Manual Transmissions
- Thread starter Epip Oc'Cabot
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Just goes to show.
I "cut my teeth" on a clutch-drive Allis-Chalmers bulldozer, with both a foot clutch and a hand clutch. That means not only a foot and hand clutch going forward but, a foot and hand clutch going backward,,,so that you can foot and hand clutch going forward again...before having to foot and hand clutch to go backwards again,,,just so you can foot and hand clutch forward...again.
Work one of these for a 10 hour day, 6 days a week and you'll seriously think about kissing the rusty, red arse of whomever dreamed up the Cat D6-B.
I "cut my teeth" on a clutch-drive Allis-Chalmers bulldozer, with both a foot clutch and a hand clutch. That means not only a foot and hand clutch going forward but, a foot and hand clutch going backward,,,so that you can foot and hand clutch going forward again...before having to foot and hand clutch to go backwards again,,,just so you can foot and hand clutch forward...again.
Work one of these for a 10 hour day, 6 days a week and you'll seriously think about kissing the rusty, red arse of whomever dreamed up the Cat D6-B.
Yep, a little sad. My daily driver from 1979 to 2003 was a straight stick. (last one was a Firebird Formula M6). Thankfully still have my MGB/4-speed! My daughter learned to drive one one of my old cars and still drives a manual. She drove 100 miles to find her the right VW Jetta with a five-speed, and because of the transmission, she got a pretty nice deal. Love th series of VW commercials from last year where highlighted the manual.
Up to this day, the U.S Automotive industry makes some of the very best of Automatic transmission in the world and alike they make one of the most dependable and bulled proof transmission for heavy trucks, the renowned Eaton &Fuller,
I couldn't imaging hauling a fifth wheel trailer with a manual trans truck. In fact, I love the fact that my truck has a hill assist to hold the break until sufficient power is applied when taking off on an incline. That and exhaust breaking are technologies that easily outweigh nostalgia and "feel" in my book.
My beater Chevy farm truck has 3 on the tree, and I pull all sorts of trailers with it. My last couple of everyday driver trucks, were automatic. I always ask the dealer for a manual transmission. They always come with that option, which usually less. But, they always tell me that they won't order me one, because if I refuse it, they'd be stuck with a truck that they couldn't sell.
The pulling isn't the issue. It's the fact that my wife likes to pick camping spots that are "secluded". Secluded meaning completely surrounded by trees with too narrow of an entry way. That coupled with the fact that most state parks in Illinois are old and the access roads for the sites aren't laid out for big rig maneuvering into the site. In fact, I wan't to meet the guy who placed the site marker poles (obstacle course) at each location entrance. Focker never backed a camper into the spots, that's for sure. Might be "lazy", but the last thing I want when beginning a leisurely week of camping (loose term since the camper is hardly roughing it) is more of a challenge from my truck than necessary.
I can totally understand that. I don't drive the farm truck on the interstate. And, my first time backing a boat into the water was embarrassing... ha ha.
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You'll always see that guy at the boat ramp. His family watching.. you just want to help, but you don't know how. Haha
Boats just have a swirly wheelbase, and they're so light. I have the most problems backing up an empty trailer than a fully loaded trailer.
Funny story... I was with a friend, borrowing a really long flatbed trailer. And, when we returned it empty, the guy asked us to back it into this little nook in the woods. I tried five times, and then my friend tried a few times, and the owner came out all poking fun at us and laughing. He tried, and then just got mad and jackknifed the trailer backwards, pushing it into the brush sideways. It wasn't my truck, but I had to keep them two from beating each other silly. And, they both just looked at me sideways, when I offered that we could have just unhooked it and put it in place by hand... like I was the idiot, ha ha.
Nice.
I cut a hole in one of the fork lift tines on my bobcat and fitted it with a ball for maneuvering trailers into tight spots on the property. Sure is a lot easier to do when facing the trailer
I cut a hole in one of the fork lift tines on my bobcat and fitted it with a ball for maneuvering trailers into tight spots on the property. Sure is a lot easier to do when facing the trailer
The biggest problems I see with electric is cost and control. Breaks would have to be changed more frequently due to the lack of an engine break. Drivers would have to stand on the breaks to control an 80k lb truck going down steep grades. We all know what happens when you use breaks. It causes friction which causes heat which can cause a fire. I have seen many a load where an inexperienced driver used his breaks till they turned to glass and caught his load on fire.
I learned to drive on a stick. For a sports car, yes I want manual. For a commuting car, no way. Sitting in stop and go rush hour traffic with your foot on the clutch is exhausting. Same with motorcycles. I want a Ducati Diavel with a CVT or dual clutch transmission. When you live in the city, constantly shifting is a pain in the butt plus when you consider that most bikes today are so powerful, you never get out of second before having to stop again. About 10 years ago I switched from my Buell to a mega scooter and never looked back.
When we went to England this last summer, all the cars to rent were manual and It was like another 60lbs a day to rend a manual. Being cheap I went with the manual. Driving on the other side of the rode didn't threw me off, shifting with my right had did.
When we went to England this last summer, all the cars to rent were manual and It was like another 60lbs a day to rend a manual. Being cheap I went with the manual. Driving on the other side of the rode didn't threw me off, shifting with my right had did.
Of course, I can't speak to motorcycles, but I never even think about shifting in cities or on the interstate. After a while it's just an automatic reaction. I don't recall ever being exhausted for shifting.
I would think that riding a bike in the city would get exhausting just holding it up every few minutes.
Surprisingly, even a 500 pound bike is pretty easy to hold up. Plus, my scoot has a feature that locks it in the upright position when at a stand still. When the light turns green, just twist the throttle and you are off.
I needed to purchase a new commuter last year, and if I was going to shell out cash for another car I wanted a late model sedan with all-wheel drive and manual transmission. Those were the two options that were a must. The only company I found in the US that had those in a late model car was Audi.
I specifically and patiently waited and finally purchased a one-owner, low mileage 2014 Audi A4 with a 6-speed manual transmission. The car is very well engineered, drives great, easy to maintain, and "modern conveniences" like hill assist are a great ad-on for the manual (automatically applied the electric brake when starting uphill from a stop).
I specifically and patiently waited and finally purchased a one-owner, low mileage 2014 Audi A4 with a 6-speed manual transmission. The car is very well engineered, drives great, easy to maintain, and "modern conveniences" like hill assist are a great ad-on for the manual (automatically applied the electric brake when starting uphill from a stop).
Tesla Semi trucks won't run away on hills - as often
Regenerative braking on the Tesla Semi is superior to diesel-engine braking
They don't give numbers but if electric breaking is good enough for the freight trains I assume Tesla can make an adequate system for downhill grades.
For about 35 years, I owned and drove only manual transmission cars, unless I was borrowing someone's car or driving them in theirs. I like the level of control which really matters in the mountains, in inclement weather or other difficult driving conditions. Over time, I found myself doing a lot of driving in commutes and around town where a manual was a lot of shifting and not much use or fun. When the technology came to where mileage was a little better with automatic transmissions, and manuals were more difficult to find in the cars I happened to want, I went automatic. However, my wife's car has a manual transmission, so I always enjoy tooling around and having that control again. When you're young, you have a lot of nervous energy, and the manual gives it an outlet. Now I find a certain contentment in letting the machinery do the shifting. I do think an automatic is a desecration in a roadster or any kind of performance car, though I think manufacturers tend not to put manual transmissions in high horsepower cars because the public at large would blow clutches right and left.
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