shifting the "T"

[abbie]

When most of you shift from low to high--on a level area do you turn the engine up in low gear, then slow the RPM'S as you shift to have a smooth shift or do you sort of speed shift. What do you do on a hill, going up and starting in low gear???? When yu are going down a hill do you break a little with low from time to time or not? I do not have any after market brakes. Thanks
Abbie

 

[Doug Money]

HI Abbie, I slow the engine to make the shift just like a standard trans car would do. When going up a hill I try to judge the hill to see if I can make it to the top in high gear. If I can, I run in high. Sometimes, I have to downshift near the top. I always use the engine braking when slowing down. Only factory brakes here too.

 

[Model T Monte]

Abbie, I work the trottle shiftin up. On the down hill if to fast I use the transmission brake. T engines are too tender to ruff them up with over rapping them in my opinion. Monte

 

[J Franklin]

Any pedal will help on downhill slowing but don't press for too long an interval lift the foot occasionally to let oil get on the bands so they don't burn up. Old timers that knew how to use their feet properly rarely had to change bands, but neophytes will change them a few times before they wise up.

 

[46ford]

Match revs as best you can when shifting. Bands lasted for years on my T (and I even drove it in the Woodward Dream Cruise). Engage at as low an rpm as possible, then accelerate. A T will start in low with hardly any slippage of the "clutch" (band).

Kills me to hear people slip clutches on modern cars even when shifting to second or third. Teens should be required to build one (like I was) and understand the clutch before being allowed to drive it.

 

[Kuhner]

I sort of speed shift, but also reduce the throttle to match where I think it should be after the engine slows when shifted into high, sometimes I retard timing a little.

I live in a pretty hilly area of Ohio, so I am on my brakes quite a bit. Everyone will say drive it like you have no brakes, thats hard to do going down a steep incline. Many will tell you to go down the hill in the same gear you would use to go up it. I usually slow as much as I can at the top then use my brake intermitantly, hold for just a second or so and let off, just like you are pumping the brakes on a modern car. Also on really long hills I will alternate brake and reverse pedal, pumping one then the other. Dont forget to throttle down all the way, and retard the timing all the way.

Biggest thing to remember is those bands do not like slipping so reduce that as much as you can.