Shifting Concerns

I down shift.........but use the Jake alot.........Brakes.I don'd need no stinking brakes.........

 

The DOT didn't test me either. I was tested by the DMV.

 

My mistake, I use the term DOT interchangeably with DMV...but since the DMV is a division of the DOT, i could argue, but I won't.

 

TIME! It takes time to learn. Unfortunately, time is the last thing we think we have. I couldn't shift smoothly to save my soul or my transmission at first. My hubby is an old school trucker and taught me to float gears. I do know the double clutch process but have never found the need to use it.

For me, the hardest thing to learn was the light touch on the throttle, with or without a clutch. It doesn't take much to raise the rpm and I was always over revving and then missing the gear as it came down. Now, with about 250,000 miles on this truck, I shift by sound and feel. But again, it takes time and experience. I know I have very little of both, but it is amazing how it just becomes second nature (thank God! I lost my clutch in Baker, CA last week and brought the truck in safely to Denver, CO without it!).

 

congrats on getting the truck that far with no clutch--its a pia right--i did the same --from chicago to toronto--but at least i didnt have the terrain to go thru that you did---
with the advent of the auto tranny there is getting to be a whole new kind of driver out there--but i can also see the companys insight on that--at a truck stop--ever listen to how half of the drivers get their truck in gear?--sound like they are driving a wwi tank for gods sake--more grinding and jamming than i like---i can just imagine what it is like on the road--shifting should be like a soft quiet melody---not a thrash metal concert

 

I know this might be a redundant question, considering the many post within this thread. But, I am just about to "graduate" from my truck driving school and take my CDL test on Tuesday, and have a question about the downshifting. The majority of the time I seem to get it in there, but every once in a while I just go into stupid land and miss my gear. I understand the 400 rpm range difference between gears. The truck has a 9-speed in it, I believe it is an Eaton Fuller. And was told the downshift speeds are 4th-15mph, 5th-20, 6-30, 7th-40. And was told when going down from 7th to 5th, to get her down to 20 mph then push in the clutch, give it a big rev, then keep pushing against the gear until it sucks itself in. Works most of the time, with a bit of a grind on occasion. But not the way I'd like it. So, question is, if there is a 400 rpm difference between the individual gears, would you for example, if going from 7th to 5th let's say while approaching a stop light turn onto a freeway, give it the big rev and push, or double that 400 rpm to 800 rpm, since the gears are two steps away from each other?

 

I would not skip gears down shifting, especially now while your learning. Remember you have to lose ground speed before you down shift. Relax take, your time, touch the clutch pedal gently, let it slide into neutral, keep a light pressure against the shifter toward the gear your going for bring up your rpms and it should almost on its own drop into the gear of choice. The biggest mistake I see mew drivers make is getting in a rush, there is nothing inside a cab that you need to hurry up for, its a truck not a porsche. Drop a gear, lose road speed before you try to drop the next gear. In a truck you need to be thinking of what you need ahead ot time, they don't like to be rushed.

Kind of like a woman, all thats going to happen if she's not ready is your going to get frustrated, and she's going to get even. This is not the place for speed shifting. A gentle touch and she's sliding right into place.

My dad taught me to shift up and down with a cup of hot coffee, you get instant assessment that way. Maybe not for the DMV tester though.

 

This whole board is redundant to someone, if you need to know something, some here will probably have been there and done that, so that is part of what makes it useful. And if someone is going to use creationism to imagine a creative answer, someone else will correct it, usually fairly quickly. So in this case redundancy maybe a good thing. At least till the old horse dies.

 

That is one of the things the instructor has taught us is to skip gears downshifting and I love it. The truck we usually drive is a 300 range so if I am in 9th and want to go to 7th I drop down to around 800 rpm put it in neutral then raise the tach 600 rpm (1400) and it drops in every time. Then do the same from 7th to 5th then you can do you turn in 5th if that is what you are going to do. Beats having to hit every gear on the way down.

 

I'd like to say thanks to you Powder Joints for what you said..it really helped me a lot. So much so, that I passed my CDL test without missing any points at all. And I am glad that stress is out of my hair. And I'd also like to thank everyone who take the time to post relevant and helpful posts. Your years of experience are invaluable tools to us new guys and we benefit greatly, thank you.