"Get it in gear!"

nothing wrong imo with training on a 13-18 you can run one just like a straight 9 speed. and then progress into splitting. sounds to me like the op completed a driving course and now is getting trained on the job?

18 might be a little easier to train a rookie on than a 13 as you can just run your high split all the way up and down if needed. the beauty of a 18 is there is a right gear for every speed-situation. 9-10's suck esp for what i do. i think every truck on the road should have a 13 at min. better fuel millage less pollution by always being in the proper rpm a 18 speed with a 5 1/2 pullin 100+k is a thing of beauty. i always get a bit of a chuckle passing 80klb otr trucks on grades

 

Cummins or cat EZ? I used to haul alot of 90 to 100k loads with a 550 cat and 18 speed and passed many big companies trucks on hills, I always laughed my butt off.

 

Fuel???.... I thought it was called Push Water.

 

cat, and there wide open, one of my former co workers just got there walking papers for getting a ticket for 92 in a 70, loaded

 

Don't sweat it. Many many drivers experienced similar when learning. Give yourself some time and practice and things will start falling in place (including gears) for you.

 

Honestly, i never have understood the whole "if its not in gear, your not in control" thing.

I'm not talking about coasting in neutral going down hill in Georgia Overdrive, or going down the road at 45+mph and coming up to a red light and just popping it in neutral and just using the brakes.

Personally, I downshift every gear in certain situations. When exiting the interstate and say the off ramp goes up hill depending on a lot of variables I do just put it in neutral and coast instead of downshifting up-hill. Also, say im coming up to a red light going about 15 mph., instead of downshifting to 6th, 5th, 4th, i'll just put it in neutral and use my brakes. I may get burned for this but I also don't sit at a red light for 5 minutes in gear with my foot to the floor with the clutch. I just can't see the point in it.


Disclaimer-I DO NOT COAST IN NEUTRAL WITH ANY LOAD OVER 20,000LBS WHILE TRAVELING OVER 15MPH.

 

Why do you say a 18sp gets better MPG and less emissions?
And as far as running at least a 13 , why? In my job I'm always empty one way and it's rare to be over 25K on the way back! If I had my way I'd lose an axle off the trl and single out the truck! (useing lift axles)

 

are you not suppost to use the brakes and go pedal at the same time to down shift or just not able to do both at the same time? Just curious. I very often use left foot on brake and right foot on diesel to shift and slow down. But i didn't go to school to learn to drive

 

I double clutch,

so i clutch out of gear while using the brake to slow down, move my right foot from the brake to the fuel pedal, then clutch to gear. Then repeat the process.