Introduction to a couple of 8-speed gearboxes WITH PICS

[sammy770]

Radar19:

sammy770:
I did an assessment for my C licence in a lorry with a four over four gearbox and it did throw me a bit, along with the sheer size of the lorry. The instructer got quite shirty when I cocked the gears up. The first time he asked me to pull up to the kerb I scuffed the tyres slightly and he said “we’ll that’s fifteen quids worth of rubber gone”. Really want to do my C licence but he’s put me off a bit.

Don’t take that. Go find an instructor who doesn’t shout at you. Shouting is not the correct way to teach someone.

Yes I think I will. I did the CPC training with him and he seemed ok but in the cab he turned into a bit of a monster! I wasn’t that bad either or he wouldn’t have let me drive on the road. Shame really as he only charges £990 for class 2. He said I need a 5 day course including the test but suggested I book a couple of days with him ahead of the course to get to grips with the gear box. He wants £175 for each day so that makes it unaffordable for me.

[adam27]

Great post. I passed my Cat C yesterday (3 minors, well happy). I learned and tested in an Iveco Euro Cargo which had a straight forward 6 speed manual gearbox (although it took a bit of getting used to as I was trying to drive it like a car gearbox). I purposely wanted to learn in a manual because I already drive auto buses and coaches and wanted at least some experience. Glad I found this post, as the explanations are excellent. Would love to know what the additional hints and tips are that the original poster left out so as not to confuse things.

[crane-boy]

dieseldave:

The Declaration:
As a person whom has never been in the cab of an LGV I think the thread is excellent very well written and easy to understand with the pics, others may give you different feedback but that is my opinion.

Many thanks for that. I personally welcome all feedback, whether good, bad or indifferent.
I find that it’s an important tool for improving the quality of information.

Wish I had access to this back when I did my class 2, the range gearbox was a nightmare!! Took 4 days to get used to it, by the time I grasped it, it was the morning of my test.

[indigojo]

sammy770:

Radar19:

sammy770:
I did an assessment for my C licence in a lorry with a four over four gearbox and it did throw me a bit, along with the sheer size of the lorry. The instructer got quite shirty when I cocked the gears up. The first time he asked me to pull up to the kerb I scuffed the tyres slightly and he said “we’ll that’s fifteen quids worth of rubber gone”. Really want to do my C licence but he’s put me off a bit.

Don’t take that. Go find an instructor who doesn’t shout at you. Shouting is not the correct way to teach someone.

Yes I think I will. I did the CPC training with him and he seemed ok but in the cab he turned into a bit of a monster! I wasn’t that bad either or he wouldn’t have let me drive on the road. Shame really as he only charges £990 for class 2. He said I need a 5 day course including the test but suggested I book a couple of days with him ahead of the course to get to grips with the gear box. He wants £175 for each day so that makes it unaffordable for me.

Don’t touch them. There are driving schools whose instructors aren’t jerks. The ones that are, are a waste of good money. I passed my class 1 and 2 through Wallace in north London but Dhoot in west London also has quite a good reputation (I did an assessment with them, the instructor gave his name as Peter and was quite friendly) and Peter Smythe if you’re up north.

[yoni]

I can’t see the VOSA video, or some of the other downloads?!

[cully1965]

Found this article so useful. Got my Practical training 27/7 - 31/7/15 (test day) in Wrexham. Many thanks for the advice.

[chief_chops]

Ace. I wish I’d read this last week as I pretty much taught myself how to do it. I did have a great week though and quickly got to grips with the range changer. It’s nothing to worry about for any other new guys.

[tommy7437]

Four over Four gearbox was fun today. Going from 3rd to 5th in opposite direction from car

Good fun

[rob_w]

my “newbie” (passed cat c only today) take on the 4 over 4 is this - with the 12 ton load we had i considered 3rd as “start” so pulling away in 3rd, flicking switch and then going straight into 5th. Then just considered 5-8 as normal gears as in a car. when coming to a stop or going really slow around a bend i just flicked the switch and went into 3rd. steep hills etc…needed 2nd etc…but the lions share of the test route i used that “theory”. hopefully someone new can use that to get there head around it.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[mark_rd]

8wheels:
Would passing your test in an auto truck not give you a restricted licence, the same as if you do it in an automatic car?

After passing my Cat C in earlyJuly the training centre I used L & Training of Fitzwilliam (excellent centre) they had mainly auto trucks I passed my Cat C in an auto. Because you have a manual car licence they pass you as manual not automatic. Then went for a job and driving assessment Cat C with manaul box, just asked what the gears where and away I went no issues mastered in a few minutes. I start with them on Monday 01-08-16. My C & E test is third week August then my career will really start.

[pandydandy]

Next week I’m in a 2003 Scania 380, it’s an artic converted into a rigid and nothing works.
Anyway, it has a 3 over 3 with a switch, but on the gear knob shaft there’s a ring that pulls up and enables 7, 8 and 9?

I haven’t used it yet, I’ve only ever used a slap over, I assume what I’ve been told is correct?

[biker10]

becasue im thick can i just confirm if im in say 7th gear and someone decides to do a star jump in front of me of the pavement or the lights changed and im late on the brakes and come to a stop or almost stop can i go from 7th flick the switch and go into 2nd then 4th then flick and back up to 5th?

[rog]

biker10:
becasue im thick can i just confirm if im in say 7th gear and someone decides to do a star jump in front of me of the pavement or the lights changed and im late on the brakes and come to a stop or almost stop can i go from 7th flick the switch and go into 2nd then 4th then flick and back up to 5th?

