What's with all the gears ?

No problem with that.

Most of the time I ran 13 and 18 speeds I shifted them just like a 9 speed. Most of the time I ran a 15 speed I shifted it like a 10 (with the odd shift pattern). I'd bet most drivers are the same way.

 

In a perfect world everyone would learn to drive an 18 speed tranny. Then everything else is easily adapted too. 15 speed is a deep reduction trans common on dump trucks, very useful for crawling out of soft or steep terrain.

 

Just for general info, the color of the splitter tells you the trans you have. Grey is an 18, red is a 13, blue is a 15. I have never driven a 10 , 9 or super 10 so don't know nothin bout those trans.

 

As I have only driven trucks with 8, 9 and 10 speeds, I did not know this. Thanks

 

8LLs also use blue. I seem to remember the stupor ten having a grey button on the side, but it was more oval-shaped, rather than like the splitters you find on an 8LL/15/13/18 speed.

 

Witching hour you are quite correct about the "stupid 10" the shift knob has same shape but is missing the high low range lever. On the side is the grey splitter switch. If any one is interested the shifting is as follows. Start with split back and in left lower hole this is first at shift rpm pre select let off throttle and back on just like normal splitter you are now in 2nd. For third pre select back then move in to top hole as normal then split in same hole for fourth. Pre select back and straight down hole is 5 and split again is 6. The magic happens when you pre select back and cross in to neutral on the way to far right top hole. As the shifter crosses over to the right rail the high low range sycro assy automatically range shifts into high this will give you gears 7,8,9,and 10. When the shifter crosses from your right rail to the center the syncro range shifts into low range. Its very different at first but soon becomes familiar.

 

Lol Australia is a perfect world then

There are 3 licence stages - auto --> syncro --> open

Auto - automatic gearbox

Syncro - syndromes (I.e European & Japanese manual box)

Open - Crashbox

 

The overdrive components of the 18 speed transmission are not as heavy as the direct counterparts. Therefore, mashing it in OD in high torque situations (uphill) is very hard on the equipment. If you are going to drive it like a 9 speed, do it in direct.

 

Well, I never use all the gears in my 18, all the time, every time. I base shifts and splits on the load, terrain, etc. I rarely split the bottom, but it can come in handy on a hillside start. Lighter loads, I basically drive it like a 9. On heavier stuff, I will usually split the top end, again depending on terrain and such. I don't think I have ever in my life started at the bottom and hit every single gear on my way up. But the nice thing is, I have all the gears and can use the ones I need when I need them. I can cover a variety of scenarios and have the right gears for the job.