Added: 3 years ago
From: gm16v149
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  • Damm I was lost on first gear..................

  • Best transmission ever, I used the 14 speed one and there's nothing for heavy loads like spicer 14 and 16 speed

  • Great video.

    I really like how this transmission operates.

    I can see why you keep driving your old KW, why buy I new truck that's not as good as the old one. Have a good trip.

  • I've never heard of a 14spd or a 16spd. Must be an "Aussie" thing. Like the air starter.

  • @bionictrucker1

    The 16 speed spicer was just an old 5x4 that spicer modified to make the second box an air shift job. The 14 speed was the same principle except a 4x4.

  • road rangers suck big time ,i learned how to use the r/ranger till my truck was taken of the road and i got to drive the t650 1214 ,,1414 gearbox and i love opperating it ...its like a quick shift it is awsome

  • what is wrong with the ratch sound on the gearbox.i drive a 88 t650 with a 1214- 1414 spicer and it seems to ratch between top 3 .bottom 4. and up the the gear from bottom 4

  • Spicer shits all over the RR. Love it.

  • Hey mate, thanks for the vid!

    Do you drive doubles, triples or road trains? I'm interested to find out how accurate other truckies have gotten with backing a double road train (two B trailers and dolly) or even a triple (two A's and a B trailer) Just curious cos I know it can be done but am yet to see it in the flesh myself! I'd even be happy to pay someone a decent amount to practice/be taught...if you know of anyone.

    Cheers

    BS

  • @soulman888 I drive my own double roadtrain but I drove triples in the '80s. A good man can back a double roadtrain onto a third trailer but it takes a lot of practice..

  • @gm16v149 That's pretty cool! Thanks for that mate :)

  • lovely old trucks those kenworths

    beautiful truck to drive

  • 225 people aren't truck drivers, they're just guys that drive trucks!

    Manual Shift or Nothing!

  • WTF?! Why have so many people disliked this???

    Jealousy maybe? Beats me...

  • try an 18

  • Dam tricky driving the 16 speed on a pneumatic throttle ( early superliner's) .

    Not to mention when going from 2nd split to 3rd ( on the button) means dropping revs and then picking revs up. Otherwise a very sweet box and great for doubles before all the big electronic engines arrived in trucks.

  • About to get my first stint with a Spicer box. Spent years on RR and bloody volvos. Should be interesting. Cheers for the vid mate. Been of help. I do notice you do not pre select the split until you are ready to slip up and just back her off a touch once you're ready. See how we go..

  • @bluedog1976 Don't forget this is a 16 speed, different shift pattern to the 14, 18 and 20 speeds.

  • @gm16v149 Took the big girl for a spin this arvo. 550 hp Detroit and 16speed. Seems to be a bit of overkill for a 6 wheel water cart, but, thats what Ive been given to work with. Once ive spent the week with her I reckon have it sorted out. Not too bad at all. Sort of struggling to see why people detest the Spicer.

  • 225 people drive priuses

  • why does this truck have an air starter?

  • @farmguy2400

    Pneumatic starters have the advantages of delivering high torque, mechanical simplicity and reliability compared to an electric starter.

    Plus they sound better too. :p

  • Did you ever meet crocodile Dundee?

  • This day and age, thanks to all the poofta shifts, not many people can drive with a real transmission. All they can do is attend to steering wheels.

    Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

  • where abouts in AU are you gm16v149 ?

  • @danielmboone Just east of Melbourne in the hills

  • nice vid, shame it's hard to see your movements on the airshift and throttle, even though I know what you're doing, it would help even more for those that aren't savvy.

    Haven't driven a spicer yet, Eaton Fullers mostly. Had a chance to get a passenger to video me while driving and missed it, was a harsh piece of dirt track, lots of changing and radio calls to announce location, would have been a treat. D'oh!

    cheers

    D

  • Good video and what a pleasure to listen to an Aussie drawl after that American dude.. Thanks for the video..spot on

  • @zenzaleni I better not tell you I was born in pommyland then ha ha

  • 223 IDIOTS!

  • take a lil gettin used to it looks. nice shiftin tho man!

  • Similer to my old Eaton twin splitter I had in my old ERF. Great gearbox once you get used to it , was like driving a semi auto with only needing the clutch to start & stop. But that was a while back now & I have gotton used to my FH ishift, call me lazy ? Ha ha you bet. But with regards to autoboxes.. I was a hater at first but after hitting my fuel bonus every month without even trying & learning to let the wagon do the work.. I would,nt want anything else.

