Why The 18 Speed Transmission Replaced the Old Style Spicer Transmission

[@fishercat4325]

Learning to drive truck an 18spd sounded intimidating.Now that I've hauled milk (68.000+ lbs load) I'd never want a truck without an 18spd.Absolutely love it.Always can fine tune your gear selection for conditions,and you get way smoother upshifts splitting gears.

[@skybarnum9859]

The ranch I work on just bought an old R model Mack dumptruck with a quadraplex. I've been hauling shit with it for 2 weeks now and I found out I can cuss in 3 languages. Just now getting use to it. I think I'll enjoy driving it but it's a rough learning curve.

[@SmartTrucking]

Man, got a good laugh out of me there! Thanks for that Sky!! Dave

[@GosselinFarmsEdGosselin]

I ran a Mack with a 285 and a quadriplex... The 285 had surprisingly great power!!! The quad was great too... I got it figured out a little faster than you. Took me about an hour, in the coast range in Oregon 😎

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

man I grew up driving with my dad in a aerodyne Mack I learned it 7 years old how to drive twin stick threse younguns don't have any idea what it takes to really Drive a big truck

[@pheleant]

Comment of the year!!

[@chrisleggett685]

I welded a washer to each shift rod that went to my Brownie. When they got jammed I could pry on them from the top with a bar instead of crawling under it and laying in the mud.

[@SmartTrucking]

That was a really smart idea!

[@bradwoods7321]

I'm a young driver in australia and i commonly have the argument with my boss that we need to build a w model to put one of our old detroits in but it needs a spicer of some sort. The common reply is there is a reason the eaton 18 speed is an industry standard in australia, and he is right. But its only after you mentioned them jumping back out of gear and near ripping your arm off, quite a fright for a teenager. This video has made me realise maybe the good old days aren't always quite as good as we relish.

[@rolandashurst5843]

I grew up in colorado in the early days of trucking. All my dad's trucks were 2 stick and cummins. Leaf springs and manual steering. No ac. They truly had a trade and earned every penny. Trucks are so much better and easier now. Sadly much of the trade/driving skill is lost

[@fredmartin3117]

WOW!! I was just kind of surfing utube and ran across this vid. I am now 80 years old and quit trucking in 2001. I live in the Philippines now and so don't bother keeping up with all that goes on back in the states. I started driving in 1950 and grew up with 2 sticks, armstrong steering and 2-60 air conditioning. Have first hand experience with the pros & cons of 2 sticks you mentioned(some best forgotten about). Pulled boxs, flats. lowboys, end dumps, and smoothbore tanks over the years. I ran a Pete with a 350 and 6&4 which was a triple digit truck for many years. I always kept to the west of the miss river where it was useable with all the wide open spaces. Last one was a Freightshaker with a 425 Cat & 15 spd. Kind of cute that some are trying to look 'old school' with the imitation 2nd stick. As I recall, back when the 13 spd was a new development, it was quite an advancement for us and did make it somewhat easier. I kind of have a hard time to accept that there are now automatics running OTR. Sometimes had to do some creative work bending the shift levers in the COE trucks to keep them from tangling in some gears as there was so limited space between the doghouse and seat. Anyway, thanks for bringing back some memories (Both good and bad).

[@davidsteele1667]

I live in Wyoming and you’re one of the few drivers, other than my fellow Wyomingites, who say they like it. Everyone hates 80 because of the pile ups and 400 miles of nothing. Lots of sagebrush, barely any trees. There’s a saying amongst drivers here that there’s a hot woman hiding behind every tree in Wyoming.

[@robertl.fallin7062]

"changin countys" lol.. i once drove a very very slow truck So slow it didnt have a speeO on the dash, it had a calendar!

[@SmartTrucking]

NOW THAT's SLOW!!! Good one! Dave

[@mikespower]

This sure brought back memories. My first truck as an owner operator was a 1966 freightliner Cabover. A triple nickel Cummins engine, and 4X4 spicer transmission. I retired in 1994, being an owner operator in the good old days was a lot different than today.

