Strange Object in Cab!

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I did a shift last night for an Agency and when i jumped into the cab i noticed a weird looking object, so i got the TM to have a look at it and apparently this strange looking thing is called a gear stick !! :open_mouth:

it was bad enough that i had to drive an 09 plate Axor but having to manually change the gears as well !! :stuck_out_tongue:

joking aside it was refreshing to actually " drive " the truck and it turned out to be a nice truck to drive and it also felt a bit old school compared to driving auto’s all the time :smiley:

2

I wish someone would give me a manual truck to drive. I despise auto 'boxes, no matter how good they are.

3

Rhythm Thief:
I wish someone would give me a manual truck to drive. I despise auto 'boxes, no matter how good they are.

I dont feel quite as strongly as you, but I did like the manual FH that I was driving upto last August.

Tooz:
joking aside it was refreshing to actually " drive " the truck and it turned out to be a nice truck to drive and it also felt a bit old school compared to driving auto’s all the time :smiley:

Probably had only proper drivers on it, been a bit looked after :wink:

4

You may laugh but I was tipping in a paper mill yesterday and the truck next to me was struggeling to get parked after a while the driver got out came up to my truck and in pigeon English said my truck won’t pull and smells so I got into his cab and it was in low range and had only been using 5 6 7 and 8 fully loaded .when I pointed this out he said he only ever driven auto,s result clutch nackered .aint so cheap now are they

5

chester1:
You may laugh but I was tipping in a paper mill yesterday and the truck next to me was struggeling to get parked after a while the driver got out came up to my truck and in pigeon English said my truck won’t pull and smells so I got into his cab and it was in low range and had only been using 5 6 7 and 8 fully loaded .when I pointed this out he said he only ever driven auto,s result clutch nackered .aint so cheap now are they

That driver (no not chester) should be taken outside and shot for not even having the common sense or even the decency to ask how it worked before he went on his wrecking spree

6

Our place refuse point blank to get autos, which isn’t a bad thing but we do a lot of town/city driving so an auto would be handy.

7

this company only uses autos but they had to get this truck in for a few days as a spare and i was the first one to use it…

and a couple of the full time guys came over looked inside laughed and said, rather you than me mate :confused:

just shows how lazy some drivers can get using autos all the time !!

8

Auto everytime. I have to do less, so the job is a bit easier.

Don’t mind manual on a long run, but if you’re doing town work they’re a pain in the arse.

9

Truckulent:
Auto everytime. I have to do less, so the job is a bit easier.

Don’t mind manual on a long run, but if you’re doing town work they’re a pain in the arse.

… that’s where you’re going wrong - it should be your left arm and left leg that hurt :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

(I’ll get my coat…)

10

We used to have manual’s the trucks are leased for 5 years, in that time they would have an average of 4 clutches per unit often the first one would go with as little as 120,000Km’s on the clock.

2000+Nm’s of torque and a driver unable to grasp the basic understanding of how the vehicle works IE: move off in 1st without pressing the accelerator pedal, now everything is done for us.

Part of the driver C.P.C should have covered mechanical function of the kit we use, a chance wasted.

11

GCR2ERF:

Truckulent:
Auto everytime. I have to do less, so the job is a bit easier.

Don’t mind manual on a long run, but if you’re doing town work they’re a pain in the arse.

… that’s where you’re going wrong - it should be your left arm and left leg that hurt :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

(I’ll get my coat…)

Don’t cos that was very funny! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

12

One of the guys last night had some explaining to do after a mysterious object smashed into his 63 plate Volvo.
apparently while heading up the A42 2 geese where flying towards him, 1 goose managed to via off the other unfortunately took out the top O/S sun visor, busted the windscreen & creased the front roof corner

13

yes its nice to get your hand around something nice and stiff

14

mike68:
We used to have manual’s the trucks are leased for 5 years, in that time they would have an average of 4 clutches per unit often the first one would go with as little as 120,000Km’s on the clock.

2000+Nm’s of torque and a driver unable to grasp the basic understanding of how the vehicle works IE: move off in 1st without pressing the accelerator pedal, now everything is done for us.

Part of the driver C.P.C should have covered mechanical function of the kit we use, a chance wasted.

Autos don’t pull off in 1st either

15

chester1:
it was in low range and had only been using 5 6 7 and 8 fully loaded

Surely it was in high range then :question: :confused:

16

scotstrucker:

chester1:
You may laugh but I was tipping in a paper mill yesterday and the truck next to me was struggeling to get parked after a while the driver got out came up to my truck and in pigeon English said my truck won’t pull and smells so I got into his cab and it was in low range and had only been using 5 6 7 and 8 fully loaded .when I pointed this out he said he only ever driven auto,s result clutch nackered .aint so cheap now are they

That driver (no not chester) should be taken outside and shot for not even having the common sense or even the decency to ask how it worked before he went on his wrecking spree

I used to work for a truck rental firm years ago and drivers would always insist that they knew how to use the gearbox, cost a lot of money paying for their “know it all attitude”. If you don’t know how it works, ask, there is nothing wrong with getting good advice. I had more respect for them than the one’s that broke my lorries.

17

Crying shame that we have whole swathes of people incapable of actually ‘‘driving’’ a lorry without abusing or breaking the bloody thing, can’t even manage a bloody synchro manual box, no wonder the jobs buggered.

Glad someone appreciates just how good an Axor with a manual box is though.

18

Rhythm Thief:
I wish someone would give me a manual truck to drive. I despise auto 'boxes, no matter how good they are.

Agreed

19

All our artics are scania auto our rigids are 4 over 4 took an 18tonner on a run south last night it was horrible. The gearbox has been abused then ■■■■ thing is a 61 plate and it looks like an f reg inside and out for that matter
Im not bothered which i drive. But id of wished id just took an auto last night.
When i got back and spoke to the trans he said we keep it for the agency blokes. Says it all used and abused

20

Juddian:
Crying shame that we have whole swathes of people incapable of actually ‘‘driving’’ a lorry without abusing or breaking the bloody thing, can’t even manage a bloody synchro manual box, no wonder the jobs buggered.

Thing is if your a new driver now, you are likely to only come across a manual gearbox in a truck once in a blue moon. The fact they then struggle with that manual box is more due to lack of practise & experience than being incapable, in my opinion. You aren’t going to have honed a skill you have never needed to develop.