What am I doing wrong

When teaching a rookie I always started out by getting a "baseline" of their skill set, letting them drive and just observing how they shift, navigate, and make decisions. After and hour or two I would have them stop and spend an hour or so reviewing that first effort and what they need to work on. Shifting was ALWAYS a primary problem, which would cascade into some level of panic ("Oh my Gawd I can't be out of gear for more than a millisecond!!!") that would make other bad things happen.

Shifting problems always begin with a mind set that you MUST get into the next gear in a hurry. Rookies ALWAYS stomp on the throttle or immediately let completely off the throttle, with the tachometer making wild swings. Then they exacerbate the problem by trying to time that split second when rpm's will match up by going all Mohammed Ali with the shifter, gripping tightly and RAMMING it towards the gear.

The first thing I would do to correct the shifting problem is have them set the parking brake, put their foot on the throttle, then do a drill. Start by maintaining 1100 rpm's. Then take it up to 1500 rpm's. Then back down.

Notice how LITTLE you have to move the throttle. It isn't inches, it's MILLIMETERS. Now continue that drill by making 100 rpm changes. Do this drill for at least five minutes a day for a few days.

Next drill is to get your dad gum palm off the shifter. Only hold the shifter in your finger tips. Now drive around a lot only in low range and start making shifts. TAKE YOUR TIME making each shift. As long as you have forward momentum you can make the shift. Heck, sometimes I might be going one mile an hour and catch 4th at idle speed.

Next, TAKE YOUR TIME APPLYING THROTTLE. I rarely ever give it full throttle getting up to where I want to make the next shift. Get out of the habit of flooring it on every shift. Just a LITTLE throttle goes a long way. All you need to do is gain just a little more momentum to get that next gear. Only in 4th gear do I rev it up above 1500 rpm's in order to make that wide gap to high range (talking about a 13 speed or nine speed...that gap would be 5th to 6th in a 10 speed).

Don't panic if you coast a bit while you are making millimeter adjustments on the throttle while GENTLY nudging the shifter towards the gear. It's all in the foot. Once in gear take a few seconds to increase the throttle to get to shift speed. It isn't a race.

 

This ^ is excellent.

I think one thing that contributes to the "gotta get shifted in milliseconds" mindset for me was, in CDL school, they hammered on us that if you coast more than a truck length while shifting, it's an automatic fail on the state test.

I got dinged twice on my state test for grinding for this very reason. (I'm sure I did damage to that transmission, but no way I was going to fall that road test! ) The state tester, Les, was very cool about it, and said he understood why I did it, but each one was still a one point deduction.

Unfortunately, that hurry-up-and-shift-grinding-is-better-than-coasting is exactly the opposite of the finesse that's truly effective.

Straight out of CDL school, I drove automated transmissions for 9 months. I got tired of OTR, came home, and got lucky and got hired within a couple of days by a local bulk haul outfit.

Lucky for me, they have a lot of older equipment, (20 year old Pete's and KW's), and they took the time to teach me to shift.

Using pretty much exactly the process described by Lepton1 here.

I am Odin's Rabid Dog, I can now drive a non synchro transmission, and I heartily approve this post.

 

This backs up my belief that nothing good comes out of going to New Jersey.

 

This right here is one of more than just a few things that is taught incorrectly. Sure, do it their way until you pass the CDL and pass your test at orientation and after training. But then start doing it the right way. Many a transmission has been TRASHED at a training company due to the hyper need to be in gear at all times. Be PATIENT about GENTLY allowing light finger tip pressure to ease it into gear as you make millimeter adjustments with the throttle.

Once it's in gear your PRACTICE at throttle control (read my previous post) will prevent bucking, because you are now familiar with the concept of keeping a STEADY foot on the throttle. Bucking happens when you start from a stop because you release the clutch too quickly. Bucking happens on your next shifts because you don't have a HABIT developed by PRACTICE to keep a steady foot on the throttle.

PRACTICE is the key.

Even after six years I continue to practice throttle control and shifting. I've made some break through, especially in the last couple of years. Every day I want to be able to say I am a better driver than yesterday.

Recently I have been working hard on my decision making skills in heavy traffic. It's really paid off with some smooth runs in stop and go rush hour with smooth bore tankers and top heavy flatbed loads.

Edited to add:

First, start practicing floating gears in low range. Do that for a week, then back to double clutching for a week, then back to floating, etc. This accelerates your understanding of matching rpm's to gear.

Second, when I say take your time to change gears, I mean take your TIME. When pulling a smooth bore tanker any bucking or overaggressive application of throttle will cause 24 tons of liquid to surge. That's a bad thing. My typical shift with a liquid load is done by floating. It takes about three seconds to EASE OFF the throttle as I gently pull it out of gear, a couple seconds to gently match and engage the next gear, then another five seconds to get the throttle to the floor (liquid loads are one of the few times I floor the throttle when accelerating, they always pull heavy).

 

Also I would pile the liquid up front in the tank as I make the stop. However the closer I get to the white line which is where I choose to stop I lighten up on the application pressure as the speed drops off. Next thing i know I am stopped pretty gently and the liquid will sort of spread out.

If I stopped too hard, it will pile up in the front. Then surge straight back slam in the back side of the tank pulling me into the car behind if I am not careful to hold it. Then spend the rest of the light being beaten by the mass of the weight moving back and forth. Not fun.

 

Drive an auto, sounds like your letting the clutch out to quick or you got it in to high a gear.

 

I only use the clutch to take it out of gear farm were I learned said u will make your shifter sloppy if u don't use the clutch to take it out and being new I would ruin the clutch using it to go back in (you ever change one of them well when u burn that one up u will) so I don't even know how to double clutch I faked it at my test pretty sure the lady could tell but she was cool

 

^^^^ Excellent advice from @Lepton1 .. Spot on. . I pull an Etnyre asphalt emulsion tank..... can't afford to be jumpy, and wouldn't even THINK about pulling one with an auto.

 

I see what u guys are saying about the mindset to mason county were I learned to drive is all sand its actually an anomaly created by a glacier millions of years ago but anyway u will kill a truck deader than heck if you don't get to the throttle quick enough in this blow sand or come to a stand still real fast and u stop moving in that crap good chance ur getting pulled out but ya I have definitely brought that mentality to the road it is always in the back of my mind