Why can't American trucks have synchronized transmissions?

When I use the clutch it throws me off a little, especially on the downshifts. I see driving as an art, and I like to drive smooth and deliberate. From my shift points to the amount of flashes on my directional and fourways when lane changing and my 'thank yous'. I enjoy it very much and gliding gears is kind of part of this art to be perfected. It doesnt seem like a skill so much after you do it second nature for so long and it becomes habit, but some people are bogled by the concept. I cant understand how some "fresh drivers" (To most of you Im the fresh one here haha) cant grasp the concept.

The only thing a clutch is good for once the wheels are rolling is a foot rest when its got a fresh adjustment on it, and to momentarily disable the jakes so I can shift with it on.

 

You dont need to use the clutch in a lot of 4 wheelers syncro or not. Im sure there are exceptions, none that I can name, but my 70 volkswagen bettle, I can glide the gears, all 4 of em haha! I try it out for fun in any manual 4 wheeler I happen to drive.

It is much harder however due to the smaller size and therefore smaller 'shift window' if you will. Since there is a lot more rotating mass and weight being moved around in your truck trans, the inertia of all that weight spinning around takes longer to slow down than in a small trans in something say like my volkswagen. If you dont have the timing just right in smaller cars youll grind the heck out of the gears and youll never drop it in.

Its almost so much of a hassle that I dont bother. My 86 F150 I could do it all day long up and down the range.

 

No Clutch for me, so why would I want a syncro? Only use a clutch (like so many others) to start and stop.

Driving a Truck takes skill, so does shifting......its a package deal.

 

You are absolutely right! You can change a synchro no problem without a clutch! Thing is it's normal enough to have a synchro Here with only 3 gates, the rest are shifted by button so to shift all you do is dip the clutch pedal only a small amount and it very quickly shifts, it's easier than a crash box plus you can select whatever gear you want without going through the range, I drove a crash box once , no real skill involved quiet easy once you get the hang of it but a synhro is better especially when you got new drivers ( you don't get your box spread all over the road ) and nowadays synchro is much stronger, manufacturers here won't give the option of a crash box anymore cos they aren't strong enough to cope with the massive torque engines we have here now

 

the only advantage of synchro are that you can shift 2-4-5-7 skiping gears, and when you roll in N you can easily engage gear.

Using clutch is not a problem becouse all synchro transmisions are with clutch servos and it is really easy to press pedal, easier then in a car.

 

and while you are off road for tricky moves rocking and similar stuff