uphill downhill shifting from a stop

A lot depends on the truck. Me personally. Empty in a good truck, third gear same with bobtail. Id go second with a load. I have never had to use first gear in my truck. Just remember to ease the clutch out and wait til the truck starts to move foward before letting off the brake.

 

No changes to correct advice when given as it was given!!!!

One thing....don't give it any throttle starting out, newer engines don't require that at all, it will work it's own magic!

 

Why would you not use first gear? That's what it's there for especially starting on a hill think of the abuse the clutch and driveline is going thru. My gosh you have a ten speed the easiest trans out there. It amazes me how some drivers can drive a trk for a million mi and never wear out a clutch or trans and some go thru them as fast as tires wear out. If starting out on a grade you also want to be sure not to rev the engine too high just enough to grab next gear other wise you'll loose road speed faster than rpm's drop. Then you won't get the next gear and you'll be stopped again. Or you'll end up with drive shaft on the ground or a yoke split. If your taking off and trk is bucking and jumping it's too high a gear. Even mty and engine should not be revved up like your driving a car. All that clutch slippage is hard on clutch disk and psi plate and throw out bearing. Of course you can be like some of these super truckers out here that take off loaded in 3rd gear revving the engine and generally abusing the equipment. Because they think moving a gear shift is such a tedious task. Just take your time and use some common sense and tune into the trk it'll let you know if you got it or not . Good luck

 

With modern powertrain set-ups, the only thing I use first gear for is a tug test. I've never had to use it on the road.

 

I seen on here the other day someone saying they start out (While MT) in high range lowest gear " Drive it like a car just 4 gears".

 

Yep i have an 18 speed and use all the gears except deep reduction most of time. Deep reduction handy for traffic because i can roll along slower than walking speed and never touch the clutch fot the most part. Probably why my clutch has almost 1.2 million mi's and never been replaced.

 

Wow nice.. its a whole nother thing be able to put million miles on a vehicle, before I knew anything about trucking I would of never guessed the amount of miles truckers drive... Its insane....

 

You will need granny gear when you're stopped on an 8% grade on dirt half way up the mountain grossing 80,000 lbs.

 

I always start out in 1st or L(13/18 speed) if I'm heavy and a dead stop. Was always taught to use the lowest gear to ease drivetrain stress and damage. I'm paid by the hour. No rush lol