Help me learn how to float

A problem I've seen with a lot of new drivers is that they immediately want to jump into floating. If you pick it up quickly and the right way, that's fine and dandy. But if you're having trouble and grinding gears before you know what to do, you're asking for transmission problems. It's best to learn floating in your own truck when you have more driving experience and when you aren't risking messing up someone else's transmission. For now, I'd suggest to take it slow and learn how to listen and feel the engine and trans before rushing ahead. It's all about timing.

 

If your trying to downahift from 10th to 9th at 45 mph that might be to slow for that gear try it at around 55mph. The best way to determine the downshift speed is to pay attention to your speed when you up shift. But every engine is different for example my last truck had a Detroit 60 series you had to let it drop to about 1100 rpm when climbing a hill before you down shift, I have a cascadia with a dd15 it downshifts at about 1300 rpm.

 

You teach me how to double-clutch and I'll teach you how to float.

 

Hahaha, you read my mind, I was thinking the same thing!

 

I have to ask, can you double clutch????? If so then I would not worry about floating. Personally, I find floating much easier and I have a tough time double clutching. It takes me a couple mile to get used to a different truck though. Different engines and transmissions need different shifting techniques. I am lucky. I learned floating on 9 speeds and 10 speeds. Now I am running 13s and I slide gears like butter. Less rpm difference between gears makes it soooooo much easier.

 

Do u have to use both feet?

 

How about you all watch a video on Roadranger transmissions, double clutching, and how to shift.

http://www.roadranger.com/ecm/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=290018

Short 10 speed video

http://www.roadranger.com/ecm/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=290020

10 speed PDF

http://www.roadranger.com/ecm/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=297636

 

All of us don't profess to not know how to double clutch. I knew how to do so when you were still steaming up your Pampers, because it was a requirement to pass your NYS Class 1 road test.

The Fuller videos are great for people who don't know how to correctly use an air-splitter, and when and when not to preselect ranges. And yes, a manufacturer will always recommend using the clutch, because a lot of damage can be done by incorrectly shifting without it.

It's funny, we used to call it speed-shifting back in the day, but now it's "floating". I guess speed shifting is now the buzz word for the cowboys who try and do that lighting fast single clutch action shift, like I saw that jack-wagon do on American Trucker one time with his "military" training.

 

Yes, I worded that poorly very poorly. Myself and double clutching, only when I was practicing on the truck I was going to take the driving test in and during the driving test. I was taught how to drive by not using the clutch. I never saw the point in a double clutch. You still need to match input shaft to output shaft, no matter if the clutch is used or not.

I put the video's there more for the new drivers that come to the site, and want to learn a little more about their shifting and the tranmission they may have.

 

What the heck is floating?