[@markknowles8159]

This is what I remember before even working the 2 sticks- spray half a can of ether into air cleaner- clime in truck- make sure engine stop Thandle is pushed in to run position- flip on ignition switch on dash board- pull out compression release handle mounted horizontally under dash board- put foot on fuel feed and starter button mounted on floor and crank-as soon as engine fires release compression release handle- as engine begins to warm up make sure auxiliary transmission is in neutral-put main tranny in to gear and release clutch to warm it up also. Once you get going make SQUARE SHIFTS with that auxiliary tranny or you are SCREWED. No air seat, just a spring and shock absorber you had to manually crank for the comfort (ha-ha) you wanted. No power steering-no AC-no cruise control and forever manually adjusting brakes because automatically adjusting slack adjusters had not been invented yet. The TIRES-PATHETIC. AAH the good Oldays - Good riddance!

[@productrearview7037]

The 18 speed manual transmission is the best they will every make, the best of the best.

[@marshalcrouch8589]

I enjoy hearing stories from back in the day

[@shannonDRAGRACEING]

My best friends Dad had a GMC tandem dump truck with a 409 gas pot 2 stick he taught us how to drive it when we were 13 years old unloading gravel off barges under the Petula Bridge. And yes sir. Many a night when the A box would lock up and there’s 2 skinny kids with a pry bar ..... aaa the good old days

[@richardbowles7690]

I learned on 5+4. A logging truck, very under-powered by today's standards. No power steering. The hardest part was learning how to steer truck on windy roads with left arm through steering wheel to both steer and shift the main while right hand shifted the brownie. Almost always this was uphill and downshifting; speeds below 35 mph.

[@kcgibbs]

Good story about the Wyoming permit.

[@SmartTrucking]

Thanks! Dave

[@kingdomfighter23]

I always enjoy your stories Dave. I run with a lot of old school guys like you and enjoy every minute of it. I learned so much and they have the old school consideration which is becoming very rare.

[@jessesager9460]

It’s crazy how far transmissions have evolved, from the twins to present day with automated manuals.

[@12cunow]

I learned of a 5 n 4 -- what a pain - the 13 was way better for everyday - BUT off road - nothing beats two boxes, I could put it in L-L and get out of the truck and walk alongside with a cup of coffee and in that gear - it would climb anything.

[@patriot9455]

They made a "blue button" second transmission. It was the one they gave to new drivers that were unable to shift the second box. I READ THE INSTRUCTION decals. it made all the difference and no one tried to get my truck from me.

[@drkn9t]

Just like I run a super ten truck, nobody else where Im at can drive it.

[@markflierl1624]

I like when you talk about the history of trucking.

[@BlueDually4x4]

And the amount of power a truck makes has really changed even in the last twenty years. The 15 liter Cat in the 2006 KW I drive now makes the same power that the 12 Liter Cummins I had in a 2014 Peterbilt did. You can almost get more power with a warranty now than you could with lots of after market parts and tuning back in the day. Hell today a properly equipped 1 ton truck will haul half of what a semi truck will pull.

[@cpufreak101]

Have you seen that the new F-450 can actually be equipped to tow up to 40K pounds? Crazy the things they can pull

[@waynemeyer710]

When I started driving in 1964 it was in a 55KW cabover with a Jimmy 6 and a 5 speed trans and a R330 2 speed rear all manuel shift.I pulled doubles hauling hay that I loaded with the help of a loader man running a boom loader for hay. I went from that to a 64 Freightliner with a 4x4 still hauling hay in the 7 western states.I then went to pulling vans hauling light freight that seldom weighed more than 10,000 net still with doubles across 9 western states.I later went to pulling a semi starting with 40 ft trailers working up to 53 footers. I pulled vans,flats,tanks and heavyhaul until I retired in 2017 after 53 years.

[@tyrellyork3445]

Ya that port is still open I live in Wyoming can't imagine living anywhere else. Thank you for your videos I'm new to the OTR.

[@mosheobadiyahisrael6032]

Man I remember those days. We had some cool trucks. I’m 48, my family had these bad boys. No power steering. Lol I learned the hard way. Swinging meat. Lol

[@arnenelson4495]

Oh ya, I've used the bar to untangle 'em. A real pain. Loved RTO 13's- easy, pulled 120 ,000 lbs off hiway with good engine no prob. Once had a 10 and a 4 in an older Pete. Plenty of gears!

[@LS98G]

I am a 20 year old Diesel Tech, from Jersey. I work as a Mechanic for one of the biggest Heavy Duty towing company in NJ. There is Mack R Model, not know which year, but is a Twin Stick, that was towed couple of weeks go, still sitting in the yard.

