Automatic?! Well, there you go...

PS: I like the pics of the old B-Model you used to own - seen 'em on Hank's Truck Pictures!

Cheers Joe. She's a good ol' bus that deserves more TLC than I could afford at the time. She now lives about half an hour away but haven't seen her yet.

Th@ twin stikin a quad box video is like granny would swap them cogs
when he duz the duble shift tiz a slow change till U can get the power back down to the ground
A tru swin stik man
duz a duble handed quik change of botth levers
the Mack 'B' Model with the quad box is the only set up of levers where it can B dun properley unless u get the gas ax to apply a bit of warm so they can B grabed easily with out clashing

ButEyeDoSt&2BCorrected

Any tru 2 stik men out there?
Anyone

LOL

cya

Had to use them on occasions, 5 speed Spicer with a 4 speed joey, but never had a go at the quad box, the 4 x 4's that were fitted to the 'B' models.

That damned joey box, if you ever tried to round of the pattern while you was shifting, you got a big lock-up straight into direct, only able to shift the big stick then. Once up and over the top of the hill, out with the tyre levers and the big smackin' stick and under you went. If you was lucky, you had the selectors on the joey back to normal in a couple of minutes, then away you go, till next time.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Th@ twin stikin a quad box video is like granny would swap them cogs
when he duz the duble shift tiz a slow change till U can get the power back down to the ground
A tru swin stik man
duz a duble handed quik change of botth levers
the Mack 'B' Model with the quad box is the only set up of levers where it can B dun properley unless u get the gas ax to apply a bit of warm so they can B grabed easily with out clashing

Twin stickin' like a granny is still better than what many could do today, I reckon, Swishy. Besides, I reckon I'd twin stick like a great granny!

Heating up the sticks and bending them the "right" way was often the first thing done to a new B, wasn't it?

...and a true twin sticker can change with both hands (one through the steering wheel) AND speak to the passenger at the same time while making the thing sound like an auto!

...and a true twin sticker can change with both hands (one through the steering wheel) AND speak to the passenger at the same time while making the thing sound like an auto!

How about this for changing gears with twin sticks with ONE HAND ONLY, that's using BOTH sticks on a split change, whilst rollin a smoke one handed, with the right hand ONLY, and swapping cogs by using the palm and wrist method of the left hand, whilst bouncing along over the OLD concrete section on Ipswich Road at Rocklea and talking to me at the same time. Just shook me head in disgust at how easy he did it, the bloody show-off !
Had to go and retrieve me horse from out at Wivenhoe dam site and Fred Williams was heading out there driving an R 700 V8 from the Hendra depot to the dam, so had to go out there riding shotgun.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

[quote author=huppypuppy link=1215050293/30#44 date=1224585622
You are able to shift the AutoShift RoadRangers manually to skip gears but you must be in Manual mode to do so (anyone out there who knows about these is to correct me if I'm wrong!!)....

Joe[/quote]

Joe, you're sort of right. I manage a fleet of truck and dogs and all but one have Eaton Autoshifts in them. If you are taking off downhill or on a flat empty, the computer will sense the speed and will skip, normally 1 and a half gears. They're great to drive (but I prefer a stick), especially doing local work - Sydney/ Melbourne run will average around 300 gear changes depending on truck and load but locally we average around 1000 shifts a day so it lets you concentrate on the traffic instead. There are a heap of companies running them especially on doubles work and like Swishy said, there seems to be more "steering wheel attendants" now rather than truck drivers and the auto shift box just makes it a bit more of a no brainer.

As far as the extra cost, poor reliability, greater fuel consumption and driver acceptance goes, I'll get on my soap box after a few bourbons at the BBQ before the Sandown show if requested!

Cheers

Bruce

Still remember that video of Rick McCracken two-sticking. Awesome stuff. RIP.

Hey Andy, is that video available ie on youtube? The only ones I can usually find are fuzzybuzzard's (which are great in themselves, but lh drive). Rod.

It should still be on Youtube. Can't remember where I first saw it, Rod. I think it was part of a DVD put out by one of the clubs.

Andy, that classic piece of film of Rick was taken by Andrew MacIntosh at the 1st white Muster, it is as good as you will see anywhere . I sent you the DVD some years ago so you will have it in your collection somewhere. Murray

Gday All,
I have driven all sorts of boxes but a couple of hours with that Volvo I shift setup had me converted. In regard to long term reliability it pays to wait and see, usually takes them a few years to iron out the bugs.
As for keeping the drivers mind on the job, I dont think it makes any difference on the highway. In hilly country it pays to select manual and tell it what you want to do. No auto can see how long the hill is , how steep it is or what the road situation ahead offers.
Just my two bobs worth, Pete

How about this for changing gears with twin sticks with ONE HAND ONLY, that's using BOTH sticks on a split change, whilst rollin a smoke one handed, with the right hand ONLY, and swapping cogs by using the palm and wrist method of the left hand, whilst bouncing along over the OLD concrete section on Ipswich Road at Rocklea and talking to me at the same time. Just shook me head in disgust at how easy he did it, the bloody show-off !
Had to go and retrieve me horse from out at Wivenhoe dam site and Fred Williams was heading out there driving an R 700 V8 from the Hendra depot to the dam, so had to go out there riding shotgun.

I think you've got a real one there, Greenie!

Andy, that classic piece of film of Rick was taken by Andrew MacIntosh at the 1st white Muster, it is as good as you will see anywhere . I sent you the DVD some years ago so you will have it in your collection somewhere. Murray

Thanks Murray, knew I had it somewhere. Just have to work out where now.

Andy i have seen that footage of the late Rick McCracken and it is so magical just to watch him in action.

It is up there with that other classcial flim where talking about KW's in 2005 and middle of the flim up pops this bloke talking about his BEDFORD (1934) and TK's after about 5mins we are back to KW's.

Fully paid for by KenWorth trucks Aust what a hoot. Dave