Downshifting

I have the same problem with a 10 speed, but as time goes by I’m getting better. I quickly learned to float the gears too.

 

Not to insult anyone's intelligence but I found that I was going to fast when I first started downshifting. Of course it didn't help that the truck I trained on to shift had a non-working speedometer. My trainer said you almost had to be stopped while downshifting into sixth on a 10-speed and that's why he had us make turns (right or left) in sixth because it was a good speed & gear. So when I realized what the correct speed was for sixth I adjusted for 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th. Worked out much better.

 

tommy,,, you always shift by the sound of the engine, not the tach. I know that sounds stupid but it's true. As far as down shifting, floating the gears is the way to go. Especially in the winter time, you try to double clutch on down shifting and your foot slips off the clutch and dump it, you could very easily go in to ditch or get thrown into a power skid from all that torque getting dumped to the drivers. I also drive a truck with a 13 speed. It's in my opinion the easiest and best tranny to have, nothing like shifting with your thumb Anyways,, if someone told you to wait till you get down to around 13 or 12 on the tach then downshift, forget that college educated waste of time idea. Your sweet spot on any tranny is between 14 and 16oo on the tach. Keep the rpms around that area, and if you miss it you can do what's called double downing. Instead of hitting the spliter you just downshift like you would a 10 or 9 speed. When you float the gears, listen to the engine, when upshifting , use progressive shifting, take the tach up to 15 then upshift through the gears. The same for downshifting, I personally find that downshifting a 13 speed is easier if you just forget the splitter from direct to overdrive and downshift it like a 10 or 9. Even after 21 years of driving, it's less work for you and that "1/2" a gear your dropping is not worth the effort. So in summary, listen to the engine, if your pushing down on the accelerater and not going faster then you know you need to upshift, the same with down shifting, if your slowing down and you start bucking like on a horse you know your too high a gear. Just keep your chin up and it will come to you. I still grind gears , it's something that everyone that drives a truck does no matter how much experience you have with the tranny. I hope this helps ya, another thing you can do is go to youtube and see if there is any videos on there about shifting a 13 speed and don't look at the monitor, close your eyes and listen to the engine noise, you'll be able to tell when the person is shifting either up or down. Oh , by the way, when downshifting when floating gears, DO NOT BUMP THE ACCELERATOR ! Let off the throtle, start to push the stick to what gear you want, and lightly push on throttle to match rpms,, do not jab the throttle. It will take time to learn, but when you do you'll grind less. God Bless and be careful out there on the road

PS do not practice floating up or down going down a hill, that could get ugly quick

 

Easiest way is just rev up while putting slight pressure on the shifter.

Use constant building RPM.. dont pat the throttle.

You will learn their is a different vibration in the stick and sound if you rev'd to high or low.
If you need more RPM the sound of grinding will be louder and grinds much closer together. If your too high and need less RPM the sound will be quieter and less vibration on the stick.

Just remember to be slow about revin up or down. and never force the gear by applying too much pressure. It will fall into gear when you get the RPM's where she likes it.

Oh.. And dont be a noob and double clutch.

 

With a 13, I might suggest you begin learning your downshifting by not "involving" the splitter in case this may be an issue here. That will only confuse the situation if you're trying to incorporate a split AND a hole change. Just leave the splitter where it is and slow down to a learned speed, double clutch, out of hole and tap the fuel and get the next lower hole (effectively skipping a gear) Obviously downshifting with a split is easy enough but again, don't try and mix a split with a hole change until you're real comfortable with your setup.

 

A friend once told me, and he has years under his belt, "Grind'em till you Find'em". Everybody can tell anything but in the end you will figure it out on your own. Even the best Grind a little.

 

Thats right. I was trying to help by giving a descent description.

 

The trick to getting it out of gear is no torque on the drivetrain, it'll slip right out. So, slowing down. Light pressure on the stick, ease into throttle until it slides into neutral, push the throttle bit more as you lightly hold the stick against the next gear (no grinding, but you'll feel the resistance) and it'll drop right in. Easy peasy!

 

Yeah, because the way they are teaching us in the CDL school sure seems like the hard way to do it. Double clutch on the way up and use the tach on the way down. #### grinding away for me. And I thought learning how to drive these things would be easy...