[@twinstickwizard3941]

Learned on a Mack quad box in a 57 B61. We ran that thing till 2005 hauling gravel. It’s parked now and starting a restoration. Best shifting 2 stick ever built.

[@jamesstepp9982]

Yeah-Mack had the two stick wired all right.

[@fredallen7493]

I started on a B73 with a duplex. Man I really miss that old girl. Sold my '06 Pete she had a 13 Road Ranger.

[@banjocantrell838]

Yes you did tell the story so right. All through the two sticks whichy at times in the COE were too close and you bust a knuckle while passing between the two sticks. The greatest advantage of the two sticks was the ease to operate a winch as you were working it on a lowboy dragging equipment onto it. Dave, you have our respect driver. Old school lives on.

[@jasonbabila6006]

The Spicer was great for heavy loads, the last time I drove one was 1989 in a 1967 Pete.

[@davyjones232]

When I was climbing out of a hole or going up a long grade and wanted to upshift, 10 or 13 speed on the low side wear to widely spaced in the ratios, so a 18 was needed to split the low side. But I solved the problem by setting 2450 rpm as my upper limit on the engine. I could rev high and enough time to catch the next gear before the rpm dropped to where you could not shift. This is not for drivers who will misuse this setting.

[@SmartTrucking]

I bet! Dave

[@mattcaser6581]

You're a great story teller. I always enjoy your vids, especially storytime.

[@drrocketman7794]

We used to get the linkage stuck all the time on our Chevy van with the "three on the tree."

[@haroldwilkes6608]

Ditto 40-50s Fords, they were not designed for speed shifts.

[@kobewade8709]

& sometimes truckers back in the day would run a main trans, auxiliary trans & a two speed rear end.

[@jamesstepp9982]

My DD is a 5/3/2;it's only a 2 Ton '54 GMC though. Tons of fun to drive.

[@SmartTrucking]

That's right! Dave

[@kalvinlabuik3366]

Yup my late brother use tell me about that Bill he drove a few two stick trick

[@boomerang379]

It’s still a common thing for heavy haul trucks to have two speed rear ends.

[@robertbradford2734]

I had a 61 International with a 5 speed Fuller speed 2 speed axle 3-speed brownie ... She was a stump puller Thanks for the Memories✌

[@rustedratchetgarage6788]

my dad had an issue with the double shifters on a run up trans-canadian he had to hop out and hold his breath and -30 something degrees and mess with the linkages and bust ice off with the pry bars finally get it to where it would shift again and his buddies hand was so numb he couldn't feel the fan blowing out of the dash so he stuck his fingers down in into the squirrel cage trying to see if it was blowing some of these horror stories are what kept me from going into Trucking I salute you sir and all of your dedication and you're teaching for these younger Generations

[@davyjones232]

I had a rock crusher we hauled with a old binder we sdet up with 5 & 4 with three speed axles. The low low low allowed in the pit power to "Hee & Haw" to bust the crusher free from the dirt pile that was made from the spill over, after a dozer had cleared the sides. Somethime the dozer had to push too. We would leave the auxiliary in #l

[@SmartTrucking]

You're right Davy! That's quite a set up! would you remember roughly the year of the crusher? What a beast! Dave

[@davyjones232]

