should i start in first gear or second?

[teddyyyy]

i have a 1972 f250 2wd, it's got the t18 tranny. since the first gear is none-synchronized, i stop on the second gear. now my question is, can we start on the second gear too? if i start on first, it always take me a long time to get onto normal speed and i am getting quite some honking at traffic lights


btw, when i try to start on first, sometimes i get grinding sound, but i already pressed the clutch to bottom, does this mean there is some problem with my cluth and the friction plate is not really released?
c

[chad67]

If your tranny is nonsychronized in first gear, it will occassionally grind no matter how careful you are. If your T18 has a granny low first gear, most people do take off in second. I drove a 2000 one ton Ford with a V10 and never used first unless I was pulling a stump or something similar. The reason first wasn't sychronized was because it wasn't intended to be selected unless the vehicle is at a complete stop.

[Madman]

I'm not sure because I don't own nor drive 2wd's, but in my F250 4x4's I've owned over the years, I've always started in second for routine driving.......best thing to do, give it a try and see if it works for you!

[teddyyyy]

thanks guys , I'll try 2nd

[Calfdemon]

Like it was said before, the granny gear is for pulling or towing... For normal driving on a T-18, you start in 2nd.

[teddyyyy]

now that i look at it, i find it even more certain that we should not start on 1st gear.

the explosion diagram of the t18 transmission shows that the first gear is actually just the outside surface of the second gear synchro sleeve. to engage 1st u do not rely on synchro, but just put 1st geat and counter gear in mesh (in contrast all other gears are always in mesh) if u pull 1st gear out while it's still moving, the gears are going to slide on the contact surafaceand cause friction, this will probably cause excessive damage

[Camper Special]

I have a 1st gear? all these years I thought my truck was a 3 speed.

[Mancar1]

I have a 1st gear? all these years I thought my truck was a 3 speed.

Spot on.