I need help with shifting NOW!

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by nickto21, Apr 6, 2012.

  1. walstib

    walstib Darkstar

    Here's another tip that worked for me...Try not manhandling the gear shift, use 2 or 3 fingers and gently push the lever, when the rpms are right, it will drop right in!!!!
     
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  3. Guntoter

    Guntoter Road Train Member

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    The key is ONLY USE SLIGHT PRESSURE on the stick when pulling it into gear. DO NOT FORCE IT! Feel what the stick is telling you.
    A slight pressure (SLIGHT meaning just a little bit) on the stick you will feel the grind getting faster, that means you are getting the RPM's further away from where you want to be.
    If you get to the hole you want to be in and give it a small amount of pressure and the grind is getting slower, that means you are getting closer to the right RPM. When the grinding slows enough MAGIC... It drops into gear... Unless you are on the OTHER side of the differential between the flywheel and the input shaft of the transmission. Then its just the opposite.

    Thats upshifting.
     
  4. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    Hell DUDE, I still miss calculate and mess up !!!!! every engine is different, close but diff. watch the tach and speed when upshifting to get an idea of where your engine likes to be, then think in reverse, more or less.
     
  5. john b

    john b Light Load Member

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    its just like everyones says,there all different.get used to one then bingo they putt you in a different truck at school.got used to a 10 speed then a 9 speed than back to a ten,butt after a while you will find the sweet spot on each truck you drive
     
  6. rogueunh

    rogueunh Road Train Member

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    And then you'll get hired for a company with 13 or 18 speeds!

    Personally, as soon as I stopped watching the rpms shifting became a breeze.
     
  7. Everett

    Everett Crusty Shorts, What???

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    while stitting at home in the lazyboy or werever , take the tolit plunger , plop next too you and then place hand on it, then just like dancing, go thru the gears, double clucthing with your left foot, it's a mental thing, once your mind get trained it will be a piece of cake and you dont even know your doing it anymore, :biggrin_25524:
     
  8. JustSonny

    JustSonny Big Dummy

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    There's a resistance point going from 5th to 6th. It's the same resistance point you have when you shift into reverse or into 1st. I don't know why it's there, I just know that it is there.

    When the trans is in neutral, you can move the shifter left to right/right to left easily (the shifter just kinda flops back and forth). But it takes a little effort, because of the resistance point, to move the shifter farther to the left to go into 1st, reverse, or 6th.

    So, when you're upshifting from 5th to 6th, you'll feel that point as you move the shifter to the left. Use a little extra effort to get past the resistance point and then bring the shifter down and into 6th gear. If you don't get past the point and actually get into 6th, you'll likely drop into 8th and lug the engine.
     
  9. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    The truck is almost like a lover , you need to listen to the sounds she makes! She will tell you what she wants when she wants it! You will learn what sounds she makes when happy and unhappy sounds. Trying to teach by the tech and speedo is pointless. Rear gear ratio, tire size, tran speed (9,10,13,15,18...) even in a basic 10 speed you can have diff ratio inside. So every truck is diff and have diff personality , just like no two lovers. Little crude but I think you get the point. Once you learn the make her purr both will be happy !
     
  10. Brownsfan16

    Brownsfan16 Medium Load Member

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    This helped me quite a bit. I always new that if I was going 15 MPH I needed to be in 6th gear because 1+5=6. Then 25 MPH was 7th gear, and 35 was 8th. 45 was 9th and then 55 was 10th.

    If you are going those speeds the gears will actually just slide into place. Same works with downshifting.
     
  11. Onetruckpony

    Onetruckpony Medium Load Member

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    While parked practice working the throttle to change RPM up or down 1 at a time..ie 1200 to 1100, 900 to 1000, etc..
    Take your time, gentle on the stick and throttle..practice makes perfect.
    I still get the business from a ten speed from 5 to 6 sometimes :D
     
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