Someone Help Me Shift!!!!!!!!
 

Ok, I started driving today, and I cannot for the life of me downshift!!!! Goin up throught the gears is ok....(little bit of grind), but I cant downshift at all. I let the jake do most of the work today...but I need help!!!!!!! Any suggestions. i drive an 8LL tranny.

Well I'm sure you do something like this:
1. Clutch in (not down to the floor).
2. Shift to neutral.
3. Clutch out.
4. Tap the gas to raise the RPM's.
5. Clutch in (not down to the floor).
6. Shift to next lower gear.
7. Clutch out (not to quickly nor to slowly).

Where in the process are you having trouble?

Keep practicing and you'll get better and better! :)

Also see this thread:
http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=27091

What the hell, an 8 LL is one of the easiest out there.

To downshift: take it out of gear, raise the RPM's to what they would be if you were already in the next lower gear, then it should slide right in.

About 400 to 500 RPM's from one gear to the next.

Don't wildly jab the throttle and try to slam the stick into gear, just raise the RPM's to a steady level for the next lower gear and "feel" it in, adjusting the throttle accordingly til it slides in to gear.

I think my problem is that when I take it out of the gear I am in, I get very nervous about not being able to stop. I also have a bad habit of jabing the throttle. My biggest issue is on the highway, and I want to slow for a corner or a curve in the road....I take it out, and then I cant downshift it so I get worked up over it and end up using the brakes...which when hauling 70,000lbs, wont take long to eat brakes.

You're taking your foot of the throttle when you pull it into neutral. Don't do that.
Keep steady pressure on the throttle; ease it into neutral; increase pressure on the throttle; press (don't jab) the shifter into gear.

how can you be OTR and not know how to properly downshift? most road tests they want to see you up and down shift. take the jake off when you are downshifting it will drop the rpms too fast.

most trannies will slip in around 1200-1500rpms you should use the speed to know what gear it will go into at. i've only driven eaton 10 speeds and mack twin stick 5 speeds but it was easy enough to figure out.

First things first: Are we to assume you attended a driving school or did Uncle Bill teach you how to drive in his truck? Or, for chuckles and giggles, did you borrow Uncle Bill's freightliner and are taking it to Texas for the weekend? :shock: Seriously, we need to know what's going on when you say you started driving today.

Short term solution: take baby steps. While you're traveling along with no traffic behind you, try downshifting to the next lower gear. If you fail, no biggie, get her back up to the speed and try again (again with no traffic behind you). After a few successes you'll feel more confident in downshifting.

Long term solution: practice in an empty parking lot, (or anywhere there's room to turn around) preferably with an empty trailer. Downshift from 6th to 5th to 4th. Repeat. Again. You can practice with just the tractor but it will kick you around a bit more than if you have the weight of the trailer attached as well. Sure this may look weird going in circles around a parking lot but who cares?! Just do it! :rock:

Keep us posted on your progress.

Remember...the brakes alone will stop you. But for now, avoid the mountains! :)

Ok, I have been driving for a while....mostly farm stuff...easy. I did not attend any school and have had my CDL for 3 years now. Never drove a stick on a regular basis, so that is my problem.

I see what you are saying about taking my foot off the throttle...cuz that is exactly what I am doing. I let off completly, is that my problem?

Can anyone post a list of RPM shift points??? Or suggestions for me?

Don't worry about it. It takes time. I passed my test grinding the crap out of the gears trying to downshift. Most of the time people tend to over rev the engine then force it into gear. I got my license and it was maybe 4 months later that I was able to do it smooth.