Shifting issue...normal?

Alright this about my second week of driving ever in my life and Im starting to notice something. Im still a youngin in the trucker world and I dont know any truckers so I dont know if this is normal for these trucks.

I have a 1996 Freightliner FLD120 with a 350hp CAT engine and a 10speed Eaton transmission. The problem I am having is the truck shifts smooth and fast when its cold, but when I drive for about 100-200 miles the shifting seems to get a little tougher and it seems to grind a lot more. Im wondering what could cause this. I was thinking the fluid might be worn as everytime its cold its shifts great but when all the temps come up to normal it is more difficult to get into gear.

Thanks for any help,
Brandon.

 

That is not the case at all. I can start driving any time of day. As long as it has sat long enough to cool down back to ambient temperature it shifts beautifully. Once it warms it gets harder and harder to shift without grinding. If its hot and I dont shift at exactly the right rpm it grinds. When its cold it seems to be much more lenient.

 

Thats what I was thinking. It has about 538,000 on it.

Yes.

I understand that but even if I bring the rpm up after it drops it still is a ##### to get it into gear especially lower gears with it grinding like hell. When its cold it seems to have a much bigger window to shift in. When its warm I pretty much have to wait for it to drop back to idle before it will go into gear without grinding and sometimes it will still grind. I know that isnt right.

When its warm I pretty much have to wait for it to drop back to idle before it will go into gear without grinding and sometimes it will still grind. I know that isnt right.

 

Jakes are off. And I float. I tried double clutching a few times and I couldnt find a gear to save my life. lol.

Alright maybe I am not explaining this right. When the truck is cold I can put it in 4th, accelerate to about 1500-1600rpm and it will let me put it in the next gear at 1400rpm and below with no problem whatsoever. Now once it warms up I will go to shift and it wont let me in gear till it drops to about 900-1000. Even in higher gears I will go to shift 8th at 1700rpm when its cold and it will go in gear fine between 1200-1400 then when it warms up its wont let me in till around 900-1000 again and it will still grind a little once it goes in.