What to look for in your 1st company issued truck from Prime?

Discussion in 'Prime' started by gillz107, Sep 7, 2016.

  1. J.S.

    J.S. Medium Load Member

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    Passing vehicles ha!
     
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  3. gillz107

    gillz107 Light Load Member

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    Feb 23, 2016
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    Hmm... I'll check them again when I get a load again and see how they check out then.
    Surprisingly, there are non-Prime trucks that drove slower than even me. Must be gunning for those fuel bonuses I guess.
     
  4. albert l

    albert l Road Train Member

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    Make sure your jake button on the dash is pushed all the way down on Hi
     
  5. FullMetalJacket

    FullMetalJacket Road Train Member

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    At 40-45mph, in 9th gear, the rpms are too low for the jake to really even start being effective.

    Watch your tach as you gain speed. You will see it start to become more effective at 1400-1500+rpms on up, increasing effectiveness as it goes up. When using jake on descent, you need to be in a gear or three lower than what you would be on flat, or when accelerating. When you have it in same gear as flat, it is at so low of rpms, that jake gives minimal help, if any.

    Remember, you are decending the hill & not giving it any fuel at all. So, the not the same situation as when you are going for fuel milage when you are accelerating, giving it fuel. In this case, you need that engine compression slowing you down. It's turning, but it is not drawing fuel to any degree as when you are accelerating.

    You'll see most effective running up to 1800rpm range. Wouldn't get it up much higher than that. Key is picking the right gear for that particular grade & weight you are carrying to hold, or decrease that speed while on full jake setting. Then you can toggle between low/off jake to let speed run up 5-10mph, flip to high jake to slow it down to 5mph or so under your target speed, & repeat, repeat till down. If you have the right gear, should not have to use the brake pedal at all going down. You should have the ability to do this with the correct gears only, and no jake come winter, when conditions demand it.

    Best to ya, bud & good luck to you!

    Exciting time getting out on your own, I'm sure.



    :thumbup:
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
    Chucktshoes and gillz107 Thank this.
  6. gillz107

    gillz107 Light Load Member

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    Feb 23, 2016
    New York
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    I wasn't aware the engine didn't use fuel when going downhill. I assumed you lost fuel everytime you went over 12,000 RPM. That's REALLY good to know. Thanks!

    Edit: Wait a minute; How can you even possibly go downhill WITHOUT using the Jake?! I didn't even think that was possible!
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
  7. FullMetalJacket

    FullMetalJacket Road Train Member

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    Not 0 fuel, it IS still running. But, you are not dumping fuel into it (no accelerator) as when you're on the pedal.

    Chose the right gear, you can decend most any grade. Have the gearing & engine do the work. You may be crawling at a snail's pace, but you will get down. In bad winter conditions, that jake could put you in one terrible situation.

    I usually start my students out learning how to decend hills without the jake before teaching them with. If their jakes ever go out on them, they will know how to safely make it down. That way, I hope to see them alive & kicking at some later date.

    Start out going slow, and see what works. The slower, the better, at first. See what gears work with which grades, with varying weights. It's definately a learn by experience kind of thing. But, it will definately come as you go along.

    Always remember. You can go down a mountain many, many times too slow, with nary an issue. You will only go down a mountain too fast ONCE.

    :biggrin_25525:
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2016
    crazeydude, Highway101 and Chucktshoes Thank this.
  8. bigred81

    bigred81 Medium Load Member

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    So how does one descend hills with the new autoshift transmissions?
     
  9. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

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    Stick it in manual mode, drop a gear or two, and let the engine/transmission hold ya back. Just like a manual transmission.
     
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  10. bigred81

    bigred81 Medium Load Member

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    Have you driven the DD12 ? I was wondering if the terrain sensing feature would automatically do that for you?
     
  11. w.h.o

    w.h.o Road Train Member

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    Brake stabbing, dropping a few years, my first Schneider truck didn't have engine brake and I turn out just fine

    Manually downshift and engage engine brake.
     
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