Joey Box?

and you tell the drivers of today this was how we/you changed gears 'back then' and they'd never believe you...and I thought it was a pain learning 'double clutching' a crash box (army Inter's)

Ironman

I assume you are refering to the 2nd generation 4x4 and the 6x6 Army ACCOs.

Just a slight correction - a bit like 'splitter vs Joey' speak.

The gearbox in those was a 'constant mesh' design, not a genuine 'crash box'. You would just about have to go back to the WW2 Chev & Ford Blitzs to get an Army truck with a 'crash box'.

Both types of transmissions use the same 'gear change process' (double de-clutching and getting the revs right etc - or not using the clutch at all) and missing a gear produced the same result - a lot of grinding noises.

But the internals of the boxes are quite different. All a bit hard to describe in words - but trust me - they are different.

Having said that - one rarely ever hears anyone use the 'constant mesh' term when describing non syncromesh transmissions.

As an aside - I think (from memory) the 1st generation Army 4x4 Inter, which was an AACO (as apposed to an ACCO) had a 5 speed main box that had syncros on the top 4 gears.

But - as always - I will stand correction.

Oldfulla

Gee...I'm going back now to remember. We called the Inter's "F1's", buggered if I know why. But these were the 4x4 & 6x6 you still see around today (very occassionally). Basically the second generation, yep your right oldfulla, the army used them from the 60's through to when we got the 'Mog's' in the early/mid 80's.

I remember getting the revs 'wrong' changing down on a double-clutch...'if you can't find em, grind em'.

Hi Ironman I have a pure crash box in my 34 Bedford and if you dont pick the revs you grind them .

As for coming down through the gears you have to get it slow down enough to get it back into 3rd and even better 2nd is more wild .

I let these so call truckies have go at driving the old girl and put my fingers in the ears as not to hear the grinding I have only found a handfull that can really drive her without grinding. Dave

This is my first post and I just had to comment on joey boxes, I remember them well, in fact I still use one. A bit of background first, in my mis-spent youth I drove blitzes, studes, GMCs and DUKWs (am still a member of the "duck club", an assoc for those who have driven Ducks in service although there is not too many of us left now) plus many others, most if not all of these had crash type boxes. After this, amongst other trucks i owned I also had a C1800 5x3 butterbox Inter with a 6354 perkins in it and an agi on the back. I can assure you that with a full load of concrete in hilly country all of the gears in the main and joey box were used including 1st under in the joey. About 10 years back I retired and built myself a motorhome ( a story in itself) but when re-powering few years ago I decided to fit a joey box for better economy and gearing. It took me some time to find a joey but I finally found one. Most wreckers I spoke to did not know what I was talking about. I fitted a 4 speed allison auto with the 3 speed joey behind and use air to operate the joey. I only use direct and o/d in the joey and it works fine and gives me o/d in all four gear in the allison. I'm really happy with this set up, it's easy to use, gives better road speed and economy. Finally a comment on the army accos, the first series were the P1, P2 and P3 ( The P being for prototype) and followed the the Mk1 Mk2 and the most common Mk3. The early P series were sometimes quite hairy to drive but by the time they brought out the Mk 3 it was truly great truck and beat the pants off most of the yank gear in service in Vietnam. From memory they all had syncro on all gears except first. Cheers Mikeg

I remember like it was yesterday, my army drivers course and being firstly taught to 'double-clutch' then onto the Inter's driving them. From memory although this is probably more to do with the training all I can ever remember doing is double-clutching, nothing was much said about the G/B being synchro, although it probably was.

Even to this day I still double-clutch, damn training!