  • @oscarfish38 Autoshifts are the future for sure, but in heavy-duty roadtrain trucks they haven't really caught on because of the extra electronics and complication. In fact I know a company that took out their autos and went back to roadrangers because electronics always mean trouble when you deal with the extreme heat we have here.

  • @gm16v149

    I have seen a few autoshifts crack the shits in really heavy duty haulage.

    I really don't like automatic transmissions sure they are ok for lighter loads and stop start traffic. When I drive I actually like to drive not mash two pedals and steer. ;)

    I take it that rig has a brake saver fiited.?

  • @MrPowertorque Yes it does.

  • 223 people cannot fathom a real gearbox. ;)

  • @MrPowertorque i know it. it seems complicated to me however no more so than driving a standard trans automobile

  • @yamahonkawazuki "no more so than driving a standard trans automobile"........apparently, you have no experience with driving a Big rig....with weight and serious power, like the 3408 Cat in this vid.......if you

    did...you wouldn't have made that statement.

  • @TurbinePower69 actually i have. 2.5 million miles under my belt. to me it is no more difficult than driving a standard trans mission automobile, ONCE you get used to its size. perhaps i should have said that no?

  • I'm suprised, why so many dislikes? I thought he did a fine job.

  • @cst20396 They all came in one night when Y/T was doing maintenance...must be a glitch!

  • @cst20396 they thought their prius could do beter. this fella, im glad actually took the time to CLEARLY explain how to drive this unit. well doen sir

  • @cst20396 they probably like auto transmissions

  • How old this truck? :)

  • @heamsters 1980

  • ok so theoretically its First gear (1, 2, 3, 4) Second Gear (1, 2, 3 ,4) Third gear (1, 2, 3, 4) Fourth gear (3, 4) Fifth gear (3, 4)? at what norwayarmy said with 300 RPMs between each gear? I'm trying to apply this information to a twin stick truck with the same thing except the splitter has it's own shifter and not mounted on the tranny like this one.

  • @ViktorDragmire Correct in the first part. Not sure about a twin stick, depends if it is a 5 x 4 or 4 x 3 or whatever.

  • Excuse me, probably a stupid question, but: You say that there are 5 gears on the stick, and then there is 4 gears on the splitter. On the basis of what I know, being a truck-driver, that means that there are 20 gears, and not 16???

  • @norwayarmy You use the 4 gears on the splitter with the 1st 3 gears on the stick, but the last 2 gears on the stick you only use 2 splitter gears. That makes 16 progressive gears, all with 300 RPMs between them.

    Strictly speaking, they aren't all splitter gears, split 2-3 is a splitter and range-change combo. Sounds complicated I know.

  • Okay, thank you for the answer. Yes, it sounds complicated :-)

    I`m used to a 12 speed Volvo-gearbox. There I have 3 maingears on the stick, and then I can use the range, to get into 4,5 and 6th gear, witch is on the same pattern as the 1, 2 and 3rd gear. Also there is a splitter for each gear, so the total number of gears is 12. I do also have a "crawler-gear" that I can split into two, but I`ve never used this. But of course, you`re driving a bit more weight. Max-weight in Norway is 50 ton.

  • GREAT video!I just picked up an old Brockway with a Spicer air shift 5x4.I'm not sure what model trans.(truck isn't home yet)I can't wait to drive it!!!!Love the trucks of OZ also!

  • Don't no why I missed this before but thanks for making it, saves me making a spicer video. Most yanks don't even know what a spicer is so hopefully the've learnt something. I've driven a 12 and 29 speed before and found them easy to us and saves the arm a bit too :)

  • @alwaysoffroad A lot of Aussies don't know what a Spicer is either :)

  • When I was told "that truck in the corner of the yard is yours" and it was a spicer.. I had a lot of doubts about it, had other drivers (who had never used it) trying to tell me how to drive it. I got the old bloke in the yard (Usher the Crusher) to teach me and after about 2 minutes it was the easiest gearbox to use. To this day it was the only truck I drove with a Spicer (doing heavy float work mind you) but I would not ever hesitate to jump in a truck with a Spicer again. Great gearbox!!!

  • You make shifting look easy.

  • The 222 that hate this video drive autoshift transmissions

  • @Hotrodx199 Funny how they came when YT was doing maintenance the other night

  • @gm16v149 Weird lol

  • i have seen these trannys in mexican KWs but not very common in usa trucks pretty cool australian rigs though!

  • 222 dislikes must be some KW haters... :/

  • what exactly is over drive ?

  • @TheDavidpayne Gearboxes step down the gears but the overdrive ratio steps up the gear.

  • @gm16v149 ahh i understand now :) thanks a million and great videos by the way !

