What gear to be in when making tight right turn?

Reminds Me of a Road Test for my first OTR job. I’d been running a GMC day cab with a 238 Detroit and 7 speed. Road Test was in Cabover International 10 spd. After getting permission to float the gears, We headed out. Safety Man asks me “ Where’d you learn how to shift”? I say “Why what’s wrong?” He says “ Why are you slapping it back and forth in neutral between gears like that?” I had to think a minute, and explained it was just a habit, my last Truck would jam in neutral unless you did that between gears. Lol. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. He says “Well you don’t have to do that on our Trucks” Oops!

 

I was taught to take 90 degree turns at walking speed. I would recommend you downshift to each gear until you get to walking speed. Once you have the habit of getting to the 90 degree turn speed and gear then you may want to a more normal braking and downshifting pattern instead of downshifting into each gear between the current gear and the "90 deg turn" gear. Generally, any plan with "quickly do X" is not a good plan. Take your time so you don't make a mistake.

 

You are pretty much correct.. I gota snake through the old part of town because of the way I come in .. the streets are kinda narrow.. they weren't made for a 270" WB tractor & 53' .. plus you gota Remember my axles are fixed there's no sliding them ..lol ..

 

I have old habits. I’m in the gear I want to be in to pull me out of the turn before I start it. When I was learning to drive it was still illegal to make a gear change in an intersection or on a grade level railway crossing. One old law from the same time period they need to start using again is the requirement to wear a “hard soled shoe”. Nobody worries much about that one anymore because you’d be out on the ground in front of the truck long before you hit the pain threshold stepping on a treadle valve. But they should be using that one on the flip flops on the dash.

 

I’ve stopped mid turn multiple Times and just put it in low gear… especially doing gas station.. countless times have I went to pull in and somebody not paying attention and just pulled in front of me …

 

The same way you always downshift. Preselect, and start grabbing gears.

 

When I started it wasn't CDLs it was a state issued chauffeurs license .. I took my test in a 1972 White Wester Star with a 238 with 5+4.. Illegally I should of failed .. but he understood way I had to take my left hand off the wheel to shift ...lol

 

Same here ...

 

I started with a chauffeur license as well. $25 if my memory is correct….

 

I think thats about what my was too