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GMC General at abandoned house


JTFormula

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That's kind of cool

Today I tried to take it around the back lot at work. My truck shifting skills need work. Tried shifting without a clutch and failed. Tried double clutching and failed there too. I managed to grind my way into 4th and that's about it. I ran out of room. Ill try again tomorrow. Also finding out I am having a drivers door latch issue. Mainly it's not staying closed. That's going to be interesting if I hit the road. Door panel is coming off tomorrow to investigate.

Do you get Wheel of Times Magazine??? It's the publication of ATCA.......They just had a great article on double-clutching and shifting. If you dont have access to it let me know and I will scan it and email it to you, its good reading even if you are experienced.

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TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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No real updates yet but I did find a new purpose for the truck while its behind my shop. Now when we make a sale we wail on the horn. Honk honk!

Hopefully tonight ill have a couple minutes to scrub out the interior. I also have to replace all the light bulbs. Half of them are out. Once the lights are done ill have my first 13 speed lesson through the industrial complex. The GoPro will be rolling for that.

Keep in mind with the older 13speeds. They do not split like the new ones or bigger ones for whatever reason. When you split the gear and are ready to upshift to the next hole do not bring the red button back!!!!! Wait till you get it in gear then down shift the split. If it works like I think and you split and pull out of gear to the next hole you will just about have to come to a stop to get the bastard to get in any gear and the range selector to find what it wants. Fyi. The new ones and the higher torque models work alot better.

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Do you get Wheel of Times Magazine??? It's the publication of ATCA.......They just had a great article on double-clutching and shifting. If you dont have access to it let me know and I will scan it and email it to you, its good reading even if you are experienced.

Yes, I would enjoy the article if you can scan it an send it. Jtformula (at) aol.com. I really appreciate it. I am not an ATCA or ATHS member.

My buddy Bobby, the one who drove it back to my shop in the video, said he will jump in with me after work one day and give me a lesson. I never realized how different this was going to be. I have no problems with other clutches from cars to 6+1 Trans that was in an International we took on trade. But once I get out there and practice, ill be fine. Plus the truck needs to be run anyway.

I sense a new GoPro video...

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. I have no problems with other clutches from cars to 6+1 Trans that was in an International we took on trade.

Non synchronized trannies obviously are not the same as synchronized. It's all in matching the input and output shaft speeds (for the most part....lol.....) Now I have to remember to bring that article to work and scan it for you and leversole......

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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Keep in mind with the older 13speeds. They do not split like the new ones or bigger ones for whatever reason. When you split the gear and are ready to upshift to the next hole do not bring the red button back!!!!! Wait till you get it in gear then down shift the split. If it works like I think and you split and pull out of gear to the next hole you will just about have to come to a stop to get the bastard to get in any gear and the range selector to find what it wants. Fyi. The new ones and the higher torque models work alot better.

True that, you can "preselect" the newer ones, works great. The older ones are supposed to be shifted like a two speed rear, you shift to the next higher gear and then move the button into direct just before you let off the clutch, or gas on it.

Producer of poorly photo-chopped pictures since 1999.

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Not much to report this week. Had to repair one of the wires to the new ignition switch the other day. I had to take it all apart and retighten it since I didn't have a couple 1" wrenches the day I first installed it. The main power wire pulled out of the crimp terminal so I soldered a new one onto it. Should be good now. I also got new bulbs all around since only half of the lights worked. I might have to replace the rear assembly's. the passenger side got water in it and was completely rusty inside.

I still have to pull the Kysor shut down to find a replacement. The only way I can shut it off is by going under the hood and manually hold the shut down lever. It's becoming a real pain in the ass.

The interior is going back together. The dash was apart on the passenger side, armrest wasn't installed. Cleaning it up and getting all the crap out of it. Found a grill cover for winter driving. It's getting there but I wasn't able to do a whole lot this week since I have had something to do every night after work.

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Trying to find time is the hardest part, on my R that I got earlier the this month I took the entire dash a part and vacuumed it out, gave me a chance to look at the wires for rodent damage and poops, luckily I only found one chewed wire and that was under the head liner for the interior light, a few poops mostly 33 years of dirt.

I looked at a couple Generals and found that every door latch had been "worked" so I am thinking that was a weak link in the design, I called around a few places looking for trim, door and other parts, when I could not find much here in KC area I started looking at other trucks I guess like older Macks not many are left around here.

Seat time is what will make your shifting better. Keep up the effort, the paint looks like it is in decent shape maybe a good buffing will really put a shine on it.

Rob

Robert

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

 

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JT - sounds like you are making some progress. As others have mentioned - time can be your biggest "friend" or "enemy". Keep plugging away and one day you will see your accomplishments. I sure hope you can bring your General to Macungie for us to get a closer look.

Ken

PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack"

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That is the issue with all of my projects, time. Lucky for me, this is behind my shop and most of the little stuff it needs, I can just pop outside when its slow or lunch and play around. This morning I cleaned the inside of the windows, and scrubbed the crap out of the dash and gauges. Years of grime starting to go away. Shes looking good!

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I got a couple minutes to mess around with the General before. Our lot is connected to 4 other buildings so we have about a 1/4 mile of roadway to play with back here. I fired up the ol girl and took her for a quick spin down to the body shop and back a couple times. Started to nail down the double clutching pretty good now. Only got into three gears but its a start. I just had to get the feel for the transmission. I realized I was just trying to shift its like a normal transmission and stab it into gear, that's where I was failing. My mind was on cruise control just pushing the clutch in and moving the lever into the next gear meanwhile I didn't double clutch. Duh! Once I was conscious on what I was doing, it was much smoother.

What wasn't smooth was the ride. Just with the small bumps in the back here, this SOB shock and bounced like crazy. Also the steering column is a tad loose as the wheel was bouncing around a bit. Not something I want to get on the highway yet. I am not sure if the shocks are shot or something else is up, or its just a nasty ride because it doesn't have any weight on the back but it seemed very rough. The guy Bobby who drove it over to my shop in the video said the same thing. He use to be an OO (had a Frightliner) so I see what he was talking about.

Next week I will get out in the industrial complex behind us and get a few miles under my belt. Just have to make sure my lights are all working before I get out there.

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Just take your time doing the shifts, you can't be in a hurry, as you said, no "stabbing." Drop the clutch, bring her out of gear. Drop the clutch again, then feel for the next gear and smoothly slide her in. In a few years when you get used to it and you get to know your machine, you may even be able to shift without clutching at all!!!!!

And remember that all tractors ride rough bobtailing.

TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS

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I've bobtailed with the single axle, spring ride R model in my avatar. It sounded like I was intentionally gooseing the accelerator when going over bumps because it was difficult hold steady pressure on the pedal. Shifting would actually be a bit easier with a bit of weight on the drives.

Jim

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