Floating the gears question.

You will have to have enough air in the reservoirs to be able to release the brakes too. No air no go without caging your maxis, but that is another story.

 

I suggest in that case you carry a set of long jumper cables and you could simply jump your truck off the reefer.

Originally Posted by bobnub
ooh, ooh, ooh. Since we are really trying to mess stuff up. Can you push start a semi like a car by putting it into gear and pushing it?


Did I miss something? What are we messing up?

 

You are a pretty strong fellow.

No , it depends on how strong you are.

Seriously the new generation automatic trucks actually coast on their own to save fuel.
You can float some synchro boxes and on some it is impossible to do smoothly.
On a 4 wheeler it is more difficult because the rev range is much larger and therefore not as easy to match engine and drive ratio speed exactly.

 

Yes, KingQ is correct in that it is actually a little harder to float in a car. So if you can float in a car you should be able to do it just fine in a big truck.

 

Back in the 1993 floods we floated not only the gears but the whole truck.

 

well, i have floated my manual transmission cars for over 20 years. i've only driven a big truck one time, one trip, with an O/O friend back in the 70s. international transtar II, 10 speed roadranger. i had no problems floating up. i don't remember if i did any downshifting. in cdl school now, and of course we only double clutch. i'm doing ok, but still have problems matching the revs and speed on a low-range skipshift downshift, especially from any gear to 4th. 10mph @ 1500... should be so easy.
another thing... first shift of the day... 3rd to 4th... i try to progressive shift at low revs. 1100-1200. take my time and do it right. i grind the first one every day. grrr

 

Why on God's green earth would that hurt the truck? If it still has enough air in it to release the brakes you can certainly push/ pull start it.

A buddy of mine who collects old trucks and I have done it on a regular basis when we get a truck home with no batteries. Put it into gear, give it a good, strong push with a fork-lift and we had an old Iron-Lung in a B-75 Mack as well as a 290 Cummins in 923 Widenose Kenworth fire right up.

But, they'd never teach you that in driving school.

 

Yes you can. It is not good but I have done it and know many others who have.

 

I seriously dought a truck will float. they really sink when they start filling with water

 

not bad,not bad at all.