[danj_otr]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Oh man, what a flashback to CDL school. I cant tell you how many times our instructor hammered that into us. "Go to 6th, Go to 6th, Go to 6th," I can still hear him. And it works too.

Or you are going up your first hill and they tell you to downshift, stop, and then start on the hill....

[Deus]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Oh man, what a flashback to CDL school. I cant tell you how many times our instructor hammered that into us. "Go to 6th, Go to 6th, Go to 6th," I can still hear him. And it works too.

Yeah I was gonna say, You may be able to get up to almost 20 mph like posted above in 5th gear but good luck getting into it at 20 mph, don't shift to 5th unless you're around 15 mph. Otherwise the addition of the two speed digits works somewhat well. It is kind of high though. Like 35 mph 3+5 = 8, but if you are going closer to 40 mph 9th might be an easier shot depending on terrain...

[classicxl]

with some practice you will be able to figure it out

[homer]

i never care what gear im in .why would you be looking at a tach and oh never mind !

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Lantern007

Does anyone have any tricks to quickly be able to look at your speed and figure what gear you are in?

What everyone ELSE said.... except for this:

I THINK you are NOT asking how to look at your speed and know what gear to shift TO..... you want to know how the speed will tell you what gear you are IN. Am I correct?

I sometimes get lost in thought and forget what gear I'm IN, as well. So.... look at your speed and.... say you are at 40 mph. IF IN A 10 speed (adjust it for what you have,) your shift points would be 35 for 8th gear, or 45 for 9th. Now.... look at your TACH, or just listen to your engine. If you tach is HIGH, and the engine wound up pretty good, you are probably in the gear/shift point BELOW your speed.... meaning 8th. If your tach is LOW, and the engine "humming," you are probably in the HIGHER gear of ninth.

Works for low side gears as well, but harder. THOSE are "divided by 2." i.e. 10 mph should be 5th gear. If your tach is high at 10 mph, you are probably in 4th (8mph shift point) but if your "cruising" you are probably already IN 5th.

Also, don't forget that the "forward" or "rearward" postition of the stick will delineate which gear you COULD be in. I know I can pivot my arm out from my side and tell if my hand is "sitting" on the shift (10th) or if I have to "reach forward" I'm in 9th.

Hope this helps.

[JoeyB]

Originally Posted by homer

i never care what gear im in .why would you be looking at a tach and oh never mind !

I always told my students to forget about the tach- use your ears. But when they got lost in the trans, my first question was always "what's your speed?"

Nobody drives by numbers, we all go by feel. But how did you drive your first time out, before you learned the "feel"? By numbers.

[Snowman7]

Originally Posted by danj_otr

One point I think would be good to mention. As I got more and more tired, my shifting got really sloppy, and I could not shift for my life! It is a good way to get a good idea of how fatigued you are, and how soon you need to get off the road.

I get the same way when I'm tired, I'ts all timing and I get too slow, letting the rpm's fall too much.

[homer]

my company hired a lil girl that said she had two years experience with central. she drove my truck for a week while i showed her our pickups and delivers.she knew it all and made a lot of effort to make sure you know how tuff she was. it was painfull to listen to and feel her attempts at shifting.finally i couldnt take it anymore and after the usual argument convinced her to stop using the clutch.she was shifting like a pro in 5 minutes and was in heaven driving that thing almost a year til she rolled it.

[Deus]

Originally Posted by homer

and was in heaven driving that thing almost a year til she rolled it.

Oh my.

[golfhobo]

So.... where was she AFTER she rolled it??? :shock: :lol: :twisted: :lol: