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  • Transmission / Overdrive: "Free-Wheeling" Mechanism

    On non-o/d equipped cars that had the "free-wheeling" capability, where was the mechanism to do so? Was it in the tranny tailshaft (like o/d's) or was it a separate, stand alone, mechanical item? Did it incorporate a cable in/out control ? Thanks, Dan

  • #2
    No free wheeling in any non OD equipped Stude that I am aware of. It is the planetary gear set in the OD that produces the free wheeling "feature" when the OD is engaged.
    Dick Steinkamp
    Bellingham, WA

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    • #3
      I think that in the 30's, before overdrive, freewheeling was offered, probably as a fuel saving device. How it worked, I have no idea. I could be wrong, I was once before.
      Don Wilson, Centralia, WA

      40 Champion 4 door*
      50 Champion 2 door*
      53 Commander K Auto*
      53 Commander K overdrive*
      55 President Speedster
      62 GT 4Speed*
      63 Avanti R1*
      64 Champ 1/2 ton

      * Formerly owned

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      • #4
        Not sure about Studebaker and freewheeling without overdrive, but other makes certainly offered it. The freewheeling worked the same way, in that the engine would go back to idle in gear on a downhill slope, if you took your foot off the gas pedal. Yes, it would have saved some gas, but with the less than stellar braking systems in the 20s and 30s, it seems like a somewhat dangerous option to me. Note that on overdrive equipped cars in Studebaker's era of overdrive, freewheeling is only available when the overdrive isn't and vice-versa. Someone figured out that if you were going fast enough to engage overdrive, then having engine braking was a heck of a good idea!

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        • #5
          The experts will eventually jump in but until then, yes, freewheeling predated electric OD and was available on Studebakers, early-mid 1930's in think.

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          • #6
            Yes, it is called a clutch and it is operated by extending the left leg towards the floor on top of that round pad that goes thru the floor.....rolls nice and free.....

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            • #7
              'Freewheeling' was an option heralded by Studebaker in 1930, as a fuel, oil, and wear saver.
              It predated the Borg-Warner overdrive by several years.




              Originally posted by CarCrosswordDan View Post
              On non-o/d equipped cars that had the "free-wheeling" capability, where was the mechanism to do so? Was it in the tranny tailshaft (like o/d's) or was it a separate, stand alone, mechanical item? Did it incorporate a cable in/out control ? Thanks, Dan
              HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

              Jeff


              Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



              Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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              • #8
                Goes to show how much I know about the old Studes. Sorry for the bad info.
                Dick Steinkamp
                Bellingham, WA

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                • #9
                  ddub, that is exactly what I'm referring to. Apparantly, for years, "Free-Wheeling" was offered prior to O/D. And yes, I've read that it was discontinued in Stude (and other makes) due to safety issues. Thanks, Dan

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                  • #10
                    Deepnhock, that is a fantastic assemby of Studebaker firsts. Thanks a lot for that information. Dan

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                    • #11
                      Don't thank me...
                      I just found it (a) in Turning Wheels, and (b) by doing a search here, and (c) by remembering Richard Quinn posted it a while back...
                      That "Studebaker Firsts" has been printed up on fliers we used to give out at shows.
                      It would be great if someone who had time could freshen it up and save it in Word format and in a PDF file....
                      Then we all could print copies off and educate the general non-Stude public...
                      Jeff


                      Originally posted by CarCrosswordDan View Post
                      Deepnhock, that is a fantastic assemby of Studebaker firsts. Thanks a lot for that information. Dan
                      HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                      Jeff


                      Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                      Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Having been involved in Mopar years ago I read that Dodge had freewheeling, I just googled and here is what I found "1931 DODGE EIGHT, DG: Free wheeling was made available on the Sixes and Eights, ". It would appear that Chrysler was a year behind Studebaker.
                        I also read some time ago either in TW or on this form that Overdrive was not allowed in some states I believe do to their mountainous regions.
                        sigpic
                        55 President Deluxe
                        64 Commander
                        66 Cruiser

                        37 Oldsmobile F37 4 Door

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 2moredoors View Post
                          Having been involved in Mopar years ago I read that Dodge had freewheeling, I just googled and here is what I found "1931 DODGE EIGHT, DG: Free wheeling was made available on the Sixes and Eights, ". It would appear that Chrysler was a year behind Studebaker.
                          I also read some time ago either in TW or on this form that Overdrive was not allowed in some states I believe do to their mountainous regions.
                          Now, I just don't understand THAT thinking with how the electric overdrive worked. You only get freewheeling under about 32 miles per hour--above that, no freewheeling anymore in overdrive, and you get engine braking. So, freewheeling is only good for in city stop and go where you can shift gears without using a clutch. Its a dying art, but I've done that on my 63 Wagonaire just for S & G. Besides, if you pull the lever "out" and lock "out" overdrive, you have engine braking from the get go.

                          I can see some bureaucrat saying in a memo--"if we allow overdrive, some fool in the mountains could get into freewheeling mode and totally lose control at 25 miles an hour!"

                          Seriously, some vehicles had freewheeling at all speeds---and on some cars, it was a necessity! (This, I can see would could be a big problem in mountainous areas) I seem to recall that two cycle motors were particularly affected, as the oil was in the gasoline, and long descents with the carb closed would cause damage PDQ as the oil would wear away on the cylinder walls. Having the engine idle under normal vacuum kept the lubrication going. Early two stroke SAABs had freewheeling apparently for this reason.

                          I'm fairly sure that the 'early' style of freewheeling would be banned in some areas as you state, and I'm also fairly sure in my own mind (without any facts to actually back it up) that Borg-Warner's "electric overdrive" with the governor and the automatic locking out of freewheeling above a set speed was in response to this problem, as a 'safety measure'. Can anyone confirm my supposition, yea or nay?

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                          • #14
                            Cable controlled. The large chrome knob on the dash, visible just left of the steering wheel center, gets pulled out to allow free-wheeling. I've got it but don't use it; don't like flying downhill with old mechanical brakes and no engine compression to moderate the inertia. Business end is in the transmission. I don't know the mechanics of it but should be able to review the service manual, which I don't have here.

                            Brad Johnson,
                            SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
                            Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
                            '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
                            '56 Sky Hawk in process

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                            • #15
                              My '32 Studebaker model 55 has free wheeling, as did all the Studebaker named models of that year. I have tried it a few times and it's kinda fun to play with it on flat terrain. IIRC, it's basically a sprag clutch on the output shaft, leaves much to be desired in terms of safety. The Startix is interesting too, another one of those "breakthrough" ideas that could have disasterous consequences if it malfunctioned.

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