First or Second Gear

[Suntreemcanic]

I have a 78 FJ40, 4 speed transmission and always take off in 1st gear. I have driven it about 100,000 miles with no clutch problems. What does everyone else do?

 

[brian]

I like starting in 3rd that way i dont have to shift as often.

 

[1911]

Depends on your tires and gearing somewhat. I put an H41 with a granny-low first gear in mine, but also have 3.70 diffs and 33" tires. So most of the time, I still start out in 1st even though it is pretty low. If I'm pointed down-hill at a stop light, I will start out in 2nd.

 

[Living in the Past]

The H42 is a great on pavement transmission. Even better if they had made it with a overdrive fifth gear. When I install a H42 in my 68 FJ40 I drove it years with no clutch problem. When we bought a second I moved it there. Very little use but the few times my son came on weekends he managed to destroy the clutch. In my opinion it's how you use the clutch not what gear you start with.

Starting in third with a F/2F when some torque is needed you will be letting the clutch slip while your getting it moving just to keep the engine from stalling. There is a reason you have first and second gears.

 

[Tancruiser]

I plowed snow with mine or 17 years with zero clutch issues.

 

[emac]

My 77 doesnt start off well in 2nd. Too much clutch slipping to get it to go from a dead stop. My personal theory on clutch life: foot on clutch or gas not both unless starting. Slipping causes heat, heat kills the PP and disc.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

^^x2^^

Only start in 2nd, when pointing downhill... or when I’m too simply too tired to shift one more gear.

 

[shawnfj40]

If you start in fourth gear you never have to shift.

 

[S4Cruiser]

If you've got a sm465 as your trans then 2nd gear works great to start with...but it's really 1st and 1st is really 'L' so I guess you could still be correct starting off in 1st (which is the 2nd gear)....if going off the shift knob labels.

 

[Tancruiser]

Put an automatic in and join the rest of the girls.

 

[GA Architect]

From a dead stop, 1st it is....In my 40, I always row 4 from the floor.

 

[Suntreemcanic]

Thank you everyone for your reply and opinions, some where quite entertaining.

 

[Martyt]

My 69' has 3 on the proverbial tree. First gear is super low so I almost always start off in first because second gear is too high.

 

[pondjumpr]

I almost always start in reverse. I park in a garage and have to back out. Oh, then shift to first... unless I am still rolling to a stop or just being lazy, which can be often.

 

[77mustard40]

Warm or cold, uphill or down, head wind vs. tail wind, on a mission or cruising, 2H / 4H / 4L, rock n roll vs. country ... these are my 1st vs. 2nd gear start criteria and not necessarily in that order.