Double Clutching advice no manual experience..

I was thinking the same. 30 minutes behind the wheel isn't enough to do a #### thing...

 

Try going to Werner. They will pay for your past school. Most of their new trucks are automatic. Just secrect the entire industry will be automatic in the next five years. That clutch is out of style. Many drivers just float gears.

 

Yeah...no.

Learn to drive with a standard tranny. What happens when you find your dream job and all they have are manuals?

Guess that means you're stuck with a mega company...

Sorry bud but that's likely the worst advice I've heard since I've been on this forum...

 

While the industry may be making the move to the auto gearboxes. It will still take many, many more years for the standards to be gone. I taught all of my kids to drive standards, they despise automatics. It is getting harder and harder for them to find a standard in a car, but they are still out there.

Just like I told my kids when they were griping about having to learn a standard. Once you learn how to drive a standard you will be able to drive anything.

Can you wonderwarts that only know how to drive the autoshifts, drive a 8/9/10/13/18 spd?

What if you wanted to work for me and all I had was an 18 spd open for you to drive?

I guess you would have to go back to Werner and drive that autoshift, I am not opposed to the automated gearboxes, that actually are awesome to drive. They are equally as awesome to pay for in repairs. I figured the numbers out that I could replace 10 clutches to the price of a new Auto, 4 clutches to the price of an overhaul of one (if it could be overhauled and was not shot). I have had manual transmissions with over 1.5M miles on them that only had 2 or 3 clutches put into them, and the transmission still was going strong.

We smaller guys don't just throw our trucks away every five years like the Mega-Carriers. So like Vilhiem said if you want to work for those guys the rest of your life. Then go right ahead, don't learn how to drive the manual, don't take the time to learn how to perform even the littlest maintenance on the truck. In a few years when the Mega's go to the new robotic trucks, they will be paying you minimum wage to just ride around and back it into the dock.

We will see complete convoy's of your running with each other going down the road at about 57 mph. It will take us less to pass you though, because the computer won't be trying to drag race us with the little 62 mph truck. Maybe technology is for the better, there will always be a need for the real trucker that can think for themselves, drive for themselves, react for themselves.

 

I would love to find a standard personal vehicle... But that's off topic.

It bothers me how many people can't drive standard. Even the "newer" standards where double clutching wasn't needed.

My grandad taught me to drive standard. Had an 88 ranger that he said would be mine if I could pass his drivers exam.

His exam consisted of putting a solo cup full of water into the cup holder. If I spilled one drop then the test was failed.

Took me a few tries and it wasn't easy since the shocks were completely shot, but I drove that truck until the wheels fell off.

On topic, I couldn't have said it better.

 

I wish you the best Red, and you will do okay in time. We all had to start somewhere....some guys forget that.
I do have to say this is more proof of what I keep saying..schools are oftentime putting drivers out into the field who simply arent ready and have been ushered through school too quickly ( not specifically talking about you). It likely isn't all the trainers ( unless they just simply suck at their job ) fault as I'm pretty sure the school has guidelines ( including a time frame to get things done ) for trainers to follow. When a group of people are quickly herded thru any type training or schooling too fast it simply doesn't allow time for things to sink in. I think it's all about the money personally because the quicker you can get one group out the quicker you can get the next paying group in. Example: If there's just only 10 people per class at 3k per person...thats a lot of money. If they can do 8 classes a year as opposed to 5 classes a year they're going to do it, no if ands or buts about it. It's just like trucking....the more loads that are hauled the more money to be made..at least in theory lol.
This industry has got to somehow right the ship on being trained properly...without rushing it and worrying about getting the next class of students going in a certain time frame. I don't think it's a huge problem....but there is a problem and it sometimes leads to lives lost and careers ruined.

 

Rambler, you are so on key. That is why I basically have to start them over again. I feel sorry for those that went and paid $3000.00 - $10,000.00 to supposedly learn how to drive a truck in just three weeks. The two guys that I took on like that, had to basically be retrained. They worked out very well, paid their trucks off in two years, got their own authority, and have been doing very well ever since. Out of 21 drivers those two were the only ones that graduated my Owner Operator School. The rest of them had to much stinkin thinkin from their 2 - 20 years experience. Right now I don't have any slots open for greenhorns, and it is rare that one of them comes in with the right attitude to even be eligible.

If Red, just keeps at it and don't get discouraged, he will get the shifting down.

 

I have a 92 honda accord with a 5 speed sitting out here that I would get rid of pretty cheap. My kids have outgrown it, I have no need for it, third gear is a little rough, my fault for floating it, (lol). Found out not to float a Honda, it does not like that. Still runs good, drives good, it will need the timing belt, and water pump replaced, as it has been basically sitting more than running. We have those sitting in the shop, just never put them on. Let me know, it would make a good little run a bout car, and it is a blast to drive.

 

Heh, I've got a 98 s10 I'm looking to upgrade from. Would like another truck, at the very least something that sits higher than a car. The vantage point is nice to have.

Moving north to canada, so I'll need something more reliable. S10 runs well, but if I want her top-notch to my preferences it'll be a repair bill in excess of 6 grand.

I'm not so sure that everyone forgets that they were once new... Pretty sure there's a good many that believe and want others to think they were born with a wheel and shifter in hand.

 

Don't think I was born with a wheel and shifter in my hand. My dads says I popped out with a calculator in my hand and was running numbers from birth. LOL As a boy he told me that I had no common sense and to stay away from mechanical things and to stay away from trucking. I guess he must of shot enough diesel in me because I have always loved numbers, machines, and most of all big rigs. Guess that's why I came out here about eight years ago, after being gone for so long. The itch came back, my kids were raised, and I wanted something new to do again.

As far as a good vehicle to move up North with, the old Toyota 4 runners with that little 4 cylinder does great. We have one of those as well. It gets around as good as my Suburban with a detroit in it, just can't tow as much.