Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

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Paulski
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Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#1 Post by Paulski » 25 Sep 2022 20:30

Hello everyone,

Earlier this year I started a new ETS2 save file with classic trucks from the 70's and I'm working my way up through trucks from the 80's, 90's etc.

Because I want to make my experience as realistic as possible (as far as the game allows of course), I disablee gearbox synchronization in the def file so I have to double clutch. But today I found at that bwck then Scania and Volvo already had synchronized gearboxes. So now I try to figure out wich trucks had or hadn't synchronized gearboxes.

Of course trucks with Eaton Fuller gearboxes didn't, but what about ZF gearboxes from that time? When I look at video's of trucks from that time, equipped with ZF gearboxes, I see some drivers double clutchinhg, and others not. Did it depend on the model of the gearbox? Or did some drivers double clutch, even though it wasn't necessary?
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The_SimTrucker
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#2 Post by The_SimTrucker » 26 Sep 2022 19:37

That is actually a good question. In the manual for the DAF 2800/3300/3600 they explicitly state that the ZF S6-90, 16S-130 and 16S-160 are synchronized gearboxes and that double clutching is not allowed. And the DAF 2800 is from the early 70s. When were the 1st synchronized gearboxes introduced in the EU?
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rookie_one
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#3 Post by rookie_one » 27 Sep 2022 13:47

They were introduced long ago, I think that the SR series gearbox from Volvo (such as the SR2000) was already synchronised back in the 80s
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Paulski
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#4 Post by Paulski » 28 Sep 2022 21:03

From what I understand the Volvo gearboxes were already synchronized on the F88/F89, wich means we're talking about the late 60's...

It seems that most European trucks in the 70's had synchronized gearboxes, unless they were equipped with Eaton or Allison gearboxes.
Some newbie driver
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#5 Post by Some newbie driver » 28 Sep 2022 22:21

The synchronizing technology for gearboxes is VERY old. Point is reliability. They have more parts and have to be machined more precisely and maintained more carefully to last for the same time than a non-sync gearbox. Specially many decades ago when its manufacturing couldn't be as precise as in modern times.

So, at the beginning, they were less reliable in general terms. In American countries, in general terms, the routes are way longer routes, made at higher speeds (so, more mechanical stress) and usually with big distances between properly equipped workshops to deal with a sync gearbox failure. Reliability was way more important than in Europe. As far as I know, that was one of the major points that made that sync gearboxes were mainstream so many time ago in Europe in opposite as in American countries.

Regards
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rookie_one
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#6 Post by rookie_one » 28 Sep 2022 23:15

@Some newbie driver on that front that more or less true, Synchromesh only wear out when changing gear, so on highway driving, a synchromesh transmission would not wear that much
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Some newbie driver
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Re: Question about gearboxes in older European trucks

#7 Post by Some newbie driver » 29 Sep 2022 00:50

But that's today, not back in time. With the tolerances in machining that could be done in the 60's or 70's (at the price range so a truck gearbox could be affordable), things were a lot different; vibrations were a bigger factor in the wear of those parts (and lubricants weren't as good neither). Also in those times truck had to change gear a lot more than now because they weren't so powerful (gentle hills that now could be done with a push on the throttle, then it was different). So the wear was a concern in those times more than it is now. That I'm pretty sure about it, what I don't have an idea is if there was some other important reasons for those choices on USA manufacturers; but wear was one 100% sure.

And once a trend is set on the manufacturers, it's hard to change it. Your customers expect more of the same that they already know, the company has not to invest in develop a very different product, also possible patents problems/costs in licensing other companies technologies are avoided could and so on and on... All of a sudden one realizes time has passed, is XXI century and some of the main reasons of that choice back in time are gone... but others, even if only minor, remain.

Regards
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