May 4th, 2010.
GENERAL: An old Motor Pool Sgt. type character said the following words or something very similar to that effect, to me when I was learning to drive a farm tractor at 6 years of age (Actually, my old man and a USAAC ground crew chief/corporal on B-29's when I was knee high to nothing......):
"Private, Grind those gears one more time, and I'll PT you until your --- is sh---ing diamond cufflinks!"
Too many of us apparently have never driven large off road trucks, or large trucks with non syncromesh transmissions. IT is now time to take out your TM-10 and read the how to operate the M35A2 correctly. Starting in anything but 1st gear is a no-no, unless you are empty and on a down grade, then transfer low and gear shift "2" might work.... These are very heavy trucks by modern standards, their maintenance may not have been always perfect, and I'm pretty sure their drivers weren't either.
When starting under load or on a steep hill, it is adviseable to either split shift the truck up to road speed (EG: 1-L,1-H;2-l,2-H, etc untill you reach 5-H) alternatively you can go 1-L, 2-L,3-L, 4-L, 5-L, 4-H, 5-H to save all the split shifts coming up......
Be glad that the deuce doesn't have a 3 speed rear end or transfer case, you'd love 15 gearsifts to get to road speed. Some civillian trucks have 29 or 30 gears depending on how they are intended to be used..... So get to KNOW your operator's manual, and drive like you gotta pair (L & H range),Private!!!!
Your deuce will thank you.....
Besides.... The transmission and clutch you may save will be your own...SMILE!