Hey, most guys know you can use the "Phantom" gear (Low gear High range) as a place to go instead of having to range shift down every time you get a bit slowed down. Bobtail you can usually be lazy and start out in "Phantom" and shift up from there. I discovered (rediscovered?) a neat trick the other day. The "distance" between low and second is actually one and a half the distance between all the other gears. I usually start out loaded in second and hit every gear but in starting a bit downhill or unloaded I was starting in third and skip shifting into fifth, then 7,8,9. Problem is the distance between two gears is a lot - but it turns out the "Phantom" gear is really about gear four and a half, so you can shift much smoother by starting in third, then "Phantom" (4.5), then 6,7,8,9 8) .

 

I have never heard of this "phantom" gear. What are you talking about?

 

In a 9 speed you have Lo, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, then you go to high but don't normally go back to lo but that is what he is doing so now you have 6, 7, 8, and 9 but by going back to lo you have a extra gear.

 

It gets a bit confusing as some 9 speeds are labeled as 1-5 in low range and 6-9 in high range, and some as L-4 in low range and 5-8 in high range (also sometimes called an 8 speed but they have the extra granny "L"). In any case you are "supposed" to only use the 4 higher "holes" in high range, the L or 1 hole is normally skipped over in high range (and only used for heavy loads or slow manuvering in low range) and that hole in high range is the "phantom" gear 8) .

 

Eaton used to sell the "R" ration 9 speed which was 1-2-3-4/range shift/5-6-7-8 and 9th gear O/D which wasn't repeated.

The famous Greyhound Scenicruisers used to have a "phantom" gear. The initially used a 3 speed + 2 speed transmission with two detroit diesel 4-71NA engines tied together with a fluid coupling. In 3 high, the speed was governed but if the driver brought the shift lever just out of gear, between 3 high and neutral, the speed governor could be bypassed. Eventually Greyhound replaced the double 4-71NA engines / 3 + 2 transmissions (they turned out to be rather unreliable) with a single 8V-71NA engine and 4 speed spicer transmission.

 

You guy's are gonna be sooo excited, when you learn how to shift... HOW to really pull... some weight.... :shock: .... :lol:

 

Thank the deity(ies) of you choice I've only been driving two years and have never had to deal with the weird transmissions they used to run in the good (bad?) old days :shock: . I worship power steering, air operated range shifts, air conditioning, air suspensions, and electronic engine controls 8) .

 

I've driven a 500hp with a 13 speed - yah splitting gears is a blast :lol: . That motor was hurtin' though, it really needed the 13 to keep it making torque. I'd love to have an 18 (or one of the no longer made 20's 8) ) to play with but in reality modern engines have a broad enough HP curve to only need a 9 or 10 for 80k gross. Now, I'd love to run 150k down the road through some mountains sometime for fun :shock: .