@@SmartTrucking : It was a Pioneer Primary JAW crusher. The cone crusher I for got what it was. The machine were USES in the 60s and early 70s. Sti;; were lots of gas engines. Our Int'l R-190 was 549/8 speed and out GMC was a V-12 702 cubic inch gasoline. Some the single axles were FORD with Lincoln gas engines, We had a collection of stuff, most from actions at 10cents on the dollars. Our Dozwre was a TD-25 International with a 2 cylinder pony motor for a starter. I had trouble getting paid by the contractors and had to chase thm for my money which was 60 days after the sale. So I put a 5 wheel on a dumbstruck ME-65 chevy 427 gas 5&4 speed and when grain hauling. I ordered a new custom built KW needle nose that was 270 NHTC Cummings, 134 speed with 4.33 rears ans a set back axle that weight 15,000 pounds as it was torsion bars and no leaf springs. Sleeps was a box thru a rear window crawl in. I wanted off road capability and low profile. I was 9'6" height and could load grain in the old horse and buggy 600 pound dump elevators. It was set up for a niche loading and I could work when the others trucks could not services. I ran for Coast Trading out of Portland Ore and lived in Duluth MN. I ran the upper midwest and Canada ....bootlegging Canada grain to sell on the Aberdeen SD market as the canada government had a price fix that screwed the farmers.I used back road to cross over. I carried FLAX papers on wheat loads for boarder patrol stops in Canada. USA did not give a damn what I hauled. The bokerage was in Elfe west of Winnipeg for the bootleg loads. I have lots of old stories. One is Anderson Trucking Service of St Cloud Mn spin off S&K where we made ALCAN gravel road tractrors to haul to Alaska. All under the frame stuff was removed as the gracel would tear them up and the snow banks would knock them off. Fuel tank was a 275 gallon furnce oil tank behind the cab. I used a R-700 mach 8v71/318< boasted by nautical 125 injectors> and a triplex. The 2 cycle engine was a good cold runner as hot fuel was returned to the tanks to heat the fuel so you did not gel. The rack would set to full for start outs when in snow drifts and etc. THose days, todays drivers would never have the smarts or durability to do what was required then. Almost all driver had to be mechanical minded and willing to bust their ass.

[@cdjhyoung]

In the early 70's, just before he retired, my dad was working for the Diamond T dealership in Lansing just a mile from the Reo factory. He got the job of adding a third transmission to an Oshkosh cement mixer a local paving company was trying to couple to a new cement laying rig they had. The idea was to get the speed of the truck down to the the few dozen feet a minute the paver was running. Lots of fabricating on that one.

[@kalvinlabuik3366]

I fall in in love 18spd for the nice range especially in the oilfield or pulling superb's

[@williamcarey8529]

I have learned over the years both when I drove in Europe and here in North America that cutting corners or penny-pinching on tolls, permits or maintenance is going to cost you double, triple, or worse in the long run!!

[@SmartTrucking]

I agree! Dave

[@ronjones3157]

Yah, for sure! 4x4 in a 335 Cummins in a KW long nose mine, but good bringing up driving in early ‘70s. Permits, yes, thru! Right On..keep these coming!

[@mileswingard143]

The last truck I saw with a spicer 5x4 was a 2000 kenworth w9, it was great for anything that wasn’t heavy especially in the hills with a c12 cat

[@milohrnic2023]

I love the "new cool" style two stick transmissions. They just work for me better than the selector switch. To each their own.

[@boomerang379]

Two sticks and toothpicks is a reference to cow haulers that soaked toothpicks in Dr. Bells horse tranquilizer.

[@ruaraidhmcdonald-walker9524]

Great to hear your views on this! Thanks for sharing.

[@protonhead1]

Oh how I miss the "Good Ole Days" of truckin. Great story.

[@SmartTrucking]

Thanks and me too!

[@AndersonCattleCo]

I love the 18 speed, always have a gear that works.

[@DavidSmith-vo3nd]

Hi Dave, I remember those day!! I drove a mixer truck with a 5 & 4 lol!!

[@SmartTrucking]

I remember! Good times! How are you David? Dave

[@Pete-from-Tn]

It's unreal how these new drivers want old school. Let them go back to no air ride, No AC, heater that allowed your feet to freeze.. No way would I go to a Brownie, No way Would I go back to a Skillet Face, No way would I run anymore without AC. Biggest thing NO way would I go back to a coffin Sleeper. It sure was not cool when we were doing it. All I can say, it was happy days. When I got AC, single stick. And even electric wipers. Man those Air wipers were almost 99% sure to fail in bad weather. But we had more issues with Moisture back then also. No air dryers. Wonder then there going to try to pull off the coolest factor. Bias ply tires, and Dayton wheels.

[@davebullock3517]

Pete k, if we went back to some of those old ways, we’d get rid of a bunch of these steering wheel holders and back to people that really want to do the job.

[@markarmstrong3394]

Wow I never heard of air wipers

[@mosheobadiyahisrael6032]

Pete k hahaha right! Man your telling the truth. Lol

[@SmartTrucking]

Yeah, I don't miss any of the things you mentioned. God I think Pete was still running air wipers in the nineties! Dave

[@KutZoru]

@@markarmstrong3394 they work on a pressure from your air system. Quite simple: more rpm's - more speed. If you don't have any air leaks, of course...

