I’ll drive most of the common types of manual box these days, but that poxy 3/3 thing Scania… 
Not a daft question at all, reminds me of ny first sight of such a thing, patiently explained to me by a Broads Transport driver in Plymouth, it would have been a Y reg (82) F12 with an SR62 16 speed box. Still remember the fascination to this day, I was soon driving a new F12 in Norway with a then new SR70 12 speeder, pure heaven to me at the time. It was probably this that had me end up leave the army to be a long distance lorry driver as we were known at the time! No regrets!
Harry Monk:
Them Fullers where the 3rd and 4th gear positions were the wrong way round caught me out a bit the first time I used one.
Me too in my old marathon. I used to get it going in first, then second, all fine. After that it just wasn’t pretty as I tried going for what I thought was third but in fact was fourth. However, after I scraped away years of grime from the metal plate gear layout diagram I realised what I was doing wrong and actually found it a pretty sweet box to drive.
Juddian:
peterm:
dieseldog6:
Is nobody going to mention the FODEN gearbox with the leaver on the dash, only drove one once, nightmare…!!! but I know alot of old hands swore by em.I’ll mention them. 1st 2nd 3rd in low range, 1st direct, 4th low, 1st high, 2nd direct, 2nd high, 3rd direct, then high, 4th direct then high. Hope I got it right, it’s 50 odd years since I’ve been in one.
As i recall you had two normal choices going up the box, 123L, 1D 1H 2D 2H etc all the way up.
or 1234L, then 2D 2H etc, i think you used one less gear using the second method.
again its been some 40 years since i drove one and what’s left of me memory isn’t improving anyMy first artic an S39 with the range shifter on the top RH side of that slab of cast steel amusingly known as the dashboard, itself bolted directly via a steel steering column to the chassis, a baptism of fire indeed ‘there’s your lorry away you go’
, then an S40 where the range shift was moved to the gearlever, both of these blessed (if that be the right word
S39 had sintered iron clutch plates if i recall correctly, these were like an on/off switch in use which prevented clutch slipping practices, if you were in too high a gear and tried engaging the clutch the vehicle would kangaroo enough to chuck you out the seat.
I’ll say something for those old boxes, once mastered they were swift precise and tough, miles faster shifting than either typically poor Swedish synchro boxes or the junk autos everything now has and don’t mention that bloody awful powershift (olympic standard misname) which is one box i’d rather forget, once you’d cracked those old boxes no gearbox ever phased you again.
My lad had the same benefits of having to drive an eaton twin split not long after passing his test, hated it bout got the hang of it as you do, again anything since is a doddle.The only box since the Fodens requiring serious concetration was a column change MAN 232, 13 speed as i recall, again just guesswork what and where the gears were, but once mastered a brilliant box.
I drove one with a 240 Gardner with the same on/off switch clutch. Smooth take off was a thing of the past until you got used to it.
This will probably be sound like a daft question to all you experienced drivers. Ive never driven or even been in a proper truck, ie an artic, tractor unit or whatever. When it says 12 speed manual or 16 speed manual what are the gear boxes like. In a 12 speed would they be gears 1-6 then press a range changer switch and go up to 7-12, like you would with an 8 speed 4 over 4 range changer on a rigid? And in a 16 speed would it be a 4 over 4 range changer with a splitter effectively giving it 16 gears? Confusion, confusion??
And in a 16 speed would it be a 4 over 4 range changer with a splitter effectively giving it 16 gears?
a 12 speed would they be gears 1-6 then press a range changer switch and go up to 7-12,
A 12 speed a you describe is usually a staight 6 speed box with a ‘SPLITTER’ switch that gives each gear 2 settings whilst in the same slot (high & low)
There are other types - mentioned below 
All types of gearboxes can be found in rigids as well as artics
hi mate,
1st off it aint a daft question!
usually the 12 speed box (volvo / scania) is a 3 over 3 to give 6 then a splitter to give 12. although there sometimes refered to a 14 speed aswell as they have a crawler gear which i’m guessing can be split.
then you get eps in mercs/ iveco’s, but they operate via a small stubby lever that you nudge foward to go up gears and nudge it back to go down gears
your spot on with the 16 speed set up 4 over 4 with a splitter.
stevie
Most 16 speed boxes are like using a car gears 1 to 4th then move switch upwards (small switch on gear stick) 1st now becomes 5th right upto 8th, each gear has a low/high gear,oparated via switch on gearstick making 16
Hope this makes sense (rog is best one to ask)
ive had a 12 speed in a rigid that had 3 settings low, mid and high
so each setting had 4 gears and soo on.though it was weird how it went up
1-4 was normal then it went
5/6 in the same slot, the 7/8, 9/10, 11/12
was an eaton box aswell.
these youngsters have it so easy!! we used to get in it and figure it out for yerself! all test vehicles should have a eaton twin on stretched cables. 
stevieboy308:
hi mate,1st off it aint a daft question!
Hi stevieboy308, Agreed. 
The only daft question is the one that doesn’t get asked.
We have some very experienced folk on TNUK, so all it takes is a good question, because a good answer is close at hand.
stevieboy308:
usually the 12 speed box (volvo / scania) is a 3 over 3 to give 6 then a splitter to give 12. although there sometimes refered to a 14 speed aswell as they have a crawler gear which i’m guessing can be split.
stevie
Below is one example using the collar as the range change - others have 2 switches - 1 for range change & 1 for the splitter.
RANGE CHANGES & SPLITTERS - WITH PICS
macplaxton:
3 over 3 range change with splitter [/b]
The layout:
The range change aluminium collar: -
Shown in low range
slid up to high range
Splitter switch in low
Splitter switch in high
Hope this helps.
[/quote]
all test vehicles should have a eaton twin on stretched cables
Haa !! the days of the Sed Atk Strato - lets stir a bowl of soup and find a gear !!!
On a note of advise to this thread, If the truck your driving as a drivers maunual, then it’s good advise to read it - everything you need to know is in there and then practice, practice, practice - you will get close to perfect. - eventually!!!
The best advise I was ever given on gearboxes, was - Don’t rush them and let them find there way.
In the days now of autos, semi autos and servo shift, it’s very different, but you still need to take time to understand what that specific gearbox will and will not do, to get the best out of it.
Regards
Ant
Ive been driving a 08 Renault premuim 450dci
AND SOME SCOUSER HAS ROBBED THE GEARSTICK AND CLUTCH
Automatic straight 12speed slow as ****
drove my first 16 speed this week it was a man tga with the button for the clutch on the stick i like it when i got use to it at auctions i’ve drove a few eaton twin split its a good box once you’ve forgot what you know about gears and relearn it
K.Adams:
Ive been driving a 08 Renault premuim 450dci
Automatic straight 12speed slow as ****
I thought Renault’s had a great auto-box■■?
ellies dad:
K.Adams:
Ive been driving a 08 Renault premuim 450dci
Automatic straight 12speed slow as ****I thought Renault’s had a great auto-box■■?
Id heard that too? Arent they renaults version of the volvo I-shift which is rated very highly?
had a brand new ‘05’ renault and always used manual option as auto’box was very slow,got an ‘08’ now and never use manual option. can’t fault the auto box.
anyone old enough to remember the fuller roadranger with the back-to -front shift pattern? I found that out the hard way!!
fuller roadranger with the back-to -front shift pattern
Was that the one where low 9 was lower than high 8?
I started with a crash box and learned to match the revs so as to slip the gears in without using the clutch. The Eaton twin split was always the ultiate