  • How much would a rig like tht cost 2nd hand but in good nik?? (Australian dollars please)

  • @farmingdude KWs hold their price here, so you'd expect $50,000 for one this year and this spec. Even a high-spec 5 y.o. KW would get well over $200,000.

  • It´s like Eaton-Fuller Twin-splitter, but more gear´s.

  • sounds like your double clutchin it mate

  • Skill.

  • Aaah an air-starter, not often you hear those these days!

  • I used to be a truckdriver in Denmark( and europe), and drive Scania V8s with splitgears. But I have never seen the split containing 4 ( was it 4 ? ) gears. Thats nice :-)

    Funny though, the gears are situated like european gears with first gear to the left. Guess thats universal.

    I like that spicer transmission. Its not like any of those new scania opticruise, Volvo I-shift or mercedes Telligent transmissions. Those things are just sissy-transmissions for people with 2 inch guns and di... :-)

  • I've never seen those transmissions here in the US, only Eaton/Fuller 9, 10, 13 and 15 speeds. Spicer is more common on the medium duty trucks.

  • @castirondude

    On May 5, 2010, my mother and I rode a BUS [Marcopolo/Mercedes-Benz] 'cross Mexico, where stick shifts on EVERYTHING are STILL common, high terrain, and maybe just good ol' fashioned tradition], and they HAD a stickshift ALMST EXACTLY like that...I guessed it was a 13-18 speed Spicer, a single stick with three switches, one may have been a reverse,too.

  • if I ever make it to Australia I'll come visit you

  • I take my hat off to anyone who can drive a Spicer that smoothly!! Back in the old mechanic days at KW in Sydney when the old 525 N14 were the go, the Friday arvo special was staying back to r&r the 18spds in Shaw's T950s and to this day I still cant do a compound shift in a Spicer without making heaps of horrible sounds!

    The only ones I could ever drive properly were the 12s in Roadmasters K100Es, but only using 1/2/3/4,3/4, 3/4 , 3/4, 3/4 on the splitter was kind of cheating!!

  • @AUSSIEGIZMO76 I reckon you've got to actually understand what's going on inside the box before you can make good changes.

  • OK Is the stick running a primary transmission that is outputing to a secondary transmission that is controlled by the splitter?If so are they both using the same lubrication in one case or are they separate?

  • @goedeck1 Everything is in the one box on the 14, 16, 18 and 20 speed Spicers. Completely different to a Roadranger which has an auxiliary casing on the back of the box.

  • "Good Luck and Good Truckin' Tonight" --Dale Watson song.

    thanks for the video. Love Slim Dusty songs :)

  • i was watching this for fun. i'm a real carfanatic, driving since my 13th en new how to drive since my 9th. i've always been very confident about cars, i knew i could drive everything you gave me. automatic en manual.

    but this is whole new level, i have absolute nooooo idea what you're doing haha.

    but i must say, we don't have those kind of trucks here anymore, all euro 5 trucks here in holland.

    but you earn respect for that though!

  • how do you unload the trailer?

  • @monkeynuts530 Most times we use a loading ramp which are everywhere in the north of Australia but sometimes we use a big container fork or a crane if there is one handy.

  • spicer made sticks too

  • that looks so complicated when u watch it on mute :(

  • This is the best shifting w/o all the stick movement and the shifts are so much sweeter, and when you drive one you are never lost as to which gear your in you dont even look you tell by the position of the blade.

  • fuck thats alot of work

  • i hate, i mean i hate spicers. they shift notchy as hell. seems like they never shift the same way twice. hard to get used to. road ranger much better. cheers

  • @whb1965 Really? I found the Spicer was easier than the Road Ranger and I have spent a lot of time with both. Definitely the Spicer when you hit city traffic, just so many more options with down-shifting.

  • @mattyjh69 Roadrangers are more forgiving though.

  • Is the truck air start it sound like it is. A person would definatly get lost in the gears if they are not careful lol.

  • @Graveltrucker Yes, air start. Not so common these days but still around.

  • @gm16v149 i like the sound of the it starting

  • that truck has one hell of an canadian bush hog on the front of it

  • @bootleg12576 it's an Australian bull bar, in the north of our country we've got bulls that walk around at night the size of a small car, not to mention all the kangaroos etc. All the trucks that go in the outback have got them. You're mad if you drive a car at night out there.

