[goatman65]

I have been in training this week to drive an 18-wheeler. I had never been in a rig until this past Tuesday. I have the upshifting down pretty good but still grind or miss a gear when under pressure on the road.

The real problem i have is that i can never ever get any gear on the downshift. I grind the heck out of the gears and have to force it into whatever gear i can. I just can't coordinate the clutch,shifter and throttle at all. And i mean i miss EVERY gear.

I am really pissed and frustrated with my self. My instructor was very patient but i could tell he was kinda pissed too. He kept telling me what to do but i just couldnt do it for some reason. Then it got to where i started missing gears on the upshift.

Ive been driving manual trans cars for 35 yrs but you would have thought today was the first time. These rigs are nothing like driving a car.

Anybody have any tips or suggestions that might help me with the down-shifting.
Tomorrow is my last day of training.
Oh, the tractor is a Sterling,not sure of the trans, it says Eaton somthing on the shifter and it is a 10 speed.

[sleepy]

Down shifting, push in clutch(do NOT push all the way to the floor) take it into N let out clutch step on gas and raise rpm about 400, push in clutch and shift into the next gear.
If it starts to grind let the clutch out and slowly raise rpm untill it slides into gear.
This is just a matter of getting the timeing down and FORGET how you clutch the car.If you try to clutch like a car it will never come to you.
Once you get the shift timeing down it's easier to not even use the clutch when shifting gears.

[beemergary]

Figure out your mph @ what rpm upshifting and use that for downshifting. 400 rpms sounds about right for a ten speed. Forcing the shifter into a gear IS NOT COOL. Most guys don't use a clutch and just match there speed to the gear at a certain rpm. I would think your instructor wants you to use a clutch. My new Pontiac Hauler 84 Peterbilt 359-400 cat. 13 speed

[sleepy]

Think of the shift like a heartbeat. like the thump.. thump........thump.. thump of a heart beat shift with the same timeing. out.. in.........out.. in.........out.. in...... out.. in....

[A.W.Dille]

I never used the clutch when I drove back in the 80's. Takes time to coordinate rpm's to road speed when doing this. Double clutching is just like what Sleepy said. But my dad started me driving log trucks when I was 13-14 years old (with two speed rearends) so when I started driving over the road it came easy for me. Plus I used to split shift the old Deuce and a halfs and Five tons (upshift and downshift) when I was in the military and never used a clutch. As I said it takes time and being with an instructor sometimes doesn't help the nerves.

[GT182]

Same as A.W..... I never used the clutch once moving. Why wear out something that cost big bucks to replace and you don't need to use. Just a tap to neutral, match PRMs up or down, and tap into the next gear. Don't force the shifter. It's a matter of matching RPMs, and no one can show you how, you have to learn that all on your own. Trust me, with patience and practice it will literally all fall into place for you. We've all gone thru the same thing when we started. I used to get the back of my head slapped if I double clutched. My dad and another guy I went with said learn to shift without it.

Tho for your road test you will need to learn to double clutch. Some that give the test are sticklers about that. And a few will tell you to do whatever you're comfortable with.... clutch or no clutch.

Good luck Goatman, you can do it. If you can shift that GTO you can a big rig too. If I lived close by I'd go out with ya and help learn ya how. I only holler a little bit. LOL

OH BTW, we all grind a gear once in a great while. Keeps ya on yer toes not to. LOL

[Region Warrior]

Let'n rpm get to low on down shifts?
Had that on our old Mack fire trucks.
Dont lift off off accel pedal all the way.
If did had to raise rpm up and drop in as it lowers back down.

[71SportRagtop]

When you're downshifting don't be afraid to tap the gas hard. Remember that you're new and in the time it takes you to tap the clutch, shift into neutral, tap the clutch again, and then find the right gear, the RPM's might have dropped too low to get the shifter into gear.

