How to start a truck from a stop on a hill

Lucky you !!

And, seriously, if I might add, your point is ???

 

Stopped on a hill once - could not get started - had to roll backward to a turn-around spot, turn around, go down the hill, turn around again, then hit the hill with a running start - made it over the top!

Once you get rolling, don't worry if you don't think you can catch the next gear - just keep it in whatever gear you are in!

 

it's not the same as starting a car on a hill.. in a car you can dump the gas and jump the clutch and spin tires all the way up the hill. no biggie.. but with 80000lbs behind ya it get's dangerous.. you'll run the risk of twisting a drive shaft an and once that happens you're pretty much gonna roll backwards until you hit the brake (if you realize what jus happened)

jus do like most said and ease off the clutch till the feel the truck try to pull and then release the brake..
if your coordination is that messed up jus us the hand valve to hold the truck right before you take off.. that way you cause concentrate more on ya foot work.. that way you'll be able to ease off the clutch and onto the gas all while still on the brake.. once your satisified just release the hand valve..

 

my point is, you should already know how to do this. You've never driven a car with a stick shift? You dont know anyone that owns one so you can practice for a few minutes? And I still knew how to do it, even if it wasnt on the test. And guess what? I have to go up a very steep overpass with a stop light in the middle of the grade every time i go back to work after a weekend off.

 

I don't mean to be a smart ### or a know-it-all. But if you can't get moving from a dead start on a hill (any hill) with 40 tons then you are in need of more training. It's not a hard thing.

 

Just don't give it throttle as your letting out on the clutch(low gear), it isn't a car. I can't tell you how many guys I've roadtested and they gave it throttle as they were letting off the clutch, don't do it!! It doesn't require any throttle, it ain't gonna kill it. Now for you guys that think taking off in 5th or 6th while empty is ok, do whatever you want because you don't know how to drive in the first place.

 

At the start of my second week of training, I was driving thru the mountains of western Maryland or Virginia. Following my trainers instructions, I was downshifting as he had said as we started going up hill, but soon found myself loosing too much speed and ended up stalling the truck in the middle of a rather steep grade. No backing up on this one! It took a couple rocky starts, but I finally got it going. Managed to shift up to 4th or 5th and maintain speed, but if I tried to go any higher I slowed down fast and had to drop a gear quick to maintain. I eventually got it figured out and by modifying what my trainer told me just a little (he said to not let the rpms drop below 1100 before downshifting, but that was too late. Instead, I downshifted at 1200 and didn't have any more problems.) I had no more problems going up the hills. Bit of a shaky introduction to mountain driving, but I got thru it relatively unscathed.

And Mitch, if "dump the gas and jump the clutch" , as you put it, in a car you can break a u-joint, axle, or even a transmission just as easily as you can in a big truck. I know, my brother did it...in an automatic car....on flat ground. Anybody who dumps the clutch like that on a hill to get started is an idiot and needs their driving priviledges revoked. That can cause you to loose control and/or broken parts. The proper way to start on a hill is the same whether you are driving a Honda or a Peterbilt: let the clutch out slowly til you feel it start to pull, then release the brake, then slowly step on the fuel pedal.

 

Ok.....next quiz.....

Same hill.....but this time in snow....and you have a Smokiebear behind you.......

 

In that case...I'm setting the brakes, pulling out the grill, and offering smokey a cold one.



Seriously though...my only experience with winter driving has been with 4 wheelers, so I can only assume that starting out on a snowy hill with a big truck would have to be the same as before, only maybe, perhaps starting out in 2nd intstead of first to try to avoid wheel spin.

 

I just put her in granny low and ease out on the clutch until I feel the engin take hold then release the brake. You can't go wrong with granny low on a hill.