Learning shifting on a truck - any advice?

slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Just go slow....

 

I have taught several people to drive a truck. It is way easier on everyone and the truck if the student ddid the student has never driven a car with a stick.

 

From my talks with instructors, it will be easier to teach you than it was me who had been driving an old day cab around a parking lot for 4 years. I had literally every bad habit down as my normal routine. My teacher had to break me of those, and then teach me the "proper" way. You on the other hand will not have any bad habits you need to unlearn.

 

Yes im a student myself, but from everyone ive talked to, its waay easier toteach someone to double clutch, if they have never used a clutch before..

 

I 100% agree with everyone here. No experience driving a manual will actually be very beneficial to you when it comes to learning how to double clutch. Its really easy once you get the proper rhythm of clutch neutral clutch gear. tap-tap. Once you've learned your proper rpms, and road speeds, you should have problems getting it. Don't rush it, go slow and smooth. And don't listen to anyone talking about not having to use the clutch. Some will say that, but they wonder why their trucks break down after 3 years.

 

I am currently a student, and one of my fellow students was unduly worried about never having driven a manual trans. I told him there was no need to worry; he'd pick it up just fine. He certainly did! I have driven manual transmission vehicles from the first time I drove...and while it took me a couple of drives to get the hang of downshifting, I took to it like a duck to water. Downshifting became easier when I figured out that if the tachometer needle wasn't in the green arc (1,300-1,700 RPM on the two 1998 Freightliner Century Classes I've taken out of the road), the transmission wouldn't go into gear. My observation has been that the ones who have driven a truck before, and learned to float the gears, are the ones who have bad habits to un-learn, as the DMV (in California, anyway) will insist you double-clutch.

A good instructor with lots of patience will go a long way toward helping you get the hang of shifting. I honestly think you have nothing to worry about.

 

what does everyone mean by "floating gears"? is that where you just push down the clutch and shift into your gear without clutching to neutral, then clutching to your gear?

 

Floating is shifting without using the clutch. Going from gear to gear with one push of the clutch is single-clutching.

 

yeah thats pretty much what i meant earlier when i was talking about people wondered why their trucks broke down after 3 yrs (if it even lasts that long). floating gears CAN NOT be good for the transmission at all...

and those people im referring to are the ones who float and/or single clutch. I just don't think eaton-fullers are designed to be shifted that way.