Floating Gears

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Kannonball, Sep 14, 2015.

  1. Pumpkin Oval Head

    Pumpkin Oval Head Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2010
    Messages:
    1,679
    Thanks Received:
    1,155
    Location:
    Scranton PA
    0
    What situations are causing you the most problem? Stop lights, traffic, up shifting, down shifting?
     
    Kannonball Thanks this.
  2. CasanovaCruiser

    CasanovaCruiser Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Messages:
    1,712
    Thanks Received:
    2,669
    Location:
    Indiana
    0
    My trainers truck shorted its entire dash panel out along with the radio last week. Drove 600 miles with no tach, speedo, or gauges.
    To my surprise I found I really didn't need the tach like I thought I did. Fantastic way to learn that lesson lol
     
  3. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2015
    Messages:
    29,273
    Thanks Received:
    160,125
    Location:
    Canuckistan
    0
    The tach on the driving school's truck was wacked out so I never had the chance to learned with the tach. That habit has stuck with me because of that reason. I do glance at it from time to time but generally keep my eyes focused on the surroundings.
     
    Dye Guardian Thanks this.
  4. Josh_B

    Josh_B Bobtail Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2015
    Messages:
    44
    Thanks Received:
    17
    0
    some people give exact numbers for shifting. But feel and sound is where it'sat. Drive the truck up to high rpms, let off the gas and pull it out of gear. If it wont come loose, you over shot, hit the clutch. You gotta time it right to match natural rpms to the speed your going for the gear your going into. It should cradle in smoothly, but if it doesn't, hit the clutch. As the engine is slowing down a window opens for the transmission to shift. if you miss the window, either try to recreate it by matching rpms to speed, or just press the clutch. pressing the clutch is better tham grinding gears
     
    Kannonball and AModelCat Thank this.
  5. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2011
    Messages:
    5,511
    Thanks Received:
    4,420
    Location:
    Pelham N.C.
    0
    When done right it will come out with out any pressure and the next gear will almost feel like it sucks it into gear.
     
    Dye Guardian and Josh_B Thank this.
  6. White Dog

    White Dog Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2008
    Messages:
    3,161
    Thanks Received:
    3,807
    Location:
    Iowa
    0
    Ok?
     
    Milkman719 Thanks this.
  7. Rockyintown

    Rockyintown Bobtail Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2015
    Messages:
    8
    Thanks Received:
    2
    0
    Any one could help me on what is like and the money weekly on us express dollar general acc. I am new to the business right out of cdl a school. Thanks upfront for your advice
     
  8. okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    Messages:
    12,570
    Thanks Received:
    94,923
    Location:
    PNWET
    0
  9. FinkPloyd

    FinkPloyd Light Load Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2015
    Messages:
    206
    Thanks Received:
    268
    0
    C'mon Guys Its not Like you are trying to Flow Shift one of these!



    All it takes is Practice!
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2015
    Kannonball, Milkman719 and truckdad Thank this.
  10. SlimPickens

    SlimPickens Light Load Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2015
    Messages:
    67
    Thanks Received:
    71
    0
    I ended up like you. I was REQUIRED to DC in training to get my license. Now all I ever do is float. I learned on my own though. I was able to just figure things out naturally and over my own course of time.

    I think my only piece of advice to you would be to understand how floating works. You still need SOME throttle to push it out of gear. What I do is I run the RPMs up and then i slowly let off of the gas while LIGHTLY taking the stick out of gear. Just lightly pull on the stick shift while you're letting up on the gas, and it should fall smoothly out. Of course, this is going to take practice, because nobody shifts the same.

    Oh, tap on the gas to take it out of gear for downshifting, and make sure you're still mashing the #### out of the gas to put it back in. I only just now got comfortable floating my downshifts about a month ago. It does seem inconvenient at first because you can just double shift way faster. It is less stress on your knees though, and you SHOULD be slowing down way before you stop anyways. I usually just take it out of gear and coast though. I look at my MPH to put it back.

    You'll get used to it though. Learning that truck is the best feeling in the world.
     
    Kannonball Thanks this.