?!!! I wish someone would have told my Big Cam Cummins cause it’s still working, every day........