Please help coming to a stop and starting

If you are in neutral at a stop and it is difficult to get it in gear, push the clutch to the floor and then begin slowly lifting it while pushing the shifter, it will go in. But as others have said try and get in the gear you intend to pull away in before coming to a stop.

 

same way I learned how to come to a stop. my nephew wants his cdl and I will train him this way as well.

 

Apologies if this distracts from the OP. Not flooring the clutch is a bit of a puzzler to me, it is contrary to how a clutch should be used in a passenger vehicle as it is a cause of premature wear, would someone mind explaining the reason/benefit of holding the clutch off the floor while at a stop, please?

 

A couple of things here about a clutch in a big rig verses a passenger vehicle and it all has to do with the type of gearbox sitting behind the clutch. A clutch is a clutch in any vehicle but its job is a little different. A passenger vehicle has a synchronized gearbox so you can be at any road speed and engine speed and snick it into any gear you wish, yes dropping into 2nd at 100mph will blow something up but it will let you do it. In a truck a gear can only be selected if you match engine speed with road speed, the driver is the synchronizer, get either of those speeds wrong and it will grind and not go in. There isn't a need you use the clutch once you have your rig moving if you get your shift points correct, a method of shifting know as 'floating'. Now, when you come to a stop and you are not in gear there can be a small problem, you have no road speed, you are stopped. So in some cases when you try to put the truck in gear it doesn't want to go in. By lifting the clutch, or letting the clutch out just a little allows the engine to rotate the gearbox just a little without the truck moving for the gear to be selected, once you are in you can push the clutch to the floor again until you are ready to move off. I can't see a reason to hold the vehicle on the clutch while stationary for any great period of time just like a car unless you like to buy new clutches regularly.

 

Gotcha! I was unaware that these are still be manufactured without synchros, being a (auto)mechanic for I understand exactly what you are saying. Appreciate the response!

 

Totally agree. Companies need drivers and they work with you. At least mine did.

 

Always change lanes in the middle of intersections too. I'd brush up on your pre trip because I'm sure they will want to see it too.

 

pray they have an automatic