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Shifting question

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011.

  1. Aug 24, 2011 #1
    ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    Jun 21, 2011
    Hudson, Florida
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    Im currently going to trucking school weekend classes and i will be going into my 7th weekend this weekend (almost done!!!). Ive noticed i do alot better on the road when im in a volvo as the ####fting is more loose and even if i miss my gear i have no problem going back to the one i came or reving and getting it in where i wanted. Last weekend i was in a freightliner and the shifting was much tighter. I got the hang of it but i probably did the worst ive done in that truck. My question is in the freightliner and even sometimes in the volvo if i miss a gear sometimes it seems like its not in gear or in neutral and it confuses the hell out of me when that happens. Kinda hard to explain because usually if i miss a gear then im in neutral and just have to make a decision on what i need to do , but if it gets stuck and to me it feels like its not in neutral or gear i kinda dont know where to go lol. So is it something im doin to get it stuck like that or has this happened to anyone else? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated and sorry if i sound so newb its kinda hard to explain especially when u have close to 0 experience in a truck.
     
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    #1
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  3. Aug 24, 2011 #2
    paoldschool

    paoldschool Heavy Load Member

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    Sounds to me like varying degrees of worn out truck. If the truck is worn out then yes it can be easy to get lost in the pattern. That may explain what is going on. Another thing to keep in mind is each motor / transmition combination likes to shift at differnt points also. If one has a Detroit and the other a Cummapart, then that would give you some grief also. Just practice, and once you have the hang of it, it won't matter, because you will know what you are doing, and won't even have to think about it.
     
    paoldschool, Aug 24, 2011
    paoldschool, Aug 24, 2011
    #2
    ArmyGuy Thanks this.
  4. Aug 24, 2011 #3
    ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    Hudson, Florida
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    that makes sence appreciate the quick reply
     
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    #3
  5. Aug 24, 2011 #4
    chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

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    Jun 21, 2008
    Deland, FL
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    If I am understanding your question correctly then what is happening is a slight binding in the tranny. If you let off slightly it should pop out or in. As far as not knowing if you are neutral or not just wiggle the shifter left to right. You can almost kind of toss it to the right and it will swing back and forth a little. Don't know if that makes sense. If there's not a lot of play then it is in gear.
     
    chompi, Aug 24, 2011
    chompi, Aug 24, 2011
    #4
  7. Aug 24, 2011 #5
    ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    Hudson, Florida
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    If you let off slightly it should pop out or in.
    You do mean the clutch right? Sorry gotta make sure i understand :D. It doesnt happen often i mean i know when im in gear and in neutral but its happened to me like 3 or 4 times where it feels like it binds up or something. I will be shifting just fine then well the only way i can explain it is like i want to go into 9th but it gets stuck where its not in gear but i dont have the play as if it was in neutral, so it throws me off. Normally if i miss a gear i know im still in neutral so i just make my adjustment but when "this" happens its not in gear but no play in neutral.
     
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    #5
  8. Aug 24, 2011 #6
    Dave_AL

    Dave_AL Light Load Member

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    Aug 9, 2011
    AL
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    Sounds like you're saying it "stuck in the gate." (As in passing (or getting stuck in this case) through a gate between neutral and the gear.

    If this is it (as Chompi was saying, I think) then if you apply a little pressure to the stick and give it fuel (with the clutch out and assuming low rpms) then it should - at the right rpm - slide through the gate. Or let off the fuel (again, with the clutch out and assuming high rpms) and it should either go in gear or pop out of the gate.

    What you're trying to do is match the speed of the engine with the transmission by increasing or lowering the rpms.

    As paoldschool pointed out, you're probably training in a wore-out truck which can cause this.
     
    Dave_AL, Aug 24, 2011
    Dave_AL, Aug 24, 2011
    #6
  9. Aug 24, 2011 #7
    ArmyGuy

    ArmyGuy Heavy Load Member

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    Hudson, Florida
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    THX guys i understand now i really do appreciate the help!!!
     
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    ArmyGuy, Aug 24, 2011
    #7
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