Do you double clutch?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by YukonTrucker, Dec 11, 2007.

Do you double clutch?

  1. *

    Yes

    27.8%
  2. *

    No

    72.7%
  1. LadyDallasDriver

    LadyDallasDriver Light Load Member

    129
    56
    May 5, 2008
    USA
    0
    Double clutch to pass DOT test. I only D.C when stopping and going (and a few other times depending on weight ect.
     
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  3. 18wheeldumptrucker

    18wheeldumptrucker "Buckeye Bucket"

    291
    67
    Apr 1, 2008
    Sullivan, Ohio
    0
    I just watched that video for the first time. For some reason, I feel like less of a man for only driving 13 speeds!:biggrin_2554: That's some skill right there!!
     
  4. LadyDallasDriver

    LadyDallasDriver Light Load Member

    129
    56
    May 5, 2008
    USA
    0
    I saw it to for the first time yesterday. I may be a lady but I know what you mean... Not mention how loud that truck was.
     
  5. Upandcomingdriver

    Upandcomingdriver Bobtail Member

    21
    0
    Oct 31, 2008
    Colorado
    0
    I float the gears in my car all the time. I know its nothing like doing it in a truck, but it will be interesting to see how fast I catch on once I get into school.
     
  6. slingblade07

    slingblade07 Light Load Member

    162
    27
    Sep 3, 2008
    Commerce, GA
    0
    Most schools wont let you float gears, have to double clutch, My company wouldnt let me float em thru all my training with trainer and road test.
     
  7. JGWhtmn

    JGWhtmn Bobtail Member

    37
    2
    Nov 3, 2008
    Hope BC
    0
    With 6-8% grades in BC and quick reflexes an 18spd gives you many possibilities to find the right gear. High torque engines using low RPM's in the lower part of the gear box you can start off and pull any grade if you take it real easy going through the gears with out the clutch.
     
  8. Big R

    Big R Bobtail Member

    18
    2
    Aug 25, 2008
    Anderson, IN
    0
    I found this thread because I was about to make one identical to it and ask what the point of double clutching was. I knew about floating gears long before I went to CDL school (2 months ago), and then found out that we had to double clutch in school. Also had to do it on our road test for Roehl when I started a couple weeks ago. Just got off the first Evolution with my trainer and he let me float from day 1. To me, floating seems safer, especially when slowing down, because you don't have to have 3 feet (one to brake, one to clutch, and one to bump the throttle). Our Freightliners have the Detroits with the exhaust brake too, so it can sometimes screw you up if you hit the clutch before tapping the throttle to cancel the exh. brake. It also seems #### near impossible to try to turn left onto a busy street and accelerate uphill and double clutch without impeding traffic. They push progressive shifting really hard at Roehl, so you are "supposed" to shift 2-3 at like 600-700 RPM, which gets you going about 2mph. If you try to take the time to double clutch into 3rd, you're basically at a dead stop again.

    So the only real reason they push it in school and during training is because Eaton-Fuller says not to? You'd think they know that none of their experienced drivers are doing it, and they have 500,000+ reasonably trouble-free miles on their trucks.

    Now trainer said that when I get with my next trainer, he's probably not going to let me float, so I had to go back to DC the last day of my training...what a pain in the :bootyshake:!
     
  9. Etosha

    Etosha World Citizen

    745
    50
    Aug 19, 2007
    Edmonton, AB
    0
    From what I hear, gravel trucks with lots of city driving get about 60% more life out of the gear box and clutch by floating. 125000kms without floating, 200000kms with floating!
     
  10. amstruck

    amstruck Bobtail Member

    33
    3
    Oct 25, 2008
    fort worth, tx
    0
    I double clutch when downshifting and going from 8 to 9 sometimes, for whatever reason...think i got that from taking that #### test and never stopped.
     
  11. tesla4all

    tesla4all Light Load Member

    176
    33
    Dec 8, 2008
    Southeastern US
    0
    Floater....bad knees......just listen to my engine, the road, and the cb...(ok, and the occasional mp3 player)
     
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