  • @gm16v149  i know whats really called... canadian bush hog is just a slang term for it here in the U.S.... there is also other terms for it.. all we have to worry about here in the southern U.S. is deer and tons of idiot four wheelers.. i drive a international 9200i pulling a flatbed... kinda of getting tired of driving a truck though i wanna get out of it

  • @bootleg12576 We've got plenty of idiot 4 wheelers as well, but I never get tired of driving in the top end of Australia because there's not much traffic and most of the locals know how to drive.

  • i waiting for mad max to come out of no where!!!!!! LAST OF THE V8s

  • i used to drive a 6wheeler mack with a 350 and 20 sp spicer weird box to under stand to stard with tho but once used to there ok untill u get used to the 20 sp and boss puts u in the LTL with 13sp lol

  • Nothing against you guys, but I like AMERICAN trucks better. :) Good video though

  • @MrAwesomeSkittles Well, what do you think a Kenworth is! It's an American truck!

    Kenworth have a factory over here in Australia to make them for our conditions but they are an American truck.

  • @gm16v149 NO NO NO NO! What imeant was i like how our trucks are made. We sit on the left side and shift with our right hand...........thats what i was talking about.

  • I have a 1420B spicer in a western star, is this a 20 speed box? It has the same gear knob as yours with the 4 splits, do I just use all 4 splits in the top 2 gears unlike yours? The air shift is very slow and grinds even when sitting still, any suggestions?

    Thanks A lot

  • @merrawindi Yep it's a 20 speed but it's only got 12 progressive gears. You start in bottom gear and use 4 splits then the next 4 gears on the lever you only use the top 2 splits. If you use 4 splits in the high gears you will damage it.

    If the air shift is too slow I would take the easy way out and change the air regulator on the back of the box and if this doesn't work put a kit thru the air cylinders. They are a noisy box.

  • @gm16v149 Thank you very much, thats the most info I have gotten out of anyone.  I did the reg. and kitted the cylinders and its a lot better now. Thanks again Jim

  • hey i think i understand

    its like a 5&3 but the aux transmission is the splitter(kinda...)

    it gives 15 and the overdrive

  • wat yr model 125 is it

  • 1980

  • lol i love that 30 tons is light wight.

  • Is it a ISRI drivers seat you got there? Looks like the ones we got in our locomotives! :-)

  • Yes, an Isri air seat and it is very comfortable

  • Thanks for posting.Got a '70 K125 335 w/ air 4x4 Spicer.Very similiar to your setup, only we drive from the other seat!!! Thanks for the driving tips as I am just starting to drive this thing around after installing the motor!!

  • I guess there wouldn't be too much difference except mine is a 5 x 4 and it is all in the one box, but there are only 16 useable speeds.

  • @gm16v149 I hear ya, 16V! My Air 4x4 has only 13 useable gears. From all accounts, it was a good trans in its day. Its heavy wieght and costly rebuild made the Fuller Roadrangers more popular here.There was no doubt that Spicer could build a tranmission, though.Thanks for the comeback.

  • skill

  • Another great video! Another 5 *s

    Really enjoying the HD too.

    Keep 'em coming, I watch everyone you post.

  • damn, I miss a proper sounding truck here in europe, its all computerized plastic euro 5 trucks now driven by underpayed easterneuropeans. I was born too late.

  • @haustan123 I agree - our trucks do the job but they have no "soul". I long for chrome.

  • LoL the secret is counting fingers against the metal dummy tab on the air knob so u dont lose track of which range it is in. Also when moving the air button from 2 to 3 u have to let the revs drop to click one range and then rev it up a bit to get the second range to click in.

  • You drive bare foot man? Haha, good stuff. Ive been know to do that also!

    The best shifting demo vid ive have seen on youtube!! Good on ya!

  • 100% image quality, a great country, and good people *****

    Alberto

  • to bad the turbo doesnt whistle

  • Check out my vid 'Like Big V8s' in the tunnel, then tell me you can't hear it !

  • good use of the box mate i can see your a top man on your gear its our bread an butter and expensive to fix if your a cowboy. 10/10

  • I drove one of these in a international 2070A when I was 18, nothing to it

  • nice job - im lost on this one as well as the 5x4 & 6x4 transmissions.

  • Thats the best "how to shift" vid clip on utube. Great work. I used to drive a 310hp mitsubishi fuso back in new zealand towing a 6 car trailer ten years ago. It had a 14 spd spicer box in it. One of the best trannies Ive ever driven once I mastered the shift pattern and getting the revs spot on. Driving a 2007 Mack Superliner now with a Mack 18 spd in it now. Wish it had a spicer in it..lol.

  • ill keep my fuller lol

  • 萌え☆

  • you drive barefoot?

  • WHAT YEAR IS THE K125.

