Driving A Truck Is Like Riding A Bicycle
Topic 2813 | Page 1
Rick...you never forget the basics....but you do forget the timing...and trucks have changed since 1991 !! You'll get it...its just a matter of calming down, listening to your engine, and watching that tach...you'll be shifting fine after some practice... Go show em what ya got....good luck !!
Yeah, you're not going to have any problem getting it back again. No big deal at all. Starcar is right - it's just a matter of picking up the timing again. It's the concepts of double-clutching and progressive gearing that are tough to get. The timing comes easy once you understand how it's done - which you obviously do. So it isn't going to take long.
Yeah, you're not going to have any problem getting it back again. No big deal at all. Starcar is right - it's just a matter of picking up the timing again. It's the concepts of double-clutching and progressive gearing that are tough to get. The timing comes easy once you understand how it's done - which you obviously do. So it isn't going to take long.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I guess I have myself partly to blame for my lack of proper clutching techniques. I went to work for a man right out of school way back in the 80's driving a long nose Pete with a 13 speed pulling dump wagons. I forget what that particular style of truck was called back then, California something. He bought two of them, the wheel base on them was too long to pull anything in N.C. except little short dump wagons. Long story short, when I started driving for him he road tested me, I was so proud of myself, double clutching like a real pro. I'll never forget him looking at me and saying, get your d@&* foot off that clutch, you're gonna wear my truck out. I guess from that day on, I never touched the clutch peddle again except for stopping and starting.... Old habits are hard to break...
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double Clutching:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
I'm almost certain the last time I double-clutched was in like '93 when I road tested. One of the instructors at our trucking school showed us how to float gears and my first trainer was fine with it so that was the end of double-clutching right off the bat. I'm sure it would be awkward as h*ll to try doing that all the time, especially down-shifting. More than anything I would just feel kinda dumb and annoyed by it because you know it's totally unnecessary. Like, why do all that extra work for absolutely nothing?
Float Gears:
An expression used to describe someone who is shifting gears without using the clutch at all. Drivers are taught to "Double Clutch" or press and release the clutch twice for each gear shift. If you're floating gears it means you're simply shifting without using the clutch at all.
I'm almost certain the last time I double-clutched was in like '93 when I road tested. One of the instructors at our trucking school showed us how to float gears and my first trainer was fine with it so that was the end of double-clutching right off the bat. I'm sure it would be awkward as h*ll to try doing that all the time, especially down-shifting. More than anything I would just feel kinda dumb and annoyed by it because you know it's totally unnecessary. Like, why do all that extra work for absolutely nothing?
It is the most awkward thing I've tried to do in a long time. I'm required to have 20 hours of driving in school, hope it comes back to me soon...
Float Gears:
An expression used to describe someone who is shifting gears without using the clutch at all. Drivers are taught to "Double Clutch" or press and release the clutch twice for each gear shift. If you're floating gears it means you're simply shifting without using the clutch at all.
I'm almost certain the last time I double-clutched was in like '93 when I road tested. One of the instructors at our trucking school showed us how to float gears and my first trainer was fine with it so that was the end of double-clutching right off the bat. I'm sure it would be awkward as h*ll to try doing that all the time, especially down-shifting. More than anything I would just feel kinda dumb and annoyed by it because you know it's totally unnecessary. Like, why do all that extra work for absolutely nothing?
That was going to be my first question: What do you mean? When I last drove a 10 wheeler (1976 I believe) it was a gas powered International that had a 5-speed main box with a 3-speed Brownie and you only used the clutch while stopping/starting . . . the rest of the time you listened to the engine and grabbed the gear w/o a clutch in sight . . . do modern trucks need the double-clutching or is that only done to pass the road test? (could it be that examiners do not LIKE shifting without the clutch?) I was first introduced to driving a truck in SoCal when my then brother-in-law who drove a liquid vacuum truck ("suck-truck") pulled over on the i-405 at 6:00 AM one day (i was riding along) and said, "Ya wanna drive?" Like any red-blooded American kid (I was 18 at the time) I said "Sure" and jumped behind the wheel. Back then there was NO traffic on the freeways at 6:00 AM (it was also a Sunday morning) and so it wasn't as dangerous as it sounds now. Anyway, my point being, that there was only one use for a clutch and that was to keep the engine alive when you stopped. Same for my second lesson, drivinh from Incline Village down to Carson City in an ancient Autocar- Diesel, with a 5 & 3 .in 1971. You dragged it from gear to gear w/o using the clutch . . . has everything changed since then? I realize we're talking about the experience e of an "ancient of days" here, but I was just wondering . . .
Float Gears:
An expression used to describe someone who is shifting gears without using the clutch at all. Drivers are taught to "Double Clutch" or press and release the clutch twice for each gear shift. If you're floating gears it means you're simply shifting without using the clutch at all.
Sorry about all the typos . . . I never learned to type in 34 years of using a computer and I didn't proof read that last entry too well . . .
Double clutch is really only required in school and during the DOT driving test. Once you are on the road almost everyone floats the gear and hardly every touches the clutch except to stop or start.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double clutch is really only required in school and during the DOT driving test. Once you are on the road almost everyone floats the gear and hardly every touches the clutch except to stop or start.
That's what I was figuring . . . gotta play nice for the exam, though, right?
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
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I've been told that once you learn to drive a big truck you never forget. Well, I beg to differ. I haven't been in a truck since 1991, until yesterday at school. I knew I'd be rusty changing gears and double clutching , I had no idea I'd be completely corroded. I felt so bad sitting there grinding gears and looking like a total amateur. It was so embarrassing. I have been going over everything in my head today that I know I did wrong, over revving the engine, not watching my tachometer and not shifting at the proper RPM's.. I'm waiting for next Saturday to come so I can redeem myself...Wish me luck......LOL
Double Clutch:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.
Double Clutching:
To engage and then disengage the clutch twice for every gear change.
When double clutching you will push in the clutch, take the gearshift out of gear, release the clutch, press the clutch in again, shift the gearshift into the next gear, then release the clutch.
This is done on standard transmissions which do not have synchronizers in them, like those found in almost all Class A trucks.