Is it possible to skip shift a 9 speed?

Ah what the hell, it ain't MY truck. . .

 

Regular shifting on a 9 or 10 loaded might as well bw skip shifting. They ratios are spaced way too far apart.

 

dumb question,,transmissions start in first gear then second and so on,,skip all you want just don't apply for a job with my company, come on only 9 gears use them all,, give me your mothers phone number so I can call her to dress you each morning, stop looking for short cuts,, start with first then use every gear,,,

 

Hi Pahrump, I agree, it's a 9 speed for heavens sake. Get an automatic if you don't want to shift. It does amaze me why someone would even want to do that. Heck, I drove a dump truck for a while with 238 Detroit and an air 4X4, and I tell you what, with a power band of about 400 rpm's, you HAD to use every gear, or it would fall flat on it's face. Kids nowaday's. Sheesh.

 

I thought of this thread today as I skipped gears in my 9 speed for smoother acceleration getting onto the freeway on a SHORT on ramp on a blind corner. Had I gone through all the gears, going downhill with an empty trailer, I'd only have gotten to 5th or 6th by the time I needed to merge and it would have created a difficult and potentially dangerous situation.

While I made the turn onto the ramp I immediately recognized the situation and went from 4th to 6th, easing onto the throttle on the downhill to smoothly make a shift to 8th and again a smooth throttle allowed me to merge at 55 mph.

In no case did I ever get more than about 1/4 foot into the throttle, keeping the boost well below 50%. The problem many folks have when skipping gears that damages an engine is to give it too much throttle. Mashing your foot to the floor is NOT the way to do it. Be PATIENT until the rpm's get above 1100, THEN apply some more throttle SMOOTHLY.

 

It's possible but I'd never recommend or encourage it.

 

Use the gears the truck is telling you. When you start out all trucks are different so there's no set gear to start out in. But that's very simple if you have been trained correctly. Those that haven't been there yet, you start out in the gear that will move the truck smoothly WITHOUT applying any throttle to the engine. Once the truck is rolling you go through your gears nice and clean.

I don't understand why this type of shifting would be used. I must be old fashion along with all the rest of our drivers because we drive super tankers and the weight and torque would twist a driveshaft if the drivers go off and hotrod. We're in the city for most of our loads stopping and starting on the surface streets. Our time is constantly watching the other drivers and adapting to the fast changing environment around us on top of driving and operating the truck professionally. That's just the way it has to be with 12,450 gallons of gasoline or 100 gallons of gasoline on board. There's just too much going on not to have your head on a swivel. Shifting has to be natural so your attention is used across the spectrum. It must work, we have drivers that have 20 to 30 years safe driving. That's not bad for 105,000lbs 85 foot long truck and trailer.

 

I had to laugh at that one. You crack me up Don.

 

Hi GH, He is a character, reminds me of a lot of the old timer's I used to run with, bunch of jokers, and we had a lot of fun. Sadly, though, some people actually don't care about the truck because it's not theirs. I drove every truck like it was my own. It wasn't until I had my own trucks, I got an idea what the mechanics and owners of the company trucks I drove, had to deal with when I went home for the night.