How do you switch the gear?

I was taught to float years ago and didn't have a clue about double clutching until having to regain my CDL this year and then hiring on with Swift, both require double clutching. Now I'm comfortable using either method or to simply use the clutch to disengage out of a gear (as noted above it can be sticky to get out of gear) and then float into the next gear. Both methods are useful.

 

Many don't know how to double clutch, I just taught a guy the other day, amazed that he has been driving for 30 years and never did anything like that before. Learn it, learn how to match the engine to the road speed and floating comes natural.

 

I like to clutch up at low rpms

float or clutch with no rev downshift

Keeps my rpms down and get better fuel mileage.

 

SNI has a specific way they want you to shift, so I do it that way. When possible skip shift up with double clutch, drop 2-3 gears at a time double clutch down. I usually go 2-4-6 on the way up, then 10-8-5 back down. Sometimes I miss, and then have to recover the gear (which they teach you a pretty decent way to avoid the grind and find). Sometimes I forget I'm truckin and just clutch in, brake to a stop, shift to 2nd and start again haha.

 

I didn't figure pumpkin trucks had enough power to pull of skipping gears unless bobtailing. At a certain point you're working the truck so hard you're losing fuel economy.

 

I skip 2-4 every load, and skip 4-6 under 30k. 5-7 is dicey under 30k and won't do it, unless I'm starting off on any sort of down grade. Under 20k and I'll launch in 3rd and skip to 5-7 no problem.

Even real heavy I'll usually skip 1-3. 2nd seems horrible when starting in 1 and going straight to 3 feels much smoother, doesn't slug, and means 1 less shift.

Though I'm sure we don't have as much power as many others, it's still plenty to (eventually) get the job done. Only frustrating thing for me is the inability to put the truck to 70 on the back of one hill and keep feeding power to help go up the next one. Even flat on the floor with my QC hollerin because I'm "trying to speed" the power won't come back on until it's under 67mph.

 

Skipping is to hard in my opinion, most beginners problem is to heavy on the throttle in the lower gears. Its not a drag race keep her low and move the stick slow is what used to be told to me.

 

Learn both.

It is your preference unless the company tells you to use one method.

The correct way is to not grind!

 

1-3 skip, I have never used 1st gear on a 10 speed yet. A majority of N&M's trucks were 9 speeds and gutless so I would use 1st (not granny low) on the 9 speed. I do like 2-4 but then usually run them all the rest of the way up.

 

Usually reserved for when I'm over 40,000 in the van, stopped at a light, nose higher than my butt, and a 4 wheel bumper sticker behind me. Use it to avoid any chance of rolling back. I don't roll back anyways, but I'd rather be paranoid and safe than over-confident and be buying new front ends for cars. Anything less than 40,000 and I'm starting in 2nd.