In the topic on single-clutching, a few people posted that in truckdriving school, it's easier to teach someone who has little/no exp. on a standard than someone who alreay knows how (in a regular car).

That really takes a lot off my mind. I'm hardly any good on a stick myself, and I start trucking school Jan. 8, and I was worried that my not knowing how to drive a standard-shift would put me behind or at a disadvantage. I didn't know if they teach you how to drive a standard, or if they assumed you already knew how to drive one, so this is good for me.

(BTW, the same examiner I had when I got my Class B license will be the instructor of the truckdriving class, if you wanted to know)

Yeah well I used to say that until I became a CDL instructor. But either way, it shouldn't be a big deal. The main thing is the clutch handling, and we started out with 3 sessions of practice range, so the student had plenty of time to get used to the idea of the clutch while he was doing that.

As far as the actual shifting is concerned, learning to double clutch will be a lot easier if you know WHY you have to do it and what you accomplish by doing it.

This is the reason is IS easier to teach those with no experience. Even if you know how to drive a standard transmission, it in no way helps you other than knowing how to go through a shift pattern. The clutch use is totally different and the things that can screw you up (going too deep in the clutch, single clutching, starting off while applying accelerator) are already stuck in your head. As a person with no experience you only have to mentally grab what you have recently been taught. People tend you resort to the known and grab for that FIRST in times of stress and emergencies. if this means that when you are missing a shift in a truck (and all your life have pushed the clutch to the floor to make the transmission work in your car.).. and push the clutch to the floor to make it work, your going to take longer to recover and get back off the clutch to get everything moving together to make the shift. Time equals space, the more time you take recovering makes you run out of room and miss and screw up things that you really shouldnt be missing or screwing up.

Alright. Thanks.

I must say that double clutching is my problem, especially down shifting. I'm in Houston Community Collage Driving Academy, we only had a couple of days in the trucks before the holiday break. In those two days of running around the range I struggled so hard with the double clutch sequence. I feel it is because all I've ever driven is my old raggedy Ford 5 spd p/u. The others in my class have limited standard trans experience and they picked it right up on double clutching. Over the holidaze I've been practicing the double clutch sequence in my p/u. I also went out a day with my neighbor in his '03 FL 10 speed and did a little driving. I gave him back the reins when he freaked that I was even using the clutch for any gear after leaving a stop. I told him that slip shifting wouldn't work for my training since I HAD to double clutch for school and the school says I HAVE to double clutch during both the final exam and the DPS license test to pass.

Above I called double clutching a sequence, maybe it's a rhythm.... which I have none! :lol:

TimT
Cut-N-Shoot, Tx

The best way to learn this and have it stick is to talk it through OUT LOUD! Men especially seem to feel childish doing this, but it works! It's sort of like chanting a mantra..

During your upshifts try saying; "Tap - neutral - tap - shift" and you'll eventually set up a rhythm .

Down shifts are a little more tricky and require some serious concentration and a couple of extra steps. Most new people do not use the BRAKES well enough to get their RPM down effectively.

Drag the RPM down - tap - neutral - RAISE RPM - tap - shift.

As I said, I have no rhythm, but it's not bad enough that I have to dance (on the pedals), now you want me to sing too? What's next, play an instument? Oh wait, I gotta do that too don't I... observe the guages while I'm singing and dancing. geez... ops:

Thanks for the chant. :lol:

TimT
Cut-N-Shoot, Tx

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in,
and shake it all about...

try chewing gum at the same time.. :lol:

So you're not supposed to let off the clutch as you apply the accelerator? :?:

Fozzy wrote:

"e clutch use is totally different and the things that can screw you up (going too deep in the clutch, single clutching, starting off while applying accelerator)"