Truck Gearbox Types Explained
What’s the difference between non synchro, synchromesh and auto truck gearbox?
Now that you have made the decision to get your truck licence which is great, you’ll need to decide what type of licence you actually need.
There are three truck licence options: Non-Synchromesh, Synchromesh, Automatic Gearboxes.
Non-Synchromesh Truck Gearbox
The non-synchromesh gearbox is not that difficult to operate. In order to change gears the engine revs need to match the road speed for the gear change to happen successfully. This process is called doubling the clutch or double clutching. On the simplest level, the steps are as follows:
- Depress the clutch and disengage the current gear
- Let out the clutch to re-engage the neutral gear and then match the revs to the gear that you want to engage
- Depress the clutch and engage the next gear
Synchromesh Truck Gearbox
A synchromesh gearbox does not require the driver to double clutch as the truck gearbox has synchro rings which match the road speed and the engine revs which allows the gear to be selected. Many of the trucks doing local deliveries tend to use this type of gearbox as it is easier for the driver to operate and allows companies more choice when selecting drivers.
Automatic Truck Gearbox
More trucks are being manufactured and purchased with automatic gearbox due technological improvements over the last decade. The automatic truck gearbox is slightly different to car automatic gearbox in that they are, essentially, an automated manual transmission. This means that there is an automated shifter changing gears for the driver in the manual gearbox.
Which Truck Licence Should You Choose?
If you think you need a heavy rigid truck licence then you will need to determine which licence will suit you best.
If you are tested in a heavy vehicle using a synchromesh gearbox you will be restricted to driving heavy vehicles with an automatic or synchro mesh truck gearbox. You cannot drive heavy vehicles with a non-synchro gearbox.
If you choose to go for an unrestricted licence it will undoubtedly open the more doors for you. However learning to drive a non synchromesh gearbox requires more training and can be frustrating for some new learners. If you know the industry you would like to work in find what sort of trucks are used in that industry. COVE Training have years of experience and industry contacts that can help you make the most informed choice when deciding which licence is right for you.
Truck Licence Options:
How a Synchromesh Transmission Works
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