I have a 52 1/2 ton with a 3 speed transmission. It has always been difficult to shift from 1st to 2nd without some grinding (if I shift at around 5 mph and do the shift slowly, it doesn't grind). When I had the transmission rebuilt, they said the synchronizers were OK. They suggested skipping 1st gear and starting out in 2nd. I have started doing that, and I can actually keep up with traffic much better, but I have to feather the clutch quite a bit. I'm sure skipping the 1st gear shift reduces wear on the clutch, but feathering it more when starting in 2nd increases wear. Does anyone have an opinion on whether this is overall going to increase or decrease the life of my clutch?
