Plays_with_Toys

I have been letting my clutch all the way out more in more reverse/incline positions. I always was afraid of it stalling in these places, but I have been being proven wrong.

Glenn

That has more to do with commercial rigs than personal use vehicles. An 18 wheeler has to use engine compression when going down long hills to keep the speed down. If the driver used just the brakes and got going too fast, there would be little or no chance of getting the truck back into gear if the brakes failed. Most of these trucks do not use synchronized transmissions, so getting back into gear at high speed can be difficult or impossible to do. It is considered bad driving practice to coast in neutral while driving a big truck because it increases the chances of a rig getting away from the driver during long downhills. It's a serious enough of a safety issue that it has been legislated.

amusement

Jake brakes assist in slowing tractor trailers. Without jake brakes or the much older magnetic reduction (peterbuilt)
slowing would be much much tougher

There are a variety of transmission from Eaton Fuller designed for trucks that are synchro.

Victor

Downshifting is bad. Imagine that the rear driveshaft is turning at a high rate of speed and then you shift down and let out the clutch. The only thing that is slowing that driveshaft down is the clutch working as a brake. Brakes wear out too right? I have a buddy who is a habitual downshifter in his 5.0 Mustang. Loves to hear the motor (full exhaust, very nice engine). I help him with his clutch about every 18 months. He's tried Centerforce, OE, and just about every other HD clutch and can't figure out whats wrong.

That said, its good to downshift on short exits from the highway if you are going way to fast to safely maneuver onto the access road and in bad weather. Better to replace a clutch than to have your rear end come around.

mike_d

this is true ONLY if you do it right. most people i know, just select the next lowest gear and let the cluch out to down shift. this has massive wear on the clutch. but if you rev the engine after selecting the next lowest gear so that the engine and tranny input shaft are going the same speed then you'll get no wear and all will be well.

Glenn

True there are Eaton Fuller's with synchro. I forgot that.

A Jake brake won't do you any good if you are coasting. That is why coasting is discouraged.

Jackpot2

Arent you supposed to be in gear with the clutch to the floor when you expect the lights to change. What makes that a safe practice in the rear-ending scenario is the handbrake which you should have engaged.


Wish I had one o' them, the Fuller box I have is a crashbox and makes short stop town driving a real pain

Me, in the car, I go down thru the gears all the time, nice and easy not harsh, when slowing right down I try and keep it in 2nd though coz 1st can be hard to engage in these Toys unless you stop the truck completely

amusement

I have driven POS trans from road ranger that would make you scream (of course you couldn't here yourself over the gears).
International harvester was probably the worst. Seemed they were into 60-80 pound clutches

Some old Ford PU warn transmissions with mechanical linkage took 20-25 pounds to engage.

I am thankful for hydraulic slaves and well engineered forks and clutch assemblies.

Plays_with_Toys

I would think handbrake on at a light is a bad thing. You get rear ended and your back tires would be locked up and would skid, as opposed to giving you good control over the tires.

Also, you shouldn't down shift into first unless you are stopped. Its bad for the synchros (I believe synchros, or maybe another part of the tranny, but I know its bad).