Just remember this and don't be afrain to say it to yourself as you're doing it....."clutch, neutral....clutch, shift"

My instructor of many years ago used to encourage us to smash the gas pedal since he knew that we would be fiddling around with the shifter while the R's were dropping too low.

Sounds like your typical Eaton 10 speed, 5 in low range then flick the splitter for high range? It's a very common trans.

Where are you training? I see you are in PA and I'm just curious as to where you're learning to drive.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by GT182

Same as A.W..... I never used the clutch once moving. Why wear out something that cost big bucks to replace and you don't need to use. Just a tap to neutral, match PRMs up or down, and tap into the next gear. Don't force the shifter. It's a matter of matching RPMs, and no one can show you how, you have to learn that all on your own. Trust me, with patience and practice it will literally all fall into place for you. We've all gone thru the same thing when we started. I used to get the back of my head slapped if I double clutched. My dad and another guy I went with said learn to shift without it.

Tho for your road test you will need to learn to double clutch. Some that give the test are sticklers about that. And a few will tell you to do whatever you're comfortable with.... clutch or no clutch.

Good luck Goatman, you can do it. If you can shift that GTO you can a big rig too. If I lived close by I'd go out with ya and help learn ya how. I only holler a little bit. LOL

OH BTW, we all grind a gear once in a great while. Keeps ya on yer toes not to. LOL

It's called "floating" the gears. Easy to do, but hard to describe, and to learn. Get double clutching down pat first.

[goatman65]

Thanks for all the help. My instructor tells me that my rpms are to low. He says to get the rpms up to 1400. When i go for my test i have to be able to upshift and downshift every gear double clutching or i will fail. I know what i need to do but my feet wont do what my brain is telling them. Im so used to driving passenger cars and im having a hard time getting my feet to 'change their ways'. Old habits die hard.

I let the rpms come down to 900-1000,tap the clutch and go to neutral. Tap the throttle,tap the clutch and shift. Sometimes i get the gear but most of the time i dont.
Then have to force it into whatever gear i can. Not good.

I am being trained by UPS instructors. I have worked for UPS 12 yrs and finally get a chance at driving. Today i was pulling doubles on very busy highways and i would coast up to a light,stop and put it in low instead of trying to downshift. And starting out on very steep hills wasnt pretty. Ive never shifted so fast in my life. 6 gears and only about half way thru the intersection. A few times i forgot to flip the splitter into low range. There is just so much to learn and remember along with changing my driving habits of the past 35 yrs.
UPS only trains us for one week. But we can practice driving in the lot as much as we want. I will probably take my drivers test the end of Oct.

[jim darlington]

They won't fail you cause you grind
a gear or two . However they want you to have control of the vehicle . No coasting up to a stop sign . I believe if my memory is correct the vehicle can't travel more then the length of it , not in a gear .It's all about SAFETY . You need to show them you know SAFETY and can offer them a safe ride . If you can do that , you will pass . The shifting part ........... smooooth and slow works best . After a while you will only use the clutch for starting and to stop . Good Luck ! 2012 Pete 587 , 13 spd , Cummings .

[PunchT37]

Like Sleepy stated above. Don`t push the clutch all the way down when shifting. On those trucks, there is a brake at the end of the clutch travel. It will stop the rotating gears and you will get "stuck" in neutral.

Like the others said above, after a while, you will only use the clutch to start moving and to come to a complete stop. Otherwise, you will use rpm`s to shift gears.

[JimsSixtySix]

You'll have to retrain your ankle.... slow on release...slow on applying throttle.. when you start out from a stop don't rev engine very high, next gear a little higher,next one higher...etc...called " progresive shifting" engine and trans designed this way. As you progress thru gears you take next gear a little higher in rpm range.Todays engines are designed to work in the lower rpm spectrum. Rarely do I ever go over 1500 rpm anymore, older ones yes. But train your ankle to move slower,,, that's not a muncie yer shiftin. When you down shift, after you feel shifter come outta one gear, slowly....slowly bring rpms up and shifter should go right in next lower gear. Takes practice (like anything good) and stay calm. Like a fellow said above..Safety is the key,They know shifting takes practice, what they want to knowis that granny won't be run over with third trailer tandems while shifting lanes. Good luck.

