The lowest forward gear in a manual transmission, designed to provide maximum torque at very low speeds. Drivers and equipment operators use this gear exclusively to get a heavy load rolling from a dead stop, particularly on an incline or in deep mud. It is usually bypassed during normal, unladen driving because it tops out at a walking pace.
Heard on the job
Put the truck in granny and just let it crawl up the ramp so we don't spin the tires.
Insider tip
You never use the throttle heavily in this gear, as the torque multiplication is high enough to snap an axle shaft if the wheels suddenly catch traction.
Also heard as
- granny gear
- crawler gear
- low-low