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Post by hakuna4lif on Mar 15, 2004 9:23:57 GMT -5
Hey all:
Was just reading an article about transmissions and saw the "brownie", dual sticks I believe. Question: In what year did they discontinue the "brownies" (if they are extinct) and has anyone driven one? How hard is it? To me it looks ridiculously difficult.
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Post by truckertom on Mar 16, 2004 22:03:54 GMT -5
Brownie boxes were a separate gear box that split the main box into managable RPM jumps. A diesel (especially an old one) has a very narrow powerband, and lugging a diesel will cause the exhaust heat to get hot enought to burn a hole in the piston or pull a sleave. The Main box had about an 800 to 900 RPM split between main gears, the brownie box reduced it to a 200 to 300 RPM drop....much easier to keep the engine in the proper opperating range.
So a 250 Cummins that was designed to pull between 1750 RPM and 2100, a drop in RPM to 1300 would be lugging the engine, so bringing the brownie box from overdrive to underdirect would reduce it to only 1800. Much more managable.
I drove a Pete in 1982 that had a six speed main box with a 4 speed Aux. (3 progressive and one deep reduction gear). You just don't see them much anymore, half of my students think I am just a crazy old trucker talking B.S.
If you were to put a brand new 5x4 truck with the keys in it, waiting for someone to steal it. Todays trucker might never get it out of second gear. But if you can drive one of those old beasts, you can drive anything. Everything else is easy.
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Post by fozzie on Mar 17, 2004 2:08:07 GMT -5
My instructor had a dump truck with dual sticks. He'd get the thing rolling in reverse and shift it a couple times. That really turned heads, he said.
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Post by truckertom on Mar 17, 2004 7:25:53 GMT -5
I had a guy that was taking me on a road test, after watching him "show me" how to shift a 5x4, I fianally said "Al! Pull over, you're killing me!"
So he did, and I took over.....When I got to the big split, I stuck my hand through the steering wheel and shifted both boxes at the same time.....He called me a smart @ss! But I got the job.
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dhagood
425 Detroit
eschews obfuscation
Posts: 57
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Post by dhagood on Mar 23, 2004 17:21:01 GMT -5
i drove 4x4 and 5x4 transmissions many years ago. it was more complicated, but as truckertom says, if you could shift that setup you can handle anything.
shifting gears while in reverse was fun ;D
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Post by truckertom on Mar 23, 2004 18:54:18 GMT -5
"Caution: Floating backwards fast can cause you to live yesterday twice"
That is what they should put on the dash of a 5x4 truck!
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Post by rocknsand on Apr 7, 2004 21:45:35 GMT -5
We have a bunch of old two stick Mack Concrete mixers, but the one stick is for high, low, and reverse, and the other stick is for the regular 5 gears, so you can shift 3 times in reverse. If you have a ways to go, its the only way to go.
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Post by truckertom on Apr 8, 2004 18:22:29 GMT -5
Oh! I loved those old Mack mixers, they are soooo much better than what replaced them. I liked the old half cabs, in fact I have the chrome bulldog off the mirror mounted on the front of my guitar amplifier speakerbox!
Seems those old two stick Macks didn't get stuck very easy, and those drop in rear ends are TOUGH!!!!
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Post by truckertom on Jun 25, 2004 21:27:44 GMT -5
I love brownies, they are my friend.
If I eat too many, I will be dieting again.
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 25, 2004 21:55:32 GMT -5
I love brownies, they are my friend. If I eat too many, I will be dieting again. Ah yes! the steer with the left knee and reach through the wheel and shift trick! LOL ;D I still dont like em! My Wife scratch bakes brownies with a thick layer of caramel in the middle...I've not had them in some time...but if you were to visit! LOL
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Post by truckertom on Jun 29, 2004 8:51:36 GMT -5
"My Wife scratch bakes brownies with a thick layer of caramel in the middle...I've not had them in some time...but if you were to visit!"
Now I'm hungry! Why does shifting make me hungry?
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 30, 2004 5:01:54 GMT -5
"My Wife scratch bakes brownies with a thick layer of caramel in the middle...I've not had them in some time...but if you were to visit!" Now I'm hungry! Why does shifting make me hungry? MMMMMM...Shifting..um er...Brownies!!! ;D The Chicken and Dumplings are all I'll cheat with anymore. I've not had any sugar for about 3 months now
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Post by Pcuthbert on Sept 7, 2004 11:34:05 GMT -5
Want to try something really interesting? We have oilfiled trucks in Alberta which are equipped with a 13 speed Roadranger and a 4 speed A-Box. Some of them even have 2 speed axles. Can we say Confusion?
The main reason for the A-Box is to provide a "Power Tower" for running the winches. 13 speed in gear, A-Box in neutral and a High Torque PTO off the A-Box.
Pat
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Post by truckertom on Oct 7, 2004 14:41:32 GMT -5
They had some crazy combos down here in the oil patch too, seems you run into the same ratio you just shifted out of.
"Put the main box in, take the aux box out, put the third stick in and you shake it all about. You do the hefty shifty while your shakin' all around. That's what it's all about!"
(Sung to the melody of "The Hokey Pokey".)
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Post by Pcuthbert on Oct 10, 2004 16:58:17 GMT -5
As you dimple the cab with the little button on the top of your ball cap. ( and somehow miraculously end up with all three transmissions in neutral ---Now what do I do ) Pat
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