[uneasyrider]

As stated above, when I get rolling I don't use the clutch but I was told in Diesel Mechanic's school that was hard on the trans because it "rocked" the gears thus wearing them faster. I don't know but it was always way easier for me to time it without the clutch. I would only use it if I messed up or was moving from a dead stop. But as stated above by others they want you to use the clutch and that is supposed to be the best practice so play with the technics listed above until you get the "feel" because that is what you have to do is feel the truck through the shift lever you might say. My two bits... Best of luck, you WILL get it with practice so don't pressure yourself just practice and play with it until it clicks.

[Simple Man]

Years ago, when I took my CDL exam test drive, I got in an old International 10 speed with the examiner, and took off for a 10 mile or so ride. I had been driving for a few years, and had floating the gears down pretty good.
I took off down the road, did all the highway and city driving OK, headed back to the yard, floating the gears all the way. As we were entering the yard, the examiner said " In the manual it says you're supposed to use the clutch". OH KRAP I thought, I just screwed this test but good! But then he added "But I drive like you do, and if I can see someone drive that way with no problems, I don't write it up".

[GT182]

You have to get downshifting with the clutch down pat. Like was said before by Jim and the others... Do Not coast to a stop or they will fail you. And do not coast to a stop even when you do get your CDL. Not wise because of a lot of reasons.... just don't do it, it's not safe.

But if you fail the first time don't take it to heart. I actually got my CDL on the 3rd try. Just stupid crap failed me the first two times. Stop sign and right turn got me, reasons were stupid IMO, but hey, it's the call by one giving the test. Don't agrue with him or her. No big deal, try try again.

At least I didn't jump the 5th wheel hooking back up like I saw some do up in NY State. That's a big no no that will fail you, and you won't even get to pull away form the curb.

[goatman65]

Yeah my instructor said no shifting without the clutch,no skipping gears and no coasting to a stop.I know a couple guys that failed because they couldn't get it in gear before a stop and coasted. I know i will get it with practice. I just can't believe i'm having this much trouble with down shifting.

These trucks are slow to get rolling and operate at very low rpms. I'm used to cars which rev higher and quicker and accelerate from a stop. These trucks do not accelerate they just take their good old time getting going. I keep wanting to wind out the gears when upshifting.

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by goatman65

Yeah my instructor said no shifting without the clutch,no skipping gears and no coasting to a stop.I know a couple guys that failed because they couldn't get it in gear before a stop and coasted. I know i will get it with practice. I just can't believe i'm having this much trouble with down shifting.

These trucks are slow to get rolling and operate at very low rpms. I'm used to cars which rev higher and quicker and accelerate from a stop. These trucks do not accelerate they just take their good old time getting going. I keep wanting to wind out the gears when upshifting.

That's the key I think, don't rush the truck. I always found that "short shifting" made it far easier so be conservative with your rpm's. It's hard to put into words but basically don't rev it up when shifting. Can say one of the funnest rigs I drove was a V8-"Silver" 92 Detroit with a 13spd. It was a SCREAMER. It always sounded like you were running a SBC. lol

[mike nixon]

The best advice I can give for learning to drive a heavy truck is PATIENCE, don't rush the trans. I have a helluva time with my dump truck or another heavy truck when I get in them because I drive so much manual trans light duty stuff.

Mike

[Brian Hummell]

Originally Posted by mike nixon

The best advice I can give for learning to drive a heavy truck is PATIENCE, don't rush the trans. I have a helluva time with my dump truck or another heavy truck when I get in them because I drive so much manual trans light duty stuff.

Mike

As mike said. It will come to you.