ROG:
But don’t mention DDC or Lucy will find out
Shhhh. 
More good info to soak in
This site is proving invaluable for gaining knowledge.
8 gears Are these 8 speed gearboxes found in rigid and artic? I would of thought the 8 speed box would only be found mainly in the c+e cat or ‘artic’ due to the heavier loads.
James
jpmatrix:
More good info to soak inThis site is proving invaluable for gaining knowledge.
8 gears
James
They’re found in both rigid and artic, rigids can carry (depending on axles) up to 32 tonnes MAM. The design weight can be higher but thats just confusing the issue.
Most rigids have the same cab as artics, the main difference being a tractor unit is shorter and its got a fifth wheel, the engine and running gear all being common to both variants. simplistically its the same as the difference between a focus hatchback and a focus estate. (i’m gonna get slated for that last statement 
)
jpmatrix:
More good info to soak inThis site is proving invaluable for gaining knowledge.
8 gears
James
For the DSA tests, they, or similar, are required in both C & C+E catagories but not C1.
jpmatrix:
8 gears
Hi jpmatrix, you’ve hit exactly the right priciple, but when you get to the heavier type of artics (generally) you’ll possibly find that there are 16 gears.
(But for exactly the reason you gave. )
The 16 speed gearbox works like either of the two types at the very start of this post, but there’s an extra switch on the gearstick (called a ‘splitter’) which also has a ‘high’ and ‘low’ position. This ‘splitter’ has the effect of doubling the available number of gears in the gearbox, but you can leave the splitter switch where it is, and just use the gearstick to shift as normal. Theoretically, you’re going up/down the gearbox a ‘whole’ gear at a time.
Let’s imagine you’re carrying a fairly heavy load and pulling up a hill. If you changed up to the next gear with an 8-speed gearbox, you’d find that the gap in in the climbing capabilities of each gear to be too big, so you’d lose speed and almost stall. On the other hand, if you keep to the gear you’re using, the engine is revving uneconomically. That’s the time to use the ‘splitter.’ 
To use the splitter, you usually pre-select the split using the splitter switch, but nothing will happen until you next operate the clutch. After you’ve got used to doing this, it’s no different to any other gearchange.
Another way to think of this is to imagine that you only need to use the gearstick for every other gearchange, because you’re going up/down the gearbox 'half 'a gear at a time.
after reading this topic from the start dated thursday 09 aug 2007 don’t you think it’s about time [/b]ALL vehicles were made automatic (i.e. bike,cars,hgv etc). my way of thinking is that if everthing is auto people will have one less thing to think about when driving plus being able to keep two hands on the steering wheel more of the time and only having one pedal(brake) to press in the event of avoiding an accident would be an advantage to drivers. learning to drive in an auto box would also eliminate the pointless gear change exercise. i have driven most of the boxes you describe in this topic as well as auto boxes and i much prefer an auto box 10 years ago i had an auto box on a national express coach i used to drive and it was a god send going through London traffic to Victoria coach station i’ve since driven scania and iveco auto boxes and they have improved over the years with better technology plus having all hgv’s auto will reduce wear + tear on the vehicle i.e. no more crunching gears putting it into a low/high gear when you cant find the right one, driving out of the green using more fuel than you need because your in the wrong gear,having an auto would cut all that out and it would help drivers in general by just having to put it in d for drive
r-kid:
after reading this topic from the start dated thursday 09 aug 2007 don’t you think it’s about time [/b]ALL vehicles were made automatic (i.e. bike,cars,hgv etc). my way of thinking is that if everthing is auto people will have one less thing to think about when driving plus being able to keep two hands on the steering wheel more of the time and only having one pedal(brake) to press in the event of avoiding an accident would be an advantage to drivers.
Hi r-kid, That’s a very interesting point indeed.
My answer is a cautious ‘yes,’ given today’s overcrowding on our roads.
IMHO, the downside of that is that boredom followed by complacency might / could be the result in some cases.
Of course, there are arguments both for and against auto boxes, but my preference would be to let it depend on the envisaged traffic conditions in which the vehicle will operate. Clearly, the driver of a 7.5t or 18t used on urban distribution work would benefit for exactly the reasons you gave. On the other hand, a long haul artic driver would probably want something relatively easy to fix, since a lot of the workshops abroad don’t have the latest computers and software necessary for the diagnosis of the possible faults that an auto box might have. Horses for courses methinks.
r-kid:
learning to drive in an auto box would also eliminate the pointless gear change exercise.