  • 1980

  • I like shifting the air shift after the main box has been shifted. Then there is power to downshift the box rather then it being forced into the lower gear with the air shifter making it grind.. At 2:40 there is the obvious grind I am talking about. Example, when shifting without the clutch one needs to raise the engine RPMs to make the shift. You can not do this when the main box is in neutral.

  • These are a noisy transmission when you shift, not much you can do about it except maybe adjust the air pressure on the trans. air regulator.

    When you hear one go past, you can be the best driver in the world but it sounds like you're being rough.

    Drivers a few years ago could always tell you were shifting a Spicer.

    The 14 speed was most popular over here, not many 16s or 18s around, but they are still around.

  • Seems damn hard to learn :( Hope I will manage it someday.

  • seems wierd to me being on that side of the truck. Nice work MATE!

  • You should do a video of in inside and the outside of your truck.

  • I use that box is slow to take off since they are many changes, but in slopes you prolong is a very good one since she maintains a greeting very well from Mexic

  • wow man thats something...the 13 an 18 i can get my head around but not this...

  • Interesting setup here. The Spicer APO1750-4C and -4D use the same shifter head; atop an Eaton-Fuller FRO15210B (with the old-school A-3546 range selector), 32 forward and 8 reverse ratios are usable.

  • bcschmerker.

    Does Spicer make an 32 forward gearbox........man, that's should be more than plenty.

  • Not in one gearbox; single-box transmissions pack at most 18 (of a theoretical 20) forward and 4 reverse ratios. The FRO-15210B/AMO1750-4C tandem packs a theoretical 40 forward speeds, but the AMO's overdrive gear is torque-limited, per twinstickpete and jerseygurl820.

  • Read the Spicer manual.....you'll learn something you didn't know before.

  • Gm16.

    Are there anything like Spicer anymore, never heard much of them.

  • They still make Spicers but the Roadranger is the most popular trans in Australia.

  • have you ever drivin a truck... you dont need the clutch to change...you pen pushing poofter...

  • 16 speed? what the hell? 4 splitters; i've never seen such a thing. i'll just stick to an old fashion american 13 speed thank u very much.

  • The more gears you have the less hoarse power you need.

  • well in that reguard, i'll go with an 18 speed.

  • he is bad ass! 5*

  • I have driven Spicer 5x4s and 6x4s. That looks like it is a bit easier. I have seen these on other trucks but not had the opportunity to drive one. THANKS FOR THE VIDEO!! KEEP IT STRAIGHT IN AUSTRALIA!! I have posted a trucking video also, I hope you like it.

  • It seems it would make more sense if it just had a 4+4 shift pattern. That equals 16 gears too.

  • Yes but the basic Spicer box is a 5 speed, you can buy the box as a 14, 16, 18 or 20 gears depending on what box you spec. I think you can only buy a 18 or 20 now.

  • so tell me....does it shift similar to a Mack 12-speed???

  • I guess they are similar but mine's got 4 gears on the airshift.

    The last Mack I drove had reverse on the airshift which is a good idea.

  • @gm16v149 That would have been the triple countershaft 12 speed Mack transmission, right???

  • @huppypuppy  I think it was.

  • air start nice sucks when ya gotta leak

  • Just hook up the airline to a couple of tyres and charge the starter tank, easier than a flat battery.

    Almost never happens anyway.

  • thats almost like a super 10,now what kind of rears do that have

  • Got dual-pedestal Airglide 100, 46,000 lb Eatons, 3.7 ratio

  • is it a kenworth k 100 you have?

  • K124CR

  • I like it better than both eaton and the 15 speed roadranger,Are manual shifts are as notchy as they look or are you an owner driver like I was ;).

  • Bonneted trucks are easier to change gears than a cabover because the gearstick goes straight into the box

  • yea yea i reckon!! but i'd rather bonneted over cab over!! so much easier to work on! especially when i fix macks 4 a living

  • that same gearbox is the first box i learned to drive! but in an 1989 t650

  • awesome truck!!but what a complicated gearbox...the gearbox on my volvo fh has 14 gears and is much easier to use.the overdrive is on the last gear.very nice engine sound by the way...

  • i get it, instead of goin from low to high range and splinting gears if u want to (like an 18 speed roadranger) u just go through every slot in the box then flicking the switch across to 1 2 3 or 4

  • You're right but you don't compound shift back to 1 for the top 2 - you only compound shift back to 3 on positions 4 and 5!

  • i think it would be kool if trucks had just 2 gears.

    u know since there hauling all that wait and also the dangers of quick downshifting.

  • lol it would make work so much easier y couldn't u b an engineer for eatons or someone along those lines