Why Do We Keep Adding Gears to Cars?

Manufacturers just can’t stop adding gears to cars. In just a few years, we’ve gone from five or six speeds being the standard, to eight, nine, or even 10 speeds. Honda and GM are even working on gearboxes that go to 11! Why do they keep adding more? Well, it turns out there are two very good reasons why you might want a lot of gears, and quite a few reasons why you wouldn’t. Today, we’re gonna figure out why they keep adding gears to cars, and if there’s some point – like, we dunno, 11 maybe – where it’s simply too many. Let’s go!

HERE IN MY GARAGE…
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[zedbets]

I'd love to see a full breakdown of that Koenigsegg transmission! Do it :)

[MikeHowl]

No way! You guys got sponsored by ARRMA?! That is awesome! I’m so happy the rc car industry has made it to your channel

[nxtgeniscooked]

One thing I've always adored about this channel is how often times, their content is legitimate questions me and friends ponder about.

[drakestafford]

Everyone knows that auto makers have watched the success of The Fast and the Furious's 100 speed transmissions and have slowly used their R&D to copy them. It takes a lot of engineering hours to go from a 5 speed to a 8 speed; we will be living in 2050 and still only be at 30 speeds. By them F&F will probably be using 200 speed transmissions

[OmegaEGGY]

I'd definitely like to see you go over the Lightspeed transmission, or even 'Segg's Direct Drive from the Regera

[CactusJack]

My 22 F-150 is 2WD and has a 5.0 engine with a 3.31 rear end. I have it tuned so cylinder deactivation is turned off. I just took it to visit my parents and did 65mph for 3.5 hours. It turns 1500 rpms and got me 27.2mpg. Needless to say, I am super impressed with this truck and 10 speed transmission.

[jakeh.]

A) id love to see more bike stuff
B) id also love to see a donut media battle to see who’s the best driver/fastest shifter out of the group

[massivemissile]

8:10 The answer is rear differential. It has a fixed gearing of either 3.23:1 or 2.73:1 depending on what model it is.

[TheShadowSplicer]

Would love to see some dual clutch transmission stuff too. DSGs are interesting.

[reinaldoenriqueratto]

Please, I agree with Jeremiah that an episode on the Koenigsegg Light Speed Transmission would be awesome. Also, another one on Koenigsegg Direct Drive ("no gears"). Engineering Explained has covered both, and even others, like Untangled (very first video explaining Koenigsegg LST), but the Donut touch would be refreshing.
I would also love an episode on the forgotten gear systems from the past, and in transmissions with uncommon shifter patterns, like the three-on-the-tree manual, the universal "dog leg" pattern for 3-speed manuals (floor or column mounted) and the rare examples that didn't follow it, the "dog leg" pattern itself, outboard shifters, why the GT40 is right hand drive and shifter is to the right, old automatic transmission patterns ("P, N, D, L, R"; instead of "P, R, N, D, L"), etcetera. Please note that I know the answer to all of these things, no need to comment on me, but I haven't seen a video compilation of all of these, and Donut making one in the style we all know and love, would be awesome.
Thanks in advance, greetings from Pergamino, Argentina 🇦🇷

Makes me proud to be a ZF employee working on the 8HP transmission :) , but our transmission with 5 clutches can also shift gears by opening one clutch and closing another, transferring all the torque from the engine during shifting, so the car in continuously accelerating.

[rarecandy]

i love this channel, i love B2B. i found donut on the up to speed episode on the civic and felt the joy and emotion you guys have for accomplishing so much. growing up my step dad worked at one of the oldest garages in town. i learned a bit about body, internals, paint, and i got really good at sweeping up the shop whenever the day was over. he would come home and share his excitement about working on a new or different kind of car and being amazed at the innovation some companies put on the road. tragically, he was also abusive, alcoholic, and whenever i was in the garage with him he generally made it an unpleasant experience due to his behavior. that man is long out of my life and im beginning to see the splendor and amazement of his passion in cars underneath all the addiction and abuse. i never knew anything about how transmissions worked but you make it so easy to understand and youre also not blasting hot booze breath in my face about it. i drive trucks and im trying to get into my companies repair shop on my off time. im beginning to enjoy tinkering with things, especially on my own 350z im trying to put back together but no space or tools keeps me from utilizing the knowledge i get from youtube outside of super basic things. sure would be cool to replace or fix the transmission myself and feel proud of it rippin down the street when its done. this is great.

[ghaythskyline]

The differential ratio (somewhere about 3.3 to 4.15) reduces engine speed more than the 6th gear multiplies it, so the wheels spin less than the engine anyway

[NekoWinters]

There once was an infinity gear that was a geared sphere that rode on a plate set and how it changed the ratio was to change angle where they met and thus changed the distance of the circumference the plate traveled along... wonderfully more durable than cvt BUT insanely expensive to machine out, so it was left to the bin.

[AdnanAwes]

This video is so informative yet so fun to watch. The jokes, the animation and everything is so streamlined. I love this channel. Keep up the content!!

[Revole.]

I think I speak for everyone when I say we love you, Jere-bear! And we'd love to see more motorcycle content!

[ryurc]

So stoked. As sponsor I can really get behind. Im an rc nut, totally addicted to making little trucks fast a/f. Glad arrma on board. Anything at horizon hobbies is going to be awesome. A main has killer shipping too.

[travioncrutcher]

Jeremiah as a host is killing it more with every episode and I love it for you man, keep up the great work! Let’s see the Koenigsegg’s transmission video!

[SuppleBun]

never in my two years of watching Donut would i have expected Arrma sponsoring them. im so happy to see the RC hobby being known to all through Donut

[safeone]

You can always see Jeremiah's love for his work coming through his videos, just his authentic way of expression!