I need your help. I have a 1949 Ford F-3 pickup with a flathead V8 and the standard 4 speed non-synchronized transmission. I have learned how to be 'one with my machine' when driving and shifting. I can shift gears smoothly by double clutching and listening to the speed of the engine. Some shifts are better than others.
Now, here is my problem, there are times when shifting that no matter what I do, I cannot engage the next gear. I gently try to shift and then shift again but sometimes the tranny just grinds and grinds. The only thing that seems to help is to slow way down and start over in 2nd gear. (I start in 2nd gear as the 1st gear is the 'granny' gear.) Then, when staring over, the transmission shifts with no problems, no grinding at all. It's a mystery to me. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
John
You have responded to many of my posts before with good and sound advice. I appreciate your vote of confidence here ('don't think about it, just do it'), but it sure seems like something is a miss in my tranny - like something is not releasing sometimes.
And by the way, your '41 1 1/2 ton truck is beautiful. Thanks for sharing that picture. Love to see inside the cab if you have a picture of that too.
John
Thank you for your responses. Yes, I am double clutching, always. But sometimes the tranny will not engage. It could be a clutch adjustment is needed as you have stated Carcrazy. I've looked at my clutch linkage and I noted that my clutch is adjusted out to the max of the threaded shaft, so it may be time for a clutch replacement. For all I know, the clutch in my '49 may be original.
John
As you pointed out, it helps to "not think about it". After a few months, your left foot and right hand will simply adapt to the needs of a Ford "crash-box". I recall that our old 40, liked to be "wound-out" quite a ways in low, and needed a few "seconds" delay before moving out of neutral into 2nd.
Downshifting requires "estimating" by sound (unless you have a tach) what the engine will be turning in the next lower gear, and raising (bliping) the throttle to bring it up to that speed with the clutch out to get the gears spinning at the appropriate speed to mesh.
BUT..every individual transmission has its "own personality", and our 41 Ford truck (while almost identical to our 40) shifted a little "differently".
Alan, is that the "same drivers-side mirror" that I sent you off of our 41? That 41 looks absolutely STUNNING.
I just LOVE your "cargo". That's a nice mixture of "period-correct" stuff. Beautiful truck. I'm envious!
Your response and the other responses have convinced me that maybe I need to be more 'one with my machine' than I am already. Henry Ford built everything tough in those days and my tranny is probably no exception. I am committing myself to more practice shifting until it is second nature-not thinking about it, just shift. And I agree with you Stroker, my '49 always shifts the best when I delay a few seconds in neutral before completing the shift to the next higher gear.
As for my 'cargo' it is of course all faux (fake). I made the crate boxes. If you look closely they are hinged so I can put a cooler or lawn chair inside if needed. The grain sacks are full of wood shavings with a couple of bricks at the bottom of each bag for ballast. I get a lot of compliments on the truck and even more on the 'load'. And, 'Henry' won an award at a local show, probably due to the 'load'.
