13 speed downshifting tips?

13 is easier than a 10 because there are more gears you don't need to rev the engine as much with a 13 as you do with a 10.

If you're talking about floating down 1 gear with a lever shift....say 12th to 11th.
1. move the splitter button forward
2. lift foot off pedal to break the torque and immediately mover lever to neutral
3. rev engine a couple hundred rpm and EASE it into the next lower gear. (might have to fine tune your rpms up or down it you feel some grinding through the lever).

The clutching part, should you choose to use it, is the same as a 10.

 

Hi rank, I do it different. Going from 12 to 11, I move the lever 1st to get it in the next gear, then hit button as soon as I get the main gear, but before hitting the throttle. Sometimes if I moved the splitter, then neutral, it got things spinning and clash would result. Also, I push on the clutch just a little to take the pressure off. Same upshifting, like from 9th to 10th, I'd move the lever to the next gear, then move the button. Whatever works for ya', no points for style.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4456448]Hi rank, I do it different. Going from 12 to 11, I move the lever 1st to get it in the next gear, then hit button as soon as I get the main gear, but before hitting the throttle. Sometimes if I moved the splitter, then neutral, it got things spinning and clash would result. Also, I push on the clutch just a little to take the pressure off. Same upshifting, like from 9th to 10th, I'd move the lever to the next gear, then move the button. Whatever works for ya', no points for style.[/QUOTE]

ya.what he said^.

 

The way semi-retired does it is pretty much how eaton recommends you do it he just floats where eaton recommends a double clutch. Biggest thing is reving it gently, most guys tend to blast the throttle too hard to make the shift quicker on a 10, do that on a 13 and you'll over rev it every time. To get it out of gear I just barely come off the throttle, just enough to take pressure off the driveline not all the way off. Then at almost that exact same throttle position in neutral it will slowly wind up a bit and back into gear. Think of it more as a wiggle of the toes than a move of the foot. I pre-select on the splitter. That's my method but like I said the other way mentioned is how the manufacturer recommends it, I would learn that way first then adapt it to fit you.

 

Hi marineman, reason I did it like that, is I drove some pretty sloppy 13 speeds, and if I pre-selected the splitter, all heck broke loose. Now some transmissions require pre-selecting, like an air 4x4 I drove. That you pre selected the air part and pumped the clutch. That was a funky set up. Also a Mack "super 10", I think, required a pre select with the splitter and quick into neutral and back in the same gear. Didn't like that either. I still like a 13 better than any trans, although, like I've said before, with today's higher horse motors, usually, a 10 is good enough for road application. And the less said about that 3 speed on the shift knob thing, (IH) the better.

 

I preselect mine. As the RPMs are going down to about 1200-1100 or so give or take. So 8H to 8L, get the RPMs down which means speed down to match and slide red button back and let off throttle one time. It downshifts right there and RPMs go back up. To go from 8L to 7H, again get the RPMs down speed down then slide red button back forward again but don't take foot off throttle or things will make a nasty gnashing noise. So in a quick smooth motion downshift from 8L (but it is preselected as 8H now) to 7H and let off throttle one time-- RPMs go back up but will go back down for next downshift as you slow down. Same thing for 7L and 6H and so on down the line. Just takes practice.

 

I think we lost the OP 6 posts ago. To PacerTruka, it's pretty hard to describe, trial and error, they are pretty tough transmissions, I doubt you'll break it. Just remember like rank sez, there's only 2 or 300 rpms between split shifts, so easy on the throttle. If you get hopelessly lost (it just grinds) sometimes you can put the clutch all the way to the floor ( engage clutch brake with stick in neutral) to stop everything from spinning and you may be able to find a gear, but chances are, by then, you'll be way off.

 

Floating gears in a 13 was super nice compared to the 10 speed I left before buying my truck. Downshifting my 13 only required a tiny bump on the throttle and it went into the lower gear sweet. My prior ten speed took just a little more throttle and better timing to do it smoothly...........wasn't bad at all......... but the 13 almost did it by itself in comparison.