[@Referee001uk]

Passed my two lorry tests in a manual truck, class 2 was a 4 over 4 with range change and my class 1 was a 4 over 4 with splinter and range change

[@terryf3434]

The first big truck I drove was a twin stick trans. And what you said about a gear for every occasion is exactly what I used to tell people. When I bought my last truck I ordered a 18 speed. Now the "Truck Drivers" aka known steering wheel holders can't drive anything unless it is an automated trans. I am not saying I want to go back to twin stick trans but today a lot of drivers can't drive any manual transmission. Enjoy you videos keep up the good work!

[@danielginther4879]

I liked my fuller road ranger rto 13 speed with the Cummins 400. Also had a 3406 with a 10 speed and double under drive for hauling rock.

[@Retired88M]

But Dave Remember back in the day we had high rpm/ high torque engines that only had 3 to 400 rpm operating ranges not like the low rpm / high torque engines of today with real long ranges

[@ht76sonny]

That's what I learned how to drive with a 5 and 4 I'd miss gears and cuss up a storm like crazy but the end of the week I was jamming gears like a pro shifting with my arm through the steering wheel haha 😝

[@pheleant]

I can remember when Lee hired me to drive for him. He had a bunch of 59 B Model Mack's that he'd acquired. The old man looked at me and said: Kid, you learn how to drive this, you can drive anything. I didn't appreciate how true that statement was at the time.

[@Peterbilt359]

Best truck I ever had was 72 Pete put big cam 400 in it left the 13 spd on eng and left 4 spd brownie in. Gave me a double over with amazing low gears.

[@SmartTrucking]

Nice setup!! Dave

[@pheleant]

One of the guys I attend church with is a Patrolman here in WY, I'll have to show him that tomorrow.

[@jungle5663]

Awesome stories as always Dave, Cheers from the west coast

[@TwinStix]

Nothing better than shuffling sticks 😎

[@SmartTrucking]

Cathy had me watch a couple of your videos. You're pretty damn good at it!

[@TwinStix]

@@SmartTrucking thanks bro 👊

[@ernestpassaro9663]

Great job I only driven mack duplexs triplexs and quad boxes a few times thankfully don't miss any of those twin stick transmissions they were a major pain in the ass !

[@ferrellparker3176]

I used to have a19 58 kw with a 2oo cummins and a 5speed main box with a 4 speed side box,sure liked the setup.

[@SmartTrucking]

Wow! bet you wish you still had that! Cool old truck!

[@mhub285_entertainment]

Love the videos! Learning little bits of information.

[@brianortiz2200]

Oh cool two sticks 😂 Thanks for sharing video ! Nice history

[@vivadjango]

Thanks for the explanation Dave.

[@SmartTrucking]

My pleasure! Dave

[@CO84trucker]

A friend of mine has a 78 cab cabover Pete. Another truck driver friend of mine was joking how that rig was old enough to have a wigwag low air pressure alarm but new enough to have a single stick gearbox!

[@yhwhswarrior6086]

Nice to see you again.

[@SmartTrucking]

Thank you! Good to be here! Dave

[@mrc1539]

Thought I had died and gone to truckers heaven when I got a 13 speed. “ dip a stick and light the wick “ 😉 !

[@mtevilone]

I hauled potatoes for a guy in Whitehall Montana. He had a hodgepodge of everything, and no two trucks were geared the same. I was introduced to the 5&4 at the job. I kept it simple to start, and played with it to get more comfortable with it. Thankfully no binding occurred. The guy running the harvester was not happy with the other drivers, when it got dark. He made me drive everyone else’s truck. A 10 speed, 2 13’s, a 4&4, mine, and a 6&4. Even the 2 13 speeds had different gearing in the axles. I got pretty decent with the Browning before the job ended.

[@larryfisher5796]

I had an Mack 5x4 it was a pain in the butt

[@mikeservais888]

Good video Dave I learned on a triplex had to learn fast

[@martymc92]

Spicer focused on Mexico and Australia for their transmissions. They got rid of the two sticks and make the 12 , 14 & 16 speed. It only has one stick and a three step selector. Usually you see those transmissions on the road trains in Australia and on fulls (two 40ft trailers) in Mexico.

