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Posted: 6 years, 6 months ago
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Help! My story and why I’m learning to shift now
Thanks for the advice from all you dudes it’s been a real help. This morning started out ****ty and had to go to rail yard in Memphis TN. Towards the end of the day I did better a lot better especially with traffic in crashville. I honestly wish I could go back out with a trainer for a month to get the much needed 1 on 1 help but unfortunately my company does not train. All I can do is take advice from here and other drivers and my old man. Thanks again and be safe out there.
I've had my license for just under 2 months now and spent the first month training in an automatic. I've been in a manual for the past month and my shifting is decent. I still grind gears sometimes. I pull a PUP trailer and tend to start in 4th gear if I'm loaded less than 13k. This morning I had about 16k in the box so I started in 3rd.....unfortunately 2 times I ended up shifting from 3rd to 6th because I couldn't pop it into gear (embarrassingly). It just takes time, if you feel going out with a trainer will help you id suggest requesting it but it seems you have the basic concept of it down. Just takes practice. Theres day where even experienced drivers grind gears, or struggle backing. THATS TRUCKING!
Posted: 6 years, 6 months ago
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Help! My story and why I’m learning to shift now
Thanks for the reply man! Ok so I guess it’s gonna take some time. It’s just hard cause the things I do wrong normally if I trained in a manual I would have a trainer helping and teaching me. My dad sucks at teaching and he lives far away from me so it’s sometimes tough just learning on my own from self error. Thanks
For myself, about 2 months to get to where I didn't have to think about it on a regular basis... Then they moved me to a 13, similar but could be a pain when heavy and in traffic. But an absolute joy when running hills an mountains.
Posted: 6 years, 6 months ago
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Help! My story and why I’m learning to shift now
Hello community, I’ve known about this site but hadn’t needed to reach out until exactly tonites episode. My story so you understand my situation... Been driving almost 2 years now with 2 different companies. I went to cdl school but only drove a manual for about 10 hours all together since we only got 45 min on the road runs once a week! After graduating I started with a company who trains in automatics. I was trained in an auto and then assigned an automatic. For about 6 months I did good and then found a better company. Since I didn’t learn shifting I requested an automatic. So since until 3 days ago I’ve been in an automatic. Recently my father who’s been driving since 1976 told me I should learn how to shift. I totally agree with him and asked to be switched out of my cascadia automatic and into a Kw t680 10 speed. Now it’s been only 3 days on my own and learning by myself. Some days I float them like butter and feel confident but tonight I missed the pilot entrance cause I was looking at my rpms and speed and got lost on a back road where I was able to turn around. The whole time panicking of worrying I would go down a restricted route , my mind was on getting turned around and not shifting. I totally butchered the tranny and in one second I totally forgot all that taught myself. 30 mph speed limit and I was going 15 in 6th gear for a mile. I’m so upset at myself for this and yes I’m tough on myself cuz my dads an old timer and pokes fun at how I can’t drive a stick. I want to prove him wrong and show him I can be like him. My question is how long did it take you guys to learn and get it down where you don’t have to think about it , it’s second nature. I know it’s only 3 days but yesterday I was doing good and tonight I just threw all I learned in the crapper. Sorry for the drawn out story. Some advice for someone getting into trucking is.... don’t let companies train you I an automatic it’s only gonna old you down in the long run. Thanks
Posted: 6 years, 6 months ago
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Help! My story and why I’m learning to shift now
Thanks again for all the advice fellow drivers I really do appreciate it be with all the BS over the cb and on fb it’s nice to see drivers still wiling go help a newbie out. Just an update on my shifting. Been about a month now and I’m completely floating the gears fine. Still have issues with 2-5th gear because the one time I drove a cascadia for 3 days it was easier to float since I could hear the engine more and the gears shifted at higher Rpms. This Kw you gotta baby it when starting off. It shifts 1-5 at like 12 to 1100 rpms which I’m not used to. If I’m at a light it takes me like 2 mins to homey thru it. Is there a truck to starting off a little faster? Thanks