I think your being a "self described historical expert" to define a generic word to your own historic definition, to say even the dictionaries are wrong? the word OD is genericized trademark. It always has been. There is no gear part nor method that is trademarked and patented as Overdrive. There are just methods, designs that are patented using the term OD.

OD exists today and is stated clearly on many heavy trucks. as i said before, all our new 6 speed auto trucks say Overdrive On/Off. Even my 05 Civic lables the 4th gear as Overdrive. Calling everyone morons won't change a generic term from being generic...so i suppose Dodge, Ford..etc are wrong in labeling them Overdrive too?

To say the dictionaries are wrong is rather hypocritical of your own quotes.
Don't tell others here they are a moron...call Webster, Collins...etc and tell them their definition is wrong so auto makers will stop using the term.

 

Now why did you not post this right up front and avoid the OCD affected going off on us?


Amazing how someone can get so righteous over a shit box Fit. Yes I called it that. Mine is underpowered and rides like a brick on Swifts. Even without OD I still love it!

Now I shall unsubscribe to this thread.

 

In cars.. any transmission ratio turning x:1 where x<1 is "over-drive" as far as I, and most others are concerned.

In my old 1950's Mack B-Series, I considered my 4th ratio in my trans-axle (not the main box) as over drive and I had two granny gears and direct-drive with shorter ratios than that.

So the Transmission (Main) had 5 forward gears and 1 reverse.

The Trans-axle (AUX) had 4 splits - U1, U2, D, and O

Some models had a switchable diff from what I've heard that gave you effectively 3 final drive options.

So to start from the bottom you could start out in:

M1-U1-F1 as the shortest ratio, and could end up in M5-O-F3 at the top of the range if you split every gear and split it further with the 3 diff ratios.

I think only D (AUX) was 1:1.. mind you this was not an over the road truck, at least the way it was setup by the previous owners.

Thats a total of 60 forward gearing options and 12 for reverse.

 

I can see where one would want to stick to "definitions" but this is one of those terms that has been adopted for a broader scope. Like Kleenex for tissue or Coke for pop/soda in some areas.

Or.. the way Series/Staged turbos are referred to as compound (a term I am guilty of) by most of the gasoline guys who are getting into them. Or yet more confusingly the diesel guys who call them twins even though they are in no way setup as twin, symmetric turbos.

 

Why do you say its an 18 speed when it only has 9 gears?

 

Wanted to see where the thread was going-- actually I had forgotten I had taken a photo of my "overdrive button" before I replaced it and the seat eject button with coin holders.

 

Perhaps referring to the High/Low selector switch for each gear. I drove a bucket truck before that had that switch attached to the shifter. So like you have 1st gear low and High..etc.

 

You clearly either didn't watch the clip or indulged in a bit too much substance d.

 

both actually. Lime A Rita's and didn't even notice the link, guess i thought it was your sig