Downshifting for a 90 degree turn

I guess our experiences are different. Ive never seen a truck that couldn't be downshifted to first or second while moving, and depending on transmission and rear end ratios, third may be the gear of choice for a turn.

The idea about downshifting prior to a turn is to have control of the vehicle and your attention can be focused on the making the turn safely (Traffic, tractor/trailer position etc) and not having to put any attention on finding a gear.

Best regards

 

if your in 10 gear at 25mph you might as well be in neutral, even though the gear box is physically in gear you might as well be in neutral, your not getting any slowing power from the engine and if you need to accelerate it wont do anything when you hit the fuel. you want to keep your truck in gear so you maintain control, if you have to speed up or slow down you want power from the engine to be available. practice downshifting at a higher rpm, say downshift at 1500rpm so your next gear falls in around 1900 this will give you max engine breaking power and as you slow down you will also stay in the power band to accelerate if needed. if you do end up getting down to 1000-1200 rpms drop two gears. try to shift one at gear at a time. but there be times your need to skip down. it will all come with practice and time, biggest thing is don't let anyone rush you go as slow as you feel you need to and then slow down a little more. start slowing long before a corner and take your time.

 

You'll figure it out. 4th or 5th gear if no stop sign. If tanker or mud truck you'll get that truck shut down way before you get there. Some tankers are baffled, some aren't. Mud trucks aren't baffled. One of our guys rolled a mud truck last week. You must control the vehicle. Look ahead. Wayyyyyyyy ahead. Know what's coming at you. Unfortunately he lost his job. I don't imagine he'll be working in a truck for several years. It also makes all truckers look bad when one person can't use their head.

 

The reason it is bad advice is that it is just that bad advice. 10th gear at 25mph will not do anything for you . Why not break it down 10 to 8 ,8 to 6, right turn signal always signal your intention, 6 to 4, before you get to the turn, make turn lug around turn if need be. The gears are there for a reason. Not trying to offend you but I think you received bad advice

 

My guess is that a 7 second "standard" was/is from whatever instructor you had and certainly not a NC thing.

 

Good guess because the NC CDL manual (Along with others) state: As you approach the turn: "Use turn signals to warn others of your turn. Slow down smoothly, change gears as needed to
keep power, but do not coast unsafely. Unsafe coasting occurs when your vehicle is out of gear (clutch depressed or gearshift in neutral) for more than the length of your vehicle."

 

I like to be in the gear I want for the turn a truck length or two before the turn. Especially when it is my first time through a new location.

That way I have those two truck lengths to size up how wide I need to be for the turn, watch for warning sings, watch for cars sneaking up my right side, or left, watch for pedestrians etc, etc, etc...

That way you are not worried about getting in a gear while doing all that. At that point it is very easy to go up or down a gear as desired.

Maybe once or twice when slowing for a red and then catching the green I have been caught and confused on what gear. Sometimes having to suck up my pride and do a full stop, on green, just to get back in the game. Ya, only once or twice...

Mikeeee

 

The manual may say that, but you won't fail the CDL test in NC unless you're out of gear for more than 7 seconds.

 

This is probably not the best way to do it, but this is how I do it.
Once I get to about 30 mph, I float it into neutral, slow down to take the turn, then once I am out of the turn, I float it into 5th and that usually works.

 

The quote is from the NC manual section "13.1 How You Will Be Tested". Generally when someone is out of gear a "little" too long it costs only a point. When someone is out of gear "way" too long and the examiner considers it an unsafe act the test is over. Either way, a point or a failure it's bad advice.

The examiner can take a point from you each and every time you do this on a turn or come to a stop, as well as take another point under the "General Driving" category for each occurrence. If it was good advice no points would be taken would they?

Best Regards