Downshifting and braking at the same time, proper technique?

When taking an exit ramp on the interstate or slowing down to make a turn, how are you supposed to apply the brakes and downshift at the same time? I know it's illegal to coast for more than a truck length so I'm curious how you guys do it. When I do it, I apply the service brakes until the rpms are low enough I can downshift but then I have to take my foot off the brake in order to rev the engine to get it into a lower gear. I feel like this is more dangerous than coasting. I only haul grain for our farm so I never went to CDL school to learn the proper technique. Any advice?

 

Slow down more before the exit so you are not cramming in the turn. Drive with your ears to know your shifting pattern without looking works for up and down. Also, make sure you are going to the correct gear for the speed and have the rpm to match. Hope it helps. -Vinny

 

Use both feet, one on the the square pedal and one on the skinny pedal

 

Just let the jakes do the slowing until you get to about 15-20 mph then hit on the brakes

 

This is what I worked out when bugging a trainer with questions during a refresher:

First, I was driving a 10 speed and was thinking of a concept called "Remember Your 5s". For example, doing 25mph would could quickly think of 2+5 = 7 so you could grab gear 7 at that speed. Or grab gear 6 at 15mph.

A few times in Minneapolis I came into very sharp exits. Of course, I'd slowed up a little and was in gear 9 or 8. I got into the exit and just used my brakes until the truck was about to lug a bit. Then I pressed the clutch and slowed down a little more. As this was timed, I was roughly getting to 15mph coming out of the sharp exit ramp. Since I was already clutched, at this point I pushed to Neutral, revved, then clutched and and shifted to 6th.

I later tried the same method going from 10 straight to 6th. I gave my trainer the impression of being in control of the truck and shifting this way in a deliberate way and he seemed very cool with it.

I'm not sure if a State examiner for a CDL exam would accept this kind of thing though. Also for what it's worth, I'm just sharing my experience as another driver trying to learn. Others might pick over what I was doing right or wrong or advise to not ride the clutch to long.

 

Toes on the brake heel on the gas. Just like a race car driver.
Seriously slow down enough so you have the time to take your foot of the brake and downshift. Two three downshifts and you come to a stop don't have to downshift all the way to 1st gear, but you can if you want to.
Now if you are asking about downshifting to take a CDL test I'm the wrong person to answer as it has been some time.

 

Just completed my CDL training, here's how it worked for me -
the operating RPM range on the 10-speed i was driving was between 1000-1700 (he recommended I rev a little higher before upshifting, to make a larger shift 'window' to upshift in).
When downshifting, I would brake pretty hard (which kicks in the engine brake on my training truck as well) down to 1000, then let go of the brake, clutch out, and slightly rev up to around 1200 or so before downshift. I had problems trying to clutch back into a lower gear, grinding a lot, etc. My trainer said I was also pressing the brake after clutching to neutral, and that was slowing the engine RPM's too far to be able to easily downshift, say, from 8th to 7th gear. He recommended I NOT brake while actually clutched out and shifting to the lower gear, and I got better right away in downshifting.

Also, he said it was OK to come close to stopping from 7th gear, you won't stall, out, and can coast a short time after clutching out to neutral before coming to a complete stop.

Hope this helps, I felt the same thing too when trying to slow down in city traffic to come to a stop, that's why I was also hitting the brake when clutched out.

 

Personally I slow using the engine brake and downshifting like normal. I rode with my cousin once and he does the “left foot on the brake, right foot on the go pedal” deal while downshifting and slowing down.

 

The CDL test of if your out of gear and coasting you are a failure is moronic.

I coast out of gear all the time in the real World.

I hit a rest stop every Hour and a half.

Exit the freeway in 10th with the Jake set. Let it ride until it kicks off pull the truck out of gear and coast on in. Rarely do I have to grab a gear after that.

Just keep your speed sensibly Low

 

We aren't allowed the Jake here. I was taught to take 9 just before the ramp and slow to 60 (under 55 is a point). Once on the ramp, take 8 asap, then use service brakes until 20-25. Downshift into 6 and service brake to stop. We're allowed to skip gears on downshifts and to stop in 6 here. Real world's gotta be so different, this testing seems kinda silly sometimes.

 

Left foot on the brake, bump the throttle with the right to change gears.