What is the trick for smooth Shifting

29restorod

29restorod

Senior Member
I am not really a Newbie,as I drove many miles in my A back in the 60's. 1975 was the last time I drove my first A. Now I seem to have lost my touch with the crash box. One time I can get both shifts smoothly,but the next time I get a grind,no matter how hard I try. I take my time on each shift,but still having a tough time.
 
How do the clutch and transmission seem to be?? If the clutch and transmission seem to be in good repair and operate smoothly, then, I guess its just comes down to practice.. Not every shift is as nice and quiet or as smooth as we would like.. We all screw up at times and it always seems to happen when there is an audience..
 
I'm a newby to unsychronized trannies too! But I have improved a lot in the past couple of months. I found that double-clutching on upshifts is not necessary for me at least...everything is smooth with proper used of the spark lever. Only double-clutch when you need to get the engine revving faster for smooth downshifts at speed like doing a 3 to 1st or 3 to 2nd shift. What I learned from the experts at The Barn is that the spark advance lever is the key. If that lever is in the wrong place I alway grind going from 2 to 3. With proper use of that lever, I can now shift from 2 to 3 at a much lower road speed without lugging and without revving up too much in 2nd for enought roadspeed, only to have to let the revs drop off enough to complete the shift without clashing the gears. One of the guys suggested reading up on spark lever usage in the original Model A owners manual which is available in a PDF file...maybe someone reading this will send it to you since I don't have a copy on file here.
 
Have someone familiar with Model A's drive your car and see if they have shifting problems. I used to have a little problem with mine until the transmission oil circulated and warmed up and then the problem would go away.

Charlie Stephens
 
When I was a teenager I was a Wiz at shifting the A,without grinding. The 3-2 downshift,I have no problem with,using the double clutch method. Slow speed seems to help,but not all the time. Just lost my touch. I am going to have one of my friends drive the car,and see what he thinks,(he has three A's).
 
I usually don't have a problem shifting EXCEPT -- when it decides to jump out of gear whilst moving down the road at 50mph and then trying to get it back in 3rd. It did this to me 4 or 5 times on a 300 mile trip a couple of weeks ago.
 
Three "Secrets":

1) Heavy gear oil (such as "600 weight steam cylinder oil" )

2) Shift 1-2 at 7-10 MPH, 2-3 at 15-20 mph.

3) Double-clutch between ALL shifts, up or down. (No need to "rev" the engine between gears on upshift.)
 
A little STP added to to correct level of 600 weight can help slow the cluster on a DC and DDC.
 
Ok my shifting is as good as the guy in the video,without double clutching. I plan on changing the trans oil next week,when I start on the hydraulic brake conversion. I have 600W on order,that was shipped today. No telling what is in there now. I do remember using Summer and winter trans oil,in the old days.
 
29restorod said:
I am not really a Newbie,as I drove many miles in my A back in the 60's. 1975 was the last time I drove my first A. Now I seem to have lost my touch with the crash box. One time I can get both shifts smoothly,but the next time I get a grind,no matter how hard I try. I take my time on each shift,but still having a tough time.
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Drain the transmission and fill it with STP. I know I will get a lot of flak for this statement. Many feel STP will damage the ******, but it keeps me from grinding gears and I think grinding gears will do more damage than the STP ever will.
 
Hi,
I have no trouble shifting my new Mitchell transmission. Shifting the original Model A case was a big problem for me and now it drive like any prewar Ford with a sycro trany. I also have the Mitchell overdrive. John
 
Going from first to second or second to third: double clutching just gives you something to do while waiting in neutral for the instant the RPMs hit idle speed.
Shifting properly is just correct timing. If you get your timing down pat you can even shift without declutching.
 
CarlG said:
I usually don't have a problem shifting EXCEPT -- when it decides to jump out of gear whilst moving down the road at 50mph and then trying to get it back in 3rd. It did this to me 4 or 5 times on a 300 mile trip a couple of weeks ago.
Click to expand...

The pilot on the main drive gear shaft is probably worn or the bearing is, or both.
 
You asked for "the trick."
It is patience.
You have to clutch and then wait ... wait ... wait for the trans speed and the engine speed to match up. I'm convinced that the double-clutch is just a time allotment, like saying, "one chimpanzee, two chimpanzee ..." Get the waiting perfect and you wouldn't have to double clutch at all.
Downshifting from 3rd to 2nd is just the opposite. You must increase the engine speed to match the transmission speed. It is harder to do, but the same trick applies ... patience.
 
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