Floating or Double Clutching at Roehl

Roehl teaches double clutching at thier school. Most trainers will accept either way as long as you can up/down shift the truck smoothly.The main thing with Roehl is progressive shifting to help ensure the nbest mpg possible. Progressive shifting is hitting 1300 rpm and shifting to the next higher gear and hitting 900 rpm before you downshift. They want you to always be in the highest gear possible to keep the rpms down. Good Luck and remeber attitude is 90% of the game.

 

Most schools teach double clutching because that's what the DMV wants to see.

It's considered the proper way to shift when using the clutch. For some folks, floating is easier and works better.

Me? I couldn't double clutch on demand to save my life. When I went to DMV I passed the test floating the gears and lost a few points for "clutch control".

Having said all of that most companies (I can't speak for Roehl here) would rather see you float well than double clutch well. At least IME


............ Jim

 

You can still float gears but make it appear you're double clutching by tapping the clutch twice everytime you shift. Just make sure you float your gear correctly, espeically on the downshifts, otherwise the transmission will take a punishment.

 

what i don't understand is if the clutch wasn't meant to be used(which it is), why in the heck did the manufacter even put it in the truck??? it doesn't take rocket science to realize that floating isn't good on the gears. call one of the truck manufacters and ask them what floating does to the gears, trannie, pressure plates, the whole nine yards...

 

When I'm sitting at a stoplight, I have the clutch in and am waiting for it to turn green like I'm up at Brainerd getting ready to launch off the starting line. The result isn't quite the same, of course. That's pretty much all I use the clutch for.

 

With most drivers the clutch is only used when taking off froma dead stop, if you can float the gears without grinding or having to force it into gear it does not hurt anything. Shifting a truck is all about RPM's, the clutch does not operate like a typical cars clutch.
.

 

Double clutching does many things. Among them is that it shows professionalism on the part of the driver also, when nudging the clutch the shift forks open such that the gears in the transmission can smoothly transition. For you O/O's this will make a big difference as the truck gets older the shifter won't start falling out of gear because the forks are worked open.

For the new trucker: double clutching helps with determining your timing for shifting. The reason you have to time your shifts with the rpm of the engine is that your are acting as the synchronizer. Whereas our personal vehicles, (those that have manual transmissions) have synchronizers in them.

In between my 3rd & 5th year as a driver I went back to double clutching because I needed an action that reminded me that driving a truck right actually requires the use of skills.

Hope this helps.

 

there is a video on youtube made by EatonFuller about floating gears and how it Does Not hurt the tranny, Unless you miss a gear then your really hurting it, its worth watching at the very least your'll get to see what the inside of the tranny looks like!


American Trucker

 

I float just drive the trk an youll be fine do what ever comes natural for ya