How to Float?

Which is really nice when the light changes to green just as you stop.
That or if the clutch brake sux like the Pete I was in that just got traded off at 476k miles.
That thing sometimes I had to kill the engine to get a gear then start it in gear,what a PITA!

 

Ya, that's where I'm at.. usually its because I've over throttled in a low gear, and my RPMs are too high to slip it out of gear. As long as the RPMs aren't WAY too high, a tap of the clutch makes life easier.

That's how I see the clutch now.. and maybe this is only a revelation for me, but: its a safety buffer of sorts, allowing you extra room to shift gears when you're sloppy with your throttle control and knowing what rpm you need to shift at. But as you get more precise, the less need there is for the clutch.

 

It can also depend on the truck engine/transmission.

I've been in Peterbeilts with Eaton Fuller multi speed axles/transmissions and you could float up and down gears so easy it almost seemed like it was impossible to grind.

On the flip side I've been im Macks with Mack transmissions which were so difficult to float it seemed like I had never driven a manual transmission before.

 

"Floating 101"

Crank up, warm up, and get all set to roll.

Depress clutch, Shift into gear, and roll off the clutch.
(wow... we're moving.)

Throttle up to speed in that gear, and when you are ready to shift...........

Place light pressure on shifter in direction of your shift, ease off throttle, and it will "pop out".... then move it into next gear.
If done fast enough, should suck right in when RPM's drop to the "sweet spot".

Throttle up through that gear and do the next the same way.

DO NOT YANK, SNATCH, JERK, JAM, or FORCE the shifter into gear.
Use LIGHT pressure.... "TWO FINGERS"

If you "miss" the shift, "pat" the throttle to rev up and try again.

If you GRIND, you are using too much force and trying to jam it in.
Lighten up.

NOW GO PRACTICE.




BTW...........

"Gear JAMMER" is a BAD term.... just like COWBOY and GOOD BUDDY.