[@redpilled3569]

I drove an automatic once. There mostly set up for fuel efficiency, screw that I want power to get the job done! Besides automatics are boring anyway!

[@wilfinn8881]

Learned on a 5 and 4 browning hauling wheat out of the fields in southern sask. 1 missed shift and start all over...

[@aidenh2563]

What about the old 14, 16 and 20 speed spicers which had the blue knobs and the 4 position splitters.

[@TheCalgarydoug]

In the late 60s I was hauling steel with an Autocar running a 250 Cummins and 2 four speeds. About every other day the aux box would lock up going from 2 to 3 and I'd have to stop and pull off the side panel and stick a pry bar in the linkage to square it up. It was a pain in the ass but I loved that truck because it had lots of leg room for this lanky six foot three trucker.

[@andrewtiefry5990]

I love the challenge of my 5-4 but not for over the road or for a job love the 18 speed transmissions

[@georgewilliams5991]

you took me back real old school driver

[@ferrellparker3176]

I would love to have one of those cummins red cap 600 with my old box setups.

[@longwhiteline3308]

Just got my very first 18 speed at this new mom and pop company. 2018 Peterbilt 567 governed at 71. THIS THING IS GREAT!🤣 had to grind em a bit till I found em and got everything figured out. First truck I drove solo was a 10 speed. They will have to pry this truck out of my cold dead hands haha

[@my2monkies]

1st, big truck, B model Mack w/ duplex, upgraded to H model Triplex thought I was in TALL cotton (16 yrs. old) Then it was the BIG times G model w/ the 10 sp. RANGER CABLE assist. Anybody remember that nightmare? 4 months of winter and I told Mack, "you swap me 2 sticks or I'm going to Pete" ! I went to Peterbilt, 4X4, 335 Cummins Jake brake equipped. 2 yrs. later the trucking gods smiled when I traded my C/O for a Hood. 1693 CAT w/ FIVE & FOUR, 373 rears, Eagle sleeper/camper. There was NO stopping me. 60s 70s 80s mid 90s, bias ply tires & lock ring wheels to low-profile radials. Blind side backing to qualify! Those were the days my friends, wouldn't trade frozen wedge brakes in a Wyoming winter to associate with today's class of driver. Breaks my heart to see what the hedge-funds have done to my industry.

[@SmartTrucking]

Man , I hear all that!!

[@timb4569]

thanks for bring back the memmories of the twin stick days.

[@vincentknight5358]

I am spoiled by the combination I have now. 18 speed with a 4 speed air shift brownie.

[@Tiger351]

Surprised you didn't mention the 16 speed Spicer trans (a 4 and 4 with an air shifted auxiliary), don't know if they were common in the US but every 4th or 5th new rig in Australia had one of those in the late 70's/early 80's. Lots of K100's and LTL Fords as well as Mack Cruiseliners had them back in the day.

[@kylepett1]

its funny watching this i currently started working for a rearend and transmission rebuilt shop for transport trucks and they have been in business for over 40 years (im a young kid) they said the same stuff you didf that eaton really took over by the late 80s early 90s i really wish there was a litereature out on these transmissions so i can learn the history on them they have a bunch of 9 and 7 series eatons out for exchanges but also have older eatons laying around collecting dust that id like know more about and when they came out

[@JasonVladimir]

Good show!

[@SmartTrucking]

Thanks!

[@theboot801]

My “old school” is a nine or ten speed Eaton Fuller. I like em. I’m used to them. Set up properly l will like an automatic too. “Old school” is often hard work. I would love to drive a 6-4 shifting with one hand. Can it be done?

[@SmartTrucking]

Yes, but it takes some practice. The old 9 and 10 speeds were bullet proof.

[@theboot801]

@@SmartTrucking I very much appreciate your response sir. You give me some validation for my theory on the 6-4 which l doubt l will ever get to test. Keep em coming! Thanks.

[@ajaxvarble]

My fire chief drove tractor trailer for many years after Vietnam. He said he drove a rig with a tripleplex transmission for his first few years. You want to do something hard, shift that thing in New York traffic he said your arms would be so tired after a hour of stop and go. Then making corners was a trick cuz you had to shift and split with one arm hooked thru the wheel making the turn.

