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TR2/3/3A How do you drive your 3A with overdrive?

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Lukens

Lukens

Jedi Warrior
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I'm curious as to how others use their overdrive. Do you engage it primarily on long 4th gear runs or do you flip it in and out continually to optimize the R's, like a 2 speed axle?
The way the factory switch extends to the steering wheel makes me think the latter.
Does frequent engagement harm the overdrive in any way?

Russ
 
I use the overdrive all the time - when I need to - or when I feel like it. On a long hill in the mountains in traffic where you can't pass and 3rd gear would cause the engine to lug and in 2nd gear, the engine would be screaming, I use the overdrive in 2nd . If I see a place where I can pass, I flip out of O/D and I'm past the sloooow guy in a flash in 2nd direct.

Naturally, on long drives on the turnpike, I'll stay in 4th O/D for hours at a time.

I never depress my clutch pedal either going into O/D or switching out of O/D. If you think about it - the sidescreen TRs were used for running and winning rallies all over Europe from 1953 to 1960 or so. S-T would never have wanted the rally or race drivers to lose precious seconds clutching and de-cluthing if they didn't have to. They wanted to win and the Laycock Engineers designed the O/D to be flicked on and off like a light switch. To switch into 2nd O/D, I will let up for a microsecond on the gas pedal to ensure that it engages without any slippage. I find that 3rd and 4th don't need this. Just flick the switch.

And don't let up on the gas pedal when switching out of O/D. This will give you a loud clunk you can feel in the seat of your pants and this might cause damage to the O/D unit and/or gearbox.

I've done it this way in my TR3A since 1958.
 
Like Don, I use the OD in 2nd &or 3rd whenever the mood strikes me or I'm in a hurry. A real advantage on twisty mountain roads! But most of the time, I just use it like a 5th gear. And unlike Don, I use the clutch for 'casual' light throttle shifting into OD, just because I don't like the bang it produces otherwise. The rear axle in my TR3A had a lot of backlash, which no doubt contributed to the banging. But at full throttle, the engagement is smooth and firm, just seems right. I also find that shifting out of OD on full trailing throttle without the clutch is nice and smooth, so I generally do that as well.

Just like the main clutch and gearbox, the friction surfaces in the OD wear a bit with every shift. Likely they wear more when shifting under power. But they last a long, long time; in roughly 30 years I haven't worn one out yet! (Tho I did replace the OD clutch last time, for other reasons. It had been damaged by my little misadventure with shimming the accumulator spring a bit too much.)
 
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