Back in err, the 1990s, Johnnie Foreigner couldn’t get his coach up a little hill in ■■■■■■■■ By the nodding donkey effect and occasional flashes of reversing lights, it was clear what his problem was. So any of you familiar with coach gearboxes and gear locations ? Perhaps we can have a bit of a discussion of Crawler (and Reverse) in lorries & coaches, where they’re found and where people prefer to have them ! Also, what interesting hoops one has to jump through to access these gears - lift up, push down, collars on the lever to manipulate or anything really bizarre. I’m up for a bit of learning
In the ERF “B” Series I drove It was fitted with a 9 speed Fuller box
The crawler was positioned opposite to reverse
So to engage crawler you pushed the gear-lever right over to the left and then towards the rear of the cab
gazsa401:
In the ERF “B” Series I drove It was fitted with a 9 speed Fuller box
The crawler was positioned opposite to reverse
So to engage crawler you pushed the gear-lever right over to the left and then towards the rear of the cab
Or on a Sed-Ak over to the right and forward! Foden 'boxes didn’t have a crawler.
pmailkeey:
No pushing down or lifting up to stop you getting it accidentally ?
That is where I’d expect to find it but harder to get accidentally. It would mean a natural progression to 1st.
That’s because the crawler gear in a 9-speed or 13-speed Fuller 'box WAS 1st gear, even though it was really a crawler; so you normally started in 2nd. Other 'boxes had ‘C’ marked on the shift pattern for ‘crawler’. IIRC, spring-loaded push-down / lift-up arrangements came later on with some of the synchromesh 'boxes and to be honest I can only remember that being a feature of reverse gear. Robert
I suppose it’s a bit silly to mention it, but no-one has as yet spoken about the risk of thumb or knuckle damage when linkages were either worn or poorly set up. I’m thinking particularly about getting the Guy Big J’s AEC/Thorneycroft 'box into reverse. Superb gearbox, cr*p linkage!
gazsa401:
In the ERF “B” Series I drove It was fitted with a 9 speed Fuller box
The crawler was positioned opposite to reverse
So to engage crawler you pushed the gear-lever right over to the left and then towards the rear of the cab
Or on a Sed-Ak over to the right and forward! Foden 'boxes didn’t have a crawler.
Pete.
Wrong there Pete , but maybe you’re too young to remember the Foden 4 speed box with crawler and crawler reverse . Could only be engaged at a standstill but would climb a house side if asked .Dave
gazsa401:
In the ERF “B” Series I drove It was fitted with a 9 speed Fuller box
The crawler was positioned opposite to reverse
So to engage crawler you pushed the gear-lever right over to the left and then towards the rear of the cab
Or on a Sed-Ak over to the right and forward! Foden 'boxes didn’t have a crawler.
Pete.
Wrong there Pete , but maybe you’re too young to remember the Foden 4 speed box with crawler and crawler reverse . Could only be engaged at a standstill but would climb a house side if asked .Dave
Yes Dave, far too young! It was called ‘super low’ in my time.
gazsa401:
In the ERF “B” Series I drove It was fitted with a 9 speed Fuller box
The crawler was positioned opposite to reverse
So to engage crawler you pushed the gear-lever right over to the left and then towards the rear of the cab
Or on a Sed-Ak over to the right and forward! Foden 'boxes didn’t have a crawler.
Pete.
Wrong there Pete , but maybe you’re too young to remember the Foden 4 speed box with crawler and crawler reverse . Could only be engaged at a standstill but would climb a house side if asked .Dave
And still climbing , Nothing could stop the the old Fodens as long as they got good traction, And thats me speaking from me good old days having owned and drove them, Regards Larry.
Punchy Dan:
But who could make a nice change and come out of crawler and quietly in to the next gear and pull away though ?
Had to do it regularly when I was coming back to the quarry loaded and some twonk wanted to cross the road in Ashbourne market place and pressed the sodding button! An easy change with a Fuller, especially with a Sed ak as the low and 1st gears were closest to the driver, just avoid hitting reverse on the way through though. Had to be carefull moving off as the 201 Gardner would sometimes run backwards if I didn’t get enough rpm on when pulling away and the cab then filled with smoke from the air filter. It amused the ‘natives’ at least, there’s not a lot of excitment in ‘zoo town’ normally!
