[doglover44]

Hi everyone im Jake I am going to trucking school in a few months and I got gear shifting jitters cause I have always driven a auto trans never a manual before so I have never shifted gears in a daily driver vehicle let alone a semi truck. Anyone got any advice for a me ?

[Glad Hand]

Actually, if you have never learned to drive a stick before, it will be easier for you to learn how to shift an 18 wheeler, because you won't have to overcome your habit of wanting to shift an 18-wheeler like a manual transmission automobile.

Shifting an 18-wheeler requires double-clutching and down-shifting and is very unlike shifting a manual transmission in an automobile, and you are actually far better off if you have never learned previously to shift a stick before learning to double-clutch an 18-wheeler. Thus, you are worrying over nothing.

[jonp]

I agree. I think you are better off never having driven a stick because you have no bad habits to unlearn. Listen to the instructor and take it slow.

[millersod215]

Do not take double clutching as the golden rule of driving, I've driven for seven years and have never double clutched a truck other than when testing for specific companies. In my opinion double clutching will only make you lose your train of thought that much more, a truck driven correctly will float through the gears as easy, if not easier then a correctly driven doulbe clutched truck. If you were to double clutch all 10, 13, 18 etc. going up through your pattern, then back down you would be all but beat by the end of the day, and left with one hell of a cramp in your left leg. As for your initial question, do not take anything from a manual transmission vehicle as a confidence builder in driving a truck, you can up or down shift a car whenever and wherever you want, a truck works on RPMS, and you can't just push the clutch in and put it in gear, hence the waste of time learning to doulbe clutch, A TRUCK CLUTCH IS NOT AN AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH, remember that and you should be on your way to perfecting the art of shifting. And please don't adopt the mentality of "if you can't find em' grind em'" theres already enough of those wanna be's running the roads today, we don't need another one.

[jonp]

Originally Posted by millersod215

Do not take double clutching as the golden rule of driving, I've driven for seven years and have never double clutched a truck other than when testing for specific companies. In my opinion double clutching will only make you lose your train of thought that much more, a truck driven correctly will float through the gears as easy, if not easier then a correctly driven doulbe clutched truck. If you were to double clutch all 10, 13, 18 etc. going up through your pattern, then back down you would be all but beat by the end of the day, and left with one hell of a cramp in your left leg. As for your initial question, do not take anything from a manual transmission vehicle as a confidence builder in driving a truck, you can up or down shift a car whenever and wherever you want, a truck works on RPMS, and you can't just push the clutch in and put it in gear, hence the waste of time learning to doulbe clutch, A TRUCK CLUTCH IS NOT AN AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH, remember that and you should be on your way to perfecting the art of shifting. And please don't adopt the mentality of "if you can't find em' grind em'" theres already enough of those wanna be's running the roads today, we don't need another one.

I disagree. I can float the gears but rarely do. If you progressive shift you never have to wonder what gear you are in or what rpm you need to be in for the next gear as you are already there. Also, in my opinion, it keeps you engaged with the truck and paying attention to road speed, tire grip, grade you are on etc...

[Roadhog]

I have to caution against Millersod's advice. Keep in mind, this is the new driver section.

A new driver should be encouraged to learn the proper way of shifting a manual. If you learn the right way, you will always have the skills you can draw on in an emergency.

I don't particularly have anything against a seasoned driver floating some gears, but I personally know a million plus mile driver that only knows how to float and can not double clutch, and that is one driver I will not share the cab with.

[Musicman]

Is the clutch that pedal on the left that you only use when starting and stoping? Actually, you don't need it when starting if you park on a small downgrade so you can get a little roll going in neutral. :-)

[Windwalker]

Originally Posted by Roadhog

I have to caution against Millersod's advice. Keep in mind, this is the new driver section.

A new driver should be encouraged to learn the proper way of shifting a manual. If you learn the right way, you will always have the skills you can draw on in an emergency.

I don't particularly have anything against a seasoned driver floating some gears, but I personally know a million plus mile driver that only knows how to float and can not double clutch, and that is one driver I will not share the cab with.

Well, as a seasoned driver, I do know how to float the gears. However, I've only done so one time. The pin that is the pivot point for the clutch peddle broke in a KW T-2000. In order to get it to the dealer to have it fixed, I had to shut down the truck at a red light, then start it in gear and float the gears when the light turned green.

I DO double-clutch every gear for one reason. I've driven quite a number of trucks that had "notches" in the gears of the transmission. The truck had been driven without the gears fully meshed. Part of it wore and the rest did not. Even had one that broke teeth out of it. When they took it apart, the mating parts were worn not fully meshed. They wear faster, and fail sooner. About a year, or so, before I bought my own truck, two of us were given brand new trucks. We had to watch the temp guages on transmissions and rears until they broke in. Within 2 years, his tranny failed. When they took it apart, he'd been running with the gears less than half meshed. They are not designed for that. And, with the little I've done by way of floating the gears, I find that it is very easy to apply throttle without having the gears fully engaged. Once it starts to wear at that point, it becomes harder and harder to get it completely in gear.

So, if I had a fleet of trucks, and found out that you are floating the gears, I believe I'd find a reason to let you go. Floating the gears just makes you a BBR.

[Roadhog]

You mean they put that stinkin' clutch in there for a reason? :lol:

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

So, if I had a fleet of trucks, and found out that you are floating the gears, I believe I'd find a reason to let you go. Floating the gears just makes you a BBR.

Hmmmm. When my 2003 Pete 387 with a 10 speed was stolen, it had 965k miles on it. No transmission work had EVER been done (besides changing the lube every 300k miles) and the clutch had only been adjusted twice. I think we were probably going to need a new clutch by the end of the year, but that's not a bad service life for a clutch & tranny IMO.