skip shifting

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by byrdman2391, Dec 24, 2011.

  1. byrdman2391

    byrdman2391 Light Load Member

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    Oct 15, 2011
    mobile,alabama
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    Would anybody possibly explain how skip shifting is done and what's the pros and cons of it
     
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  3. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
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    "skip shifting" ? Never heard of it, but I'm assuming you mean skipping a gear while shifting. For instance, going downhill you might skip a gear or two....easy, just shift from 3rd to 5th or whatever.
     
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  4. 7122894003481

    7122894003481 Bobtail Member

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    Sep 6, 2011
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    Another shifting thread..:biggrin_25513:
     
  5. sbgogirl

    sbgogirl Light Load Member

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    Dec 7, 2011
    Anderson, SC
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    We learned how to do it in school...If you go to a good trucking school you will learn.
     
  6. skokz

    skokz Light Load Member

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    Jun 23, 2011
    Garner, NC
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    Skip shifting come on just drive your automatic and hold the steering wheel!
     
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  7. jgremlin

    jgremlin Heavy Load Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
    SW Michigan
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    Just like it sounds. You skip a gear in the sequence. As you've probably already learned, shift points are tied to speed/gear/rpm combinations. IOW, a given truck with a given drive train will go x mph in y gear at z rpm every time.

    None of that changes with skip shifting. What changes is your shift points. For downshifting, you allow the rpm & speed to drop below your 'standard' shift point and then shift as normal i.e. to neutral, goose the pedal to rev the RPM's up, then shift to the lower gear except in this case the lower gear is two gears lower instead of one because you've allowed the speed/rpm to decrease lower than what your instructor probably taught you in school.

    Skip shifting on the upshift works the same way. But you'll generally only do it when hills are involved or you're extremely light because otherwise it would require reving the engine pretty high and you'll want to avoid that for lots of reasons.

    As for pros and cons, I think its entirely debatable. Once you're on your own, you'll work yourself into a groove and you'll figure out when you like to do it and when you don't. I wouldn't really worry about it too much beyond that. Every transmission is different so there are no hard fast rules as far as speed/rpm/gear go. The truck will tell you when you've let the rpm get too low and you'll figure out when you can skip gears when you can't as you go.
     
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  8. PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    Jul 15, 2006
    El Chuco, Tejas
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    I only skip shift when I bobtail. I drive my lightning 10 as a 5 speed. Actually as a 4 speed as I start in 3rd (2nd lever position) and only move the lever 4 times.
     
  9. rodzilla

    rodzilla Light Load Member

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    Mar 12, 2010
    white mountain lake, az
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    Nope never heard of it. Must be something new thyre teaching. Like flashing your friggin brights
     
  10. 123456

    123456 Road Train Member

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    [​IMG]

    Close your eyes,

    tilt your head back,

    left your left foot 8 inches above the ground..............
     
  11. Lantern

    Lantern Road Train Member

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    Deliverin Soda
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    Idk about the cons of skip shifting.. then again the my only pro for it is one less gear to shift but i dont know. I usually only skip shift under light loads or bobtail. Always skip a couple of gears down shifting.. but that is the way I drive. If you skip, then great. All about how comfortable you feel with shifting.

    *123456 Merry Christmas! (Same goes to y'all as well) :)
     
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