Floating Gears

Thats it. To many new drivers push that clutch in too far and burn up the clutch brake. Now they got to jam it in gear to get it rolling which is a sound that makes me cringe when I hear it. Some guys also burn it up when they rev the motor with the clutch down while taking off rather than just putting it in a low gear and easing off the clutch to roll off. I can't stand driving a truck without a clutch brake. It don't feel good when everyones head turns your way as you go screamin into gear in the yard.

 

That type of driving reflects on the CDL school they went to. It seems that alot of new drivers are not taught how to take care of the equipment. When I first started driving there wasn't that many schools around and at the time most companies didn't hire if a driver did go to school.

I was taught by the old hands and my performance reflected back on them. So they really put you through the training. And when you screwed up you got a slap in the back of the head. There's nothing better than 20 or 30 years of experience teaching you with no other interest than seeing you do good. CDL schools are there to see you get your CDL and the real training is left up to the company and that's where the ball gets dropped. How in the world can someone with 6 months driving teach another driver? They can't.

 

I couldn't agree more. Some of the stuff I see guys doing to/in their trucks these days would have gotten me thrown out on my ear back when my dad was teaching me to drive. CDL schools have put a lot of folks who have no business in a truck out there behind the wheel. Guys that wouldn't have gotten pass the 2nd day learning with old timers are now "guaranteed a CDL in 6 weeks!" if they can come up with the $2500.


The difference is my Dad wasn't just teaching me how to barely squeek by on the CDL test, he was making sure I was ready for a lifetime career on the road.

 

There's a DMV CDL TESTING FACILITY, just around the corner from our yard. In the last year, the number of "NEW" CDL DRIVING SCHOOLS has jumped considerable amount. Each morning I drive by, there has to be a dozen or so schools, waiting for their Students to take the CDL driving test.
I was trained by a Professional Driver with 30 years experiance. (And he use the term "Professional Driver" and meant it). To this day, I am glad to have been trained by a Professional Driver. There is no way you could stuff me, into a converted Sleeper made into a rolling Class Room, like some of these schools do.
CDL in Six Weeks? This includes driving in Bad Weather, Snow, Earthquakes, and LA traffic? Where do I sign!!!

And Yes, I do shift without the clutch. aka "Floating the gears"
2.5 million miles, and haven't ruined a transmission yet. (I probably just Jinks myself )

 

I never use the clutch unless taking off or stopping. In my own opinion if your experiancing jerking and grinding to the point you have to worry about tranny damage then you need to go back and learn how to shift because if you doing it while floating then your doing when using a clutch. There isn't much differance between the two.

I think you should know how to double clutch but it don't make you any less of a driver if you choose not to do it.

 

wow. As I've mentioned several times, I was taught old school. From day one all I was taught was floating. I was taught to only double when I absolutly had to and as far as the smacks on the back of the head, I still have some lumps and to this day when I go see my uncle, He will put me in one of his trucks just to take a ride to see how I'm doing. And yes if need be he'll smack me again lol.

 

Funny. I'm one of those guys that never learned to double clutch. in the mid-90s, I was sitting in a truckstop in Wildwood, Fla doing the largecar chickentruck polishing ritual in preparation for the nighttime triple digit sprint. 2 training trucks show up and park beside me. The students get out and all come over to my rig ogling. They asked if they could get inside and look in, so I got out and let them climb through my truck.

Student: This truck is awesome! What transmission is that?

TripleSix: Thats a Super10

Student: How do you doubleclutch that?

TripleSix: What is a doubleclutch? (that was the first time Ive ever heard of it)

Student: You dont know how to doubleclutch? How did you pass trucking school?

TripleSix: I've never been to trucking school. Why would I need a doubleclutch when I can float the gears?

Student: Float the gears?

TripleSix: Shift without using the clutch

Student: You can do that?

TripleSix: Everybody can.

Trainer: Student! Get out of that truck now!!!

 

AW come on! Aren't you the guy who can do a wheelie in Js parking lot??? Somebody here can because I've seen it done too many times. Admit it.

 

thats all fine and dandy... but i think you have the wrong idea about driving... if you are running it up to 1600 you are cutting your milage down , which wont hurt you unless your OTR OO. secondly , if your going to go that far why not just skip shift and save the down rev time considering you would be at about the same speed and RPM's needed to enter the gear after...

secondly... when you have to slow down fast a jake and double clutch aren't going to do it...
holding your breaks can not stop that bad boy when your refer is trying to scratch your back... so hold your breaks... skip the double clutch ( cause it causes you to end up slowing down the slowing process since it disengages ).. drop down high if your out , and low if your high and hit the same gear then go down 2 to 3 gears at a time till you get it right... fortunately you are way less likely to grind one in while decelorating fast and you will know when you have missed you change to hit it... not something to practice on the fly eather...

try it pulling off for fuel instead of looking to see if the lot lizards are out and running...

 

ya know... if you stop and just let it do it's job when you are trying to go into gear... you just might watch the truck take on a life of it's own and grab your peterbuilt...

or did i say that backwards...
if you are having trouble learning to float... go out by you a $200.00 car with a cable clutch and 2 days later you will have a way better idea of it...

just hope you have driven a standard before you hopped up there on that big truck or you might not make it...