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NV5600 floating gears

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Anyone else out there float gears? If so have you had any negative effects?

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I tried it a few times in the past and it isn't any easier than using the clutch on my truck. I don't do that anymore because its hard on the synchros and parts for the 5600 aren't as plentiful as they are for the 4500. I was always taught if the transmission has synchros, then use the clutch.

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I do it alot of the time and was just wondering what is better. About the only time I use the clutch anymore is taking off from a stop, downshifting, towing, and when I step on the go pedal a little harder than I should for MPG sake.

Ive floated the gears in my 4500 for going on 120k miles with no negative affect. reason i started floating is it shifts smother than using the clutch(one of the down falls of a double disk clutch). i clutch taking off and on occasion down shifting.

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    I don't know if takes a skill? but I know my 5600 don't like it, so the way I see it. its a lot cheaper to replace clutchs then is to replace/rebuild the trany. and the 5600 is hard to get your hands on up here in the north!

    • 3 weeks later...

    I float mine every now and again just to take me back to the good ole days of driving the oilfield trucks. But if and when you miss one.....:whistle:

    I float mine every now and again just to take me back to the good ole days of driving the oilfield trucks. But if and when you miss one.....:whistle:

    grind me a pound would ya? LOL

    NV4500 is a synchronized transmission - I do my best to drive it how it should be driven.

    My 4500 is also a bear to shift now with this Valair DD so I have tried floating gears. 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 I can float but 3 to 4 doesnt want to go without grinding.

    After doing it long enough on any synchronized tranny you will not have a choice but to drive it that way once the synchros are burned up.Then you will find out how big of a pain it is to drive when that is the only way to do it.I would not reccomend it having seen what can happen in many many synchroed trannies that have been abused in this manner and as stated parts for the 5600 are kind of hard to come by in some areas not to mention a real pain in the arse to rebuild compared to a 4500.We won't have to worry about it after a few more years as the manual tranny is almost already a thing of the past.Getting harder to find any vehicles with one anymore including OTR trucks, used to be standard and now is an option on lots of equipment. The new CAT OTR trucks only come with auto trannies, no manual even offered and the trend is gaining momentum.

    W&F I sure hope your wrong... I'm and manual kind of guy and really don't like the auto's very much...:(

    As a field manager who is conscious of safety requirements... I've noticed one thing. If we haven't hired the schmoe who will break it or screw it up or hurt himself on it, he is in the new hire class right now. Automatics are great for stupid proofing. And in that, I like them for over the road and heavy equipment.
    • Owner

    Might be true but I'm having poor experience with the fire trucks her that are auto's they have zero hold back ability and tend to over heat the brakes in a short order coming down some of our steep mountain roads. Please say its not so...:pray:

    Might be true but I'm having poor experience with the fire trucks her that are auto's they have zero hold back ability and tend to over heat the brakes in a short order coming down some of our steep mountain roads. Please say its not so...:pray:

    Sounds like you need better retarders, having a good retarder is better than any braking system on the planet. When I worked at Inland truck parts and service we installed Telma electro magnetic driveline mounted retarder systems on all school buses sold in the western part of Montanas mountain country, it is a law they have secondary braking systems there and the Telma is the primary system. Look them up, sounds like your municipalities need to get into something like this. http://www.telmausa.com/Telma_htm/default.htm
    • Owner

    Sorry no retarder or exhaust brakes... :duh:But all the autos are like this... But now the manual trans you can typically set a low gear range and occasional tap the brakes and control long down hills...

    just for my own knowledge, how does floating hurt the synchros? i float on my truck with the intention of saving the clutch a little wear. but i would rather replace a clutch than a transmission!

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