Shifting Concerns

The truck could care less what gears you use. they are geared for 80,000lbs. If your empty,bobtailing, or very light, you don't need em all, simple. They base everything they teach you at those schools as if your loaded. That ofcourse, is not the real world.

 

If you know the stop sign is coming up then you just back out, go from 10th to 7th then stop the truck. There's no excessive wear on the brakes unless your jackrabbiting from stop to stop. When coming up to a light let the truck die down (no brakes). Then make a shift from 10th to 7th and then stop if you need to but if the light turns green you then match your road speed for that gear and go on. No need to work yourself when you don't have to. Just a small note or city trucks are 85 feet long and gross right around 110,000 lbs. We get the normal wear on our brakes

My recommendation works for the truck I drove. Your gear pattern may be different but the point is to know what gear to be in at all times. Know how to match your road speed with the RPM's and make nice smooth shifts.

Not to hurt anyones feelings but if we hear a truck downshifting every gear we would ALL say rookie.

 

You didn't do very well in reading comprehension did you? I hope you drive better than you read.

 

But, also if a driver uses his brakes only and doesn't utilize his engine to slow down. He will be wearing out brakes constantly.

 

We don't use the engine brake just because of all the problems you have in town. But sure you let the engine slow your truck down and use the brakes when you need them. I don't know what kind of frieght you haul but with gasoline we take our time and are nice relaxed drivers trying to be prepared for just about anything that can happen. And believe me weird sh++ happens one time or another.

Our trucks spend 98% of their life in the city and we don't really have brake problems except for the crap of self adjusting brakes. We keep the power unit for 5 years and then sell it for around $60,000 dollars. They get their money out of that's for sure.

 

It is not about using all 9 (or 10, 13, 15, 18) for every stop. It is about the ability to utilize your equipment properly when you need to. If using all of your available braking is required would you not agree that a driver should have that ability?

 

Soo, what am I missing? You like downshifting?

 

If your using all your available braking your not utilizing your vision very well. It's like every night some hot rodder passes me, throws on his blinker 10ft in front of me, starts coming over as I move to left lane cause a trooper has a customer a half mile up the road. There are things going on outside peoples little "bubble" but there doesn't appear to be many paying any attention to that. Check out the skid marks at exit ramps, the yellow sign that says 25mph is a pretty good clue that the ramp is a sharp one. Too many living within the range of their headlights out here. Also, your not saving brakes by multiple downshifts, steady"light" braking is better than stabbing brakes between shifts, not to mention how much harder people have to use their brakes when they can't get the gear

 

Whats wrong with skipping gears? I do it all the time when I down-shift. I might skip two or three gears for a get off ramp or something. I'll skip them while up-shifting too if I'm coming down a hill. What matters most is that you choose the right gear at the right time.

 

Guess I'm weird. When approaching a stop either a light or sign, I apply steady brake pressure with my left foot, downshifting as needed to stay around 1200. Most times 9th to 6th then 6th to 4th, remove left foot from brake apply the clutch and stop. Also at lights I try not to stop, if conditions allow try to slow enuff so I'm still rolling when either the light turns green or traffic in front of me gets rolling. Always find it funny when you see these guys coast right up to the back bumper of the vehicle in front of them & STOP. Those moves usually proceed a "beatiful" take off with the cab twisting up about 4 feet, just showin how stupid they really are, that they cant take smooth!

But then again I learned on Mtn back roads in log trucks, where if you "coasted" to a stop, GUESS WHAT? you aint gonna be stopping! Besides "coasting" is a firing offense at every place I've worked!