I have learned how to drive a 10 spd eaton fuller tranny at school... The method that we have been taught is to "clutch out" of gear to neutral, and float into gear. Can any of you please enlighten me as to what Swift's policy is? Also, do you think that a mentor will allow me to float gears as long as I prove to them that I can do it without trashing the tranny? Thanks in advance for your help everyone. Have a good and safe New Years weekend! Tapeworm
Swift policy is "clutch-neutral-clutch-gear" as is the policy of any company which likes their transmission warranty to be valid. As for your mentor, it depends on their individual preference. Every transmission is different so each has it's own quirks. Some are easier to float and others are easier to double clutch. About the time you have learned the quirks of your mentor's truck you will be given the keys to your very own "new to you" truck to learn. Most importantly listen to your mentor and respect that it is their truck whether company or L/O.
yep...once u get ur own truck do whatever is easy for u....i double clutch...which almost all schools and state cdl testers and companies suggest that u do. That being said...it feels good to slip a gear every now and then...although it seems to me if I have a lot in the box that floating gears can be savage on a tranny...lol...
I think most companies would want you to double clutch. This means during the driving test. Doesn't hurt to ask the instructor at orientation which way they prefer you to drive. Personally I think floating is. I float all the time except when taking driving tests.
Izzy: PM me with specific questions. I'd hate to get our resident tr.... um....(not allowed to use that word).... all fired up.
I am not a gear man but I worked in a shop that had some of the best around, and they did a lot of warranty work. They can look at the sliding clutch on the transmission main shaft and tell if you clutch in. I was taught to clutch out and float in. Now the transmissions do not like that, something about how the slider is cut.
I wouldn't even bring up floating. You're only in that training truck for about five minutes. Just double clutch and be done.
Personally I like to double clutch. When I try to float it just seems so violent. The instructor at truck driving school wanted us to float on our driving days. I didn't care for it, I wanted to learn how to double clutch as any company I would be going to would expect that. My mentor would depress the clutch about an inch and hold it there for all shifting in the low range lol. I guess a modified float or something. I have heard of this technique called "Ice Shifting" where in you clutch in to go to neutral, idle up and float down to lower gear without the clutch. This supposedly reduces the chances of breaking traction on ice/snow/slippery surfaces because the torque is maintained along the drive train.
Any school that teaches floating is a yahoo school. All new drivers need to get double clutching down before they progress to floating. You need to learn matching road speed with engine speed first. Let me just say at least 90% of experienced drivers float. It's much easier on the clutch and if you know what you are doing transmission wear is nil. Mechanics like floaters better because they don't have to constantly adjust or even replace the clutch. Drivers like it because you don't wear your leg out and it's a smoother, quicker operation. Most will grind at first, but in time you and the transmission will become one! Practice makes perfect. John, when there's a new driver in a truck every 6 months, nobody knows who or what. I never had transmission problems or ever heard of oh you tore this up from floating. I've never even seen or heard of a transmission repair. Sure they happen, but far and few between.
