Downshifting questions from a new driver, please help!

=)

I know sandstone well. Unfortunately along with the joyful days comes the tears from time to time on that hill as on others. New River is not too far from there which is one of the more bigger challenges back in the day. Used to be a bridge one would hear stories about having to use in order to get out of the Maryland area the hard way before they blew it up some time before I became a trucker. I suppose they had to, being cheaper to replace it.

 

I just dont understand why its a big deal If I stop at a stop sign in 5th gear and then while stopped go to neutral and then third. Our instructor wants us to always get to third gear before any stop but shouldn't just being in a low gear be good enough.

 

If you ever run Route One from I-287 for about oh.. 38 miles towards NYC you will find it to be a block after block after block of red lights. The first green you hit needs to have power applied and you speed to about oh... 42 in a 35 zone. The next light should be green.

ONCE in a while the traffic light timing system tosses a wrench into the entire route 1 matrix. You are seeing a red light and have to slow down two blocks before reaching it. Soon enough you are in third light fuel on your hammer waiting out the red to turn green before other cars in front make you stop. Boom shes green now. You are already in third, kick her spurs time to go. Get the next light.

The lesson is that you have to have power to the drive line or in this case drive shaft at all times, there is a certain way of doing it but rolling in nuetral or stopping in nuetral aint it.

 

in power range with proper torque you control the truck. If out of gear in certain coasting situations you can loose control.

 

Once down shifting clicks in your head you got it.

 

But Im not stopping in neutral, or coasting in neutral, Id never do that. Our instructor even tells us that If we are at a stop in 4th, before going put it in third before taking off. Does it have to do with 5th gear being too high for only going 5mph and less?

 

Yes should be in lower gear under engine load before slowing down for stop.

 

Aside some of the utter #########.

Its timing and a feel. Slow your self down on a range shift. Dont force it and take a little extra time between gears Compaired to a regular gear change. Now if the hi/lo syncronizer is worn it will grind everytime.

The reason not to coast to the light in a commercial vehicle is that it's not looked as being in control of the vehicle. In a little car you have brakes that will stop 300% what the car weights. In a truck with longer stopping distances with honestly brakes that are marginal at best for gross weight, downshifting is part of your braking. Auto tech has come along way in braking and commercial equipment has taken years just to get improvements. 1985 and before did not require brakes on the steers.

Its control. And if you ever have a brake failure your will be happy to know how to downshift.

 

Its control & controlling the vehicle.

 

What if you wanted to make a thrn into a tight driveway? Would you stop in the roadway and get the gear?

Rarely did I bump down to low range if I knew I was stopping, but I had the ability to. If the light chnaged, grab the gear and go. Stop and go traffic - no problem. I am sure you can think of many skills in your life that you do not use often but that are the basis for other skills. That is why they want to see it done.

Watch your gauges on the way up. See speed and rpm matches, it helps on the way down. Higher gears hav3 a larger speed range, so they are a little more forgiving. Lower gears you need to be spot on. Be patient on the shift - plan it then execute it.