[@anthonyforret2117]

What caused the auxiliary transmission linkages to "hang up" was when the "tower"... the linkage with the shift lever under the floorboards...started getting WORN and the driver would "horseshoe" shift the UNDERDRIVE to DIRECT split upshifting. The lever would slide out of the Low-Low/Underdrive gate before completely pulling OUT of under drive and slide over into DIRECT/OVERDRIVE gate, and start to engage Direct, as the driver pulled lever BACK, into DIRECT. Under and Direct were NEXT to each other, as were Low-Low and OVER. So, once you became AWARE of this tendency, you made sure to make clean, SQUARE shifts...OUT- OVER-IN...and, carry a foot-and-a- half long piece of 1/2" re-bar with about a 45° bend near one end, to slide into the TWO clevis' at either end of the linkage rods, and POP the transmission into neutral.

[@spjr4840]

I have one. Took it out of my Peterbilt 362. Wanna put it in a Peterbilt 379exhd. Looking for a shifting housing and shifting tower for it. Spicer 1214-3a 14 speed. Great transmission.

[@ynotjf]

I learned in a 4x4 but I’m glad those days are long gone, give me an modern automatic any day!

[@SPharaoh]

Wyoming still got that similar system of "port of entry" even coming from within the states. The weirdest of all weigh station. You go off of I-90 for a mile and half with stop signs to stop. Big o barn you buy your paper. Otherwise very relaxed.

[@Dr_Reason]

You could mount a sheet metal "slash shield" between the linkages to keep them separated.

[@SmartTrucking]

Interesting! Never saw that done!

[@ncplantdoctor]

I am not a truck driver, although I converted an old chauffeur's license to a Class A for small vehicle commercial driving. I once had a load of paper for recycling and borrowed a twin stick. I can say that under load, shifting was slow and took a lot of attention away from watching the road. One hand on one stick and the other on the second meant hooking the steering wheel with your arm. Took a different type of person to drive them.

[@thetruckersmanifesto3873]

Eaton Fuller got a town in Michigan named after him, you know he done something right

[@1armedguy4]

Good one Dave !

[@SmartTrucking]

Thank you! Dave

[@haroldwilkes6608]

In Florida we made swamp buggys with eight foot balloon tires and two transmissions like that... double low was a real hog. Ran a Columbia two-speed rear end for a while in an old Ford...interesting. Then drove a water tanker with a splitter which I hated, so I didn't use it. Another driver rode with me once and was sort of fascinated, full tank and I used granny to get going, but from then on I shifted by ear, practically didn't need the clutch. I drove my Isuzu Rodeo from Virginia to Idaho, for practical purpose, without a clutch for the 5-speed, yep, by ear and feel. Start in gear, then just feel it. The hydraulic clutch had an auxiliary which had failed. Fun times. Liked those old 13-speeds though.

[@AyrBear1988]

thanks for sharing, have a great weekend

[@SmartTrucking]

You too Aaron! Thanks! Dave

[@bradhile5031]

Good day Brad from down under seem fascinated that no one mentions the spicer 1420 20speed trans me old man had a 1980 white road boss with a 20speed spicer main box and a twin counter sharft 4 speed joey box behind it running a nta420 cummins and sr170 Rockwell diffs on Rockwell 6rod logging in NSW Barrington tops australia my opinion was that the spicer 20speed was a way better box and stronger than the Eaton roadrangers

[@ralphsmithco1]

Can you mix the sticks? That's another expression. If you didn't shift the pattern square on the Brownie (short for Brown Lipe Gear Corp) the selector wore out and would hang up like you described. No trouble to fix in a day cab. Greasy job with a sleeper. It taught you quickly to shift square. I still do. Spicer bought Brown Lipe. Nothing gets 200k moving like an 18spd. If you only run 80K buy a 13.

[@aarongiertz8147]

Great story !!

[@MrStingray186]

LOL been there done that. Got my CDL in 79 in my dads 69 359 with 335 Cummins and a 4x4 no clutch, no a/c, no air ride with roll-up windows. Another big thing if you ever knocked both boxes out of gear at the same time rolling down the road you had a 50/50 change get one of them back in gear without coming to a stop. It really looked cool with big stacks, small shack, looking over the wheel sitting on the floor blowing the coups with the hammer down running multiple paper logs. GEEEEEZ I'm lucky or stupid.

[@blackhat2385]

In Australia we called them a joey box. We have a butter box acco with a 6354 5x4 and monkey on the pole.