That is exactly what to do

If in top gear and coming to a complete stop then there is no need to go down through the gears in normal road conditions - simplt sop in top gear then select the gear you need to go

Same applies if in top gear and needing say 4 gears lower for negotiating a hazard

Brakes for slow and gears for go

[biker10]

ROG:

biker10:
becasue im thick can i just confirm if im in say 7th gear and someone decides to do a star jump in front of me of the pavement or the lights changed and im late on the brakes and come to a stop or almost stop can i go from 7th flick the switch and go into 2nd then 4th then flick and back up to 5th?

That is exactly what to do

If in top gear and coming to a complete stop then there is no need to go down through the gears in normal road conditions - simplt sop in top gear then select the gear you need to go

Same applies if in top gear and needing say 4 gears lower for negotiating a hazard

Brakes for slow and gears for go

thanks ROG this has been so helpful! hoping for an auto tomorrow but planning for a gearbox. Either way I have learn at some point but would rather do it in stages. If anything a 4 over 4 I think i could get use to pretty quick. Thanks again for the confirmation

[norb]

Wether all manufacturers use this system I don’t know ,But with DAF you have what is called gate protection,it is to stop you selecting 1st or 2nd at too high a speed and wrecking the box…For example if you are doing above 20kph ,I cant remember the actual speed and you are in 3rd ,there is an air signal that will prevent you from going across the gate for 1st or 2nd,the same is for the range change it won’t change in to low if you are doing excessive speed for low range …Also never drive with your hand resting n the gear lever as you will accelerate syncro wear Due to the ease of using a modern manual manufacturers have ha to install protection systems to protect the gearbox

[dieseldave]

Here’s a couple of fairly common 8-speed gearbox types, with pics and a deliberately non-technical introductory explanation.

This post is designed to remove the fears associated with driving with an 8-speed LGV gearbox for the first time.
With good tuition and some practice, you’ll find that it will quite quickly become as familiar as any other gearbox that you already know.
GOOD LUCK.

First up is: the “slap-over” gearbox:

I’d suggest that it’s best to think of these two lots of four gears as being arranged “side by side.”

Operation.
Neutral is much wider in a left and right sense than a normal gearbox. To save getting all those gears mixed-up, there’s a springy bit about half way across the neutral. To start off, make sure that the gearstick is in the left hand side of the gearbox, then use gears 1 - 4, which will get you to 15-20ish mph. After you’ve used 4th gear, go into neutral, then pull the gearstick to the right, overcoming the springy bit, whilst staying in neutral. Then you’ll hear a “clunk,” then you push the gearstick forwards into 5th and carry on as you’d expect.

When changing down through the gears, come down as far as 5th, then come back into neutral, then push the gearstick to the left, overcoming the springy bit, then use the left side of the gearbox beginning with 4th to continue slowing down.

…

Next up is the “four over four” gearbox.
(Sorry about the hand, it was very sunny for a change!!)

I’d suggest that it’s best to think of these two lots of four gears as being arranged “four over four.” (See pics below for meaning.)

Operation.
To start off, make sure that the switch on the front of the gearstick is down:

Use gears 1 - 4, all with the switch “down,” which takes you to 15-20ish mph.

Then, whilst in 4th gear move the switch to the up position like this:

Next, move the gearstick into neutral, you’ll then hear a “clunk,” which means that 1st gear has now become 5th gear, so carry on up to 8th as you’d expect. The “clunk” means that you’re now in the “top half” of the gearbox. Now you can see why the gear numbers on the top of the gearstick are not arranged like the “slap-over” gearbox.

When changing down through the gears, come down as far as 5th, then whilst in 5th, move the switch to the down position, then move the gearstick into neutral (wait a moment for the “clunk”) and you’ll find that you’ve “switched” into the “bottom half” of the gearbox. (8th has now become 4th etc.)

In practice, with this type of gearbox, you might be in 7th and need to stop the vehicle. That’s fine, just stop and apply the handbrake. Then move the gearstick switch to the down position before going into neutral, then you’ll be in the right “range” to start off again. Experienced drivers sometimes forget to do this- myself included Last tip: don’t change the range and go for a gear too fast, because you might miss the gear altogether due to some range changers being slower than others.

There are other hints and tips with this type of gearbox, but I’m leaving these to your instructor to avoid any possible confusion.
They’d be difficult and lengthy to write anyway.

I hope this is helpful and calms any initial fears you might have.

[rog]

Welcome to TRUCKNETUK

GENERAL DRIVING TIPS BEFORE STARTING LGV C TRAINING (Link)

If you click the link in my signature or these truck pics

it will lead you to an index where you can access a lot more info which may be of use to you

BEFORE you book your training, READ THIS… - I suggest the trainee-to-be visits the training school, meets the head person(s) and has a quick look at the truck BEFORE parting with any money.

Using the site Search facility and putting the words TRAINING AND WHERE you wish to train may turn up some recommendations.

THE DRIVER SHORTAGE IS AN ADVERTISING MYTH - Generally more drivers than jobs in the UK
Newbies - Jobs, Agencies & EXPERIENCE & Is this country short of drivers ?

FAQ forum for info on Posting Pics, Driver CPC, Getting 1st LGV Licence and much more…

[dieseldave]

ROG:
great post Dave.
I have included a link in the “Pre training tips you may find useful” post.

Thanks for that ROG.

It might be helpful if some of the guys reading it would make a comment as a feedback. Things like: was it helpful? was it understandable? too technical? not enough/too many pics. Then the next explanation of something could be written in a way that people find easier.

[rog]

dieseldave:
It might be helpful if some of the guys reading it would make a comment as a feedback. Things like: was it helpful? was it understandable? too technical? not enough/too many pics. Then the next explanation of something could be written in a way that people find easier.

Feedback on the above will help me to compile better posts in the future as well

[the_declaration]

As a person whom has never been in the cab of an LGV I think the thread is excellent very well written and easy to understand with the pics, others may give you different feedback but that is my opinion.