Help with double clutching.

They have a simulator for that now? My simulator was my neighbors 58 Mack! I now feel old! I used to ride with him when I was 6 or 7 and I really thought at that time the only function of the clutch had to do with starting and stopping the truck. I did notice that he would kind of take his foot and touch the clutch when he was supposed to be using it. The best thing I can think of is go to youtube and put in double clutching. There are plenty fellers on there exhibiting their shifting and clutching prowess or lack of it whatever the case may be. You will be able to tell who is good at it and who isn't pretty easily. It is mostly just repetition feeling the trans and the motor and the clutch working with eachother. Can you actually feel any of that on that simulator? Just wondering about that.

 

I suggest you learn to shift properly with the double clutching. If you're going to float, learn it later. The DOT tester will want to see proper techniques. The biggest thing when you're learning is to watch the rpms. That tach should be your friend. And make sure your jake is off, or you may grind more than you'd like.

Swift has those simulators. They're the worst. I did it after my training period. By then you know how the truck should feel in the simulated situations on the machine. And with those wrap around windows, the screens shakes to simulate the road and bumps, but the machine sits completely still. It's bad. I almost threw up when I stood up from the seat.

 

Don't rush it.You're going to learn in due time.

 

When I was 17 and first learned to drive, I had to Double the Clutch, there was no synchronization and no rev counter. You listened to the engine. You become tuned in and the vehicle becomes a part of you, both working in harmony.
I took a 18 speed Volvo from Stuttgart Germany to the UK with no clutch. Just getting the revs right I had no problems on the trip, although 99% was Autobahn, But the hills still required the up and downs. My biggest problems were pulling a way from a standstill, I had to rev her up and slam it in. You feel the stress build and your whole body tenses with apprehension and then the feeling of relief as she moves. Luckily I didn't have to revere or I'd have been screwed. Would I do it again? No but in those days if I had enough for a coffee and a smoke I was as happy as a sandman on the beach. In those days I also looked at things as challenges than being obstacles.

OK so you play Colonel Boggy while changing, guaranteed you will build confidence and succeed as time goes by, try not to stress yourself out and it'll become easier. Even now if everyone is honest, they drop one or crunch when going down the box especially in a strange vehicle. And that can mean the sister of the one your used to driving. I haven't tried sing gear tunes but if they work go for it. Going up the box is easy get the revs right and Bob's your uncle. The problems going down hill are created by trying to change at too faster speed and which creates panic. I always found if that happens go back up, If nothing else she'll stall and you'll stop anyway. Even though your 4 wheeler is syncro, you can still practice Doubling on it, after all the sequences are half the battle...

I also never heard the term floating the gears, If its just listening and getting the revs just right and dropping it in then OK, I've done it but I would appreciate someone explaining it to me, Probably just different terminology but I'm not too old to learn.

 

While most of us float the gears, in order to pass the CDL test these days you MUST double clutch or it's an automatic failure.

Practice makes perfect dude. Just take your time. You'll get it.

 

Well as a trainer first off its a simultainious movement while your pulling the lever out of gear lets say from 1st to 2nd you are pushing the clutch in / the pull the clutch out while you are in neutral let the rpms drop about 200 rpm this usually takes 1 second / Then press the clutch in while moving the the shifter into 2nd gear {to downshift} simalar but diffrent lets say from 2nd to 1st gear starting in 2nd/ press the clutch in and pull the shifter to neutral / Then press the excelerator lightly only raising you rpms about 250-300/ Then while the rpms are raised press in the clutch and move your shifter to 1st gear... Keep in mind on a normal 10 speed your only doing about 15mph in the top gear of low range so If you miss a gear it is always good to switch to high range and try to get into 6th or something...Hope this helps a little if not there is some You tube videos on double clutching

 

Double clutching is easy once you become a smooth shifter.

 

DB clutching is the correct method for shifting. Floating works but just not all applications in driving. When I learned to DBC my mantra was drive it like you stole it. :-0

 

May NOT be an instant failure depending on the state and the instructor, but a person who doesn't double clutch WILL lose points and it could with another goof, end up what fails a driver on the skills test. Why chance it when with practice (that the OP will almost surely get), its the way to do things. After being an instructor for a while, I never stopped double clutching.