Questions about driving a truck/ tractor

Truck: carries its own load (pickup truck, straight truck, box truck)

Tractor: worthless without implements (trailer, thresher, etc).

Semi-trailer: semi-articulating trailer (there is load in front of the front pivot point -- the kingpin)


You double clutch because truck transmissions are not synchronized. Car transmissions have synchromesh that matches input/output shaft speeds as you shift so there is no grinding. With a truck you have to match input/output shaft speeds by rev-matching to avoid grinding.

 

#1. "truck" CAN refer to the entire vehicle including trailer. "Tractor" is just the cab section.

#2. Double clutching is because 99% of tractors dont have a synchronizer (spelling?). That the bit the makes sure your gears are all spinning the same speed when you shift so you don't hear a loud crunch. Its a fragile part, and wont survive life in a truck. So we have to do it the old fashioned way.

#3. Not one of the 3 trucks I ran had any sort or detent or other obvious sign that you had hit the clutch brake. After a while you just kind of figured out where it was on the pedal stroke. The ONLY time you use it anyway is when your shifting into gear from neutral at a stop. Going up or down the rest of the time a small clutch depression is all thats needed. The clutch brake is only activated when you put the clutch to the floor.

Thats my best ""laymen's" description, and how ti was explained to me.

 

Hi alone, shifting is probably the biggest fear in new drivers. Check out the thread" First time on practice range,not so great", I went through the shifting dilemma with 2 other new drivers. If you still need help, let us know, BTW, there are no dumb questions!!!!

 

Problem when looking for truck parts is there is no common word to use on google. Semi, kinda means 18 wheeler, but rarely do part manufactures use that word. Google truck, and you get pick up trucks. Truck is a strait truck, a pick up truck, an 18 wheeler, etc. Tractor is just the truck without the trailer. (or a farm tool) Dont google tractor parts or you will get a bunch of farm tractor site. I like the word semi, because its the word for big trucks.

So to clarify, truck is the whole thing, tractor is just the tow vehical that doesn't have cargo.

Cars have syncroes that make the motor side and gear side spin at the same speed as you engage the gear. Trucks dont. By double clutching, you sync the speeds so you can slide it into gear. You can also float which basicaly is adjusting motor rpm perfectly to match the speeds on your own. Some single cluch out of gear and float in. Most truckers eventually learn to float to save their left leg. In some cases its hard to get it out of gear (like a steep uphill, or when its cold). that when i single cluch to nutral then float in. Cluctching to nutra then clutching again gives you more room for error getting it in the next gear.

 

Double clutching is a useless as Satellite navigation on a Locomotive. I ahve never done it in 4.3 million miles. Drive like you have an egg under your foot. Drive a truck like its a loaded weapon and could go off at any time.

Follow that car, Godzilla - and step on it !

 

Hi Passin Thru, that's pretty funny, I too rarely used the clutch. For beginners, it is a good way to understand the basics, but get's old in a hurry. Sometimes when splitting a gear, I'd rest my foot on the clutch, to take the pressure off the driveline for a cleaner split, but starting and stopping, that's it.

 

Semi comes from the fact that the trailer only has one set of wheels. It is a semi trailer not a full trailer.

Everything else has been covered.

A truck driver is the under paid over worked man who sits in the tractor. It is called a tractor because we all want to retire to a farm but our wives want to live in New York City.

 

YOUR BOY E THE TRUCKER ( on you tube ) has a very good shifting video. you can find most anything on you tube.

 

I still love that show ! pettiecoat junction ! See I told you, you can find just about anything on youtube !