Floating Gears

[hitman72]

What are your guys thought on floating gears (shifting without using the clutch). I have gotten to the point that I can do it with little or no problem. I don't do it often, just every once in a while when I get board driving.

 

What do you guys think the good, bad and, ugly are? 

[yxmj]

I went through 3 months were I could not (because of work) take the time to fix a bad internal slave so i was forced to learn the fine are of shifting with no clutch, and became so proficient at it most passengers did not even notice. 

 

Until i had to shut off the engine at a stop light and do a dead stick starter launch......that sort of gave it away. . :MJ 1: .

 

But to answer your question....i still do it.....if it is not grinding it and is a smooth engage and or dis-engage....what harm can it do? 

[nitroxsteve]

I always understood that its not good for transmissions with synchronizers. Large truck transmissions do not have synchronizers and that is why double clutching to down shift and no clutches for up shift is required. I don't think its the end of the world if done properly but I do belive it will shorten the life of the synchronizers.

[jimoshel]

Done properly, it won't hurt a thing. It's a good thing to know. Never know when you might need it.

[yxmj]

The only thing that I was ever worried about was that start from a dead stop. Basically the MJ has to be tuned to the point that the engine starts right away so that you are up and running quick and not running on the starter for half a block.  . :MJ 1: .

 

As far as the shifting....i can go up or down so smooth you would think it was an auto

[AeroNautical]

I just wish I knew this when my internal blew up in an intersection. Might not have gotten myself home, but could have atleast pulled it aside. 

[Oyaji]

I always understood that its not good for transmissions with synchronizers... I don't think its the end of the world if done properly but I do belive it will shorten the life of the synchronizers.

:agree:.

.

While a perfect shift is no problem, the synchronizers are only supposed to handle braking the inertia of the rotating driveline mass with the clutch disengaged, so less than perfect shifts without unclutching put a load on synchronizers they were never designed to handle. When shifting without the clutch, if you are off in matching engine speed to ground speed, then the synchronizers are trying to make up the difference by fighting both the inertia of the engine and the momentum of the truck to get them matched to be able to engage the gears without grinding.

[cruiser54]

Done properly, it won't hurt a thing. It's a good thing to know. Never know when you might need it.

Yup. It's just fine to do.

[Eagle]

Done properly, it won't hurt a thing. It's a good thing to know. Never know when you might need it.

 

^^^ This.

 

But I wouldn't make a practice of it.

[Oyaji]

I agree that it is a good thing to know - it can get you home when your clutch pedal goes useless... but it ain't a good thing to do all the time for the reason I mentioned above.

.

Here is a good video  that shows  how synchronizers work (serendipitously, it just happens to use a  disassembled AX15 as the example). When you consider the  excess demand on them when making less-than-perfect shifts without the clutch, you can better  understand  wear on the sync rings.

 

         

[onlyinajeep726]

Never knew you could shift without the clutch... Learned something new.  :clapping:

[MancheKid86]

clutch pedal snapped in half while doing 100 mph, yes 100 mph, And yes the pedal,

 

i learnt really quick how to shifT matching engine to ground rpm, had to drive 100 km like that XD

[Eagle]

I had the flex hose between the clutch master and slave burst at a toll booth on the Massachusetts Turnpike when I was on the way to a trail ride in Maine. Had to turn around and drive 100 miles back to home base with no clutch.

 

I'm just glad it didn't happen ON the trail ride.

[onlyinajeep726]

I'm just glad it didn't happen ON the trail ride.

 

I couldn't imagine how sh**y that would be...

[mvusse]

Three years ago I wheeled with a Toyota who lost his clutch. Wheeled half a day without it.

[hitman72]

I agree that it is a good thing to know - it can get you home when your clutch pedal goes useless... but it ain't a good thing to do all the time for the reason I mentioned above.

.

Here is a good video  that shows  how synchronizers work (serendipitously, it just happens to use a  disassembled AX15 as the example). When you consider the  excess demand on them when making less-than-perfect shifts without the clutch, you can better  understand  wear on the sync rings.

 

         

Great video, but it had my head hurt. lol  :hmm:

[carnuck]

I grew up on a farm and synchro driving is just second nature. When the slave blew out on my '86 while on the way to Ouray, CO in 2002, no-one had the part or kit to overhaul it so I synchro drove the rest of the way there and back to Seattle. Adding fluid only for in town (max 5 de-clutches before it was gone) and the mountains while wheeling. Top that with death wobble and you can see we had a fun trip. (a CSK delivery truck hit us while I was finding out about the slave kit. I worked for the company at the time)