The gearchange exercise was deleted from the LGV driving test some time ago.
IMHO, that wasn’t a good idea, because newly qualified drivers aren’t likely to be placed in the newer vehicles with auto boxes so early in their careers. I can understand the reasoning for getting rid of that exercise, but I really think they didn’t consider the timing properly as IMHO the auto box hasn’t quite made the market penetration that was expected.
dieseldave:
The gearchange exercise was deleted from the LGV driving test some time ago.
January of this year. I did my test in December 07 and the gearchange exercise was part of the test. I was told (by someone, can’t remember who) that the exercise had been deemed redundant by the DSA as the prevalance of 8 speed boxes meant the candidate would inherently cover sufficient gearchanging tasks during the test
dieseldave:
IMHO, that wasn’t a good idea, because newly qualified drivers aren’t likely to be placed in the newer vehicles with auto boxes so early in their careers.
My first shift on the job (and the subsequent half a dozen shifts) were in a six month old MAN TGA with an auto box: a doddle to drive apart from a noticable lack of quick acceleration when pulling away at junctions/roundabouts
sorry Dave i did’nt know it had been taken off the test just shows how long ago it was when i last took a test 
as for the fixing of problems on autos the more that come into use the better training the fitters are going to get and the computer software can only improve with time
Dr Dubya:
dieseldave:
IMHO, that wasn’t a good idea, because newly qualified drivers aren’t likely to be placed in the newer vehicles with auto boxes so early in their careers.My first shift on the job (and the subsequent half a dozen shifts) were in a six month old MAN TGA with an auto box: a doddle to drive apart from a noticable lack of quick acceleration when pulling away at junctions/roundabouts
Hi Dr Dubya, You were probably the exception then.
I’m glad you got a decent truck for your first shifts (excuse the pun.!!)
That’s why I put “aren’t likely” rather than ‘will not,’ because there are sometimes exceptions to the norm.
r-kid:
sorry Dave i did’nt know it had been taken off the test just shows how long ago it was when i last took a test
Hey, no problem r-kid, that change was fairly recent.
Now I’ll own up that my post could have been a little clearer, by “long haul artic” I meant those that travel to destinations outside of the EU, where I feel that the manual gearbox will reign supreme for some time yet.
gawd helpus
we all ready have women driving artics,next its going to be children (18yr olds)bring back foden 12 speeds and mamouth majors with 2 sticks,also cruise control that was a piece of wood jammed under the dash oh and roping and sheeting +chains and snappers that trapped your fingers,rain running down yer neck ,dockers with thier hands stuffed in pockets saying ■■■ back termora,Now for my fully automatic lorry we train a monkey put him in drivers seat whilst i sit in passenger seat and feed him.as for computers they wont catch on just a passing fad.
seriously the post was ecclen exxlese (duck fat) very very good.
What an excellent thread I am about to rejoin the trucking industry after being a “Happy Trucker” for over 20 years I left it 18 years ago to follow another profession and I have now retired from that job, one of my biggest fears was the “modern” gear boxes this thread has helped to allay those fears THANK YOU all very much.
**:D :smiley: :smiley: Welcome king pin :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:**
king pin:
What an excellent thread I am about to rejoin the trucking industry after being a “Happy Trucker” for over 20 years I left it 18 years ago to follow another profession and I have now retired from that job, one of my biggest fears was the “modern” gear boxes this thread has helped to allay those fears THANK YOU all very much.
Hi king pin, I’m glad you enjoyed my post and that it was useful to you.
BTW,
WELCOME to the forums king pin. .
a very good insight for the wannabe. pictures and short unconfusing explanantions. perfect. i take my theory 2 sept and my practical ‘C’ 29/09 - 3/10 and now having read this thread wont be a complete lgv virgin. lol. (ive been on the road for many year but only in 3.5t)
there is so much good info on this site, and i havnt been out of the new and wannabe section yet.
does anyone have any illustrations on 14/16 speed box’s?
chappy261:
does anyone have any illustrations on 14/16 speed box’s?
Imagine both of the switches on the pics below are on the same gearstick.
The switch on the first pic would be for the RANGE CHANGE
The switch on the second pic would be for the SPLITTER
it can sound a bit complicated but probably can get the idea after a day or 2…or 3…or 4 
found some pics
