Double Clutching And Down Shifting

Topic 7534 | Page 1

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Mike L.R.'s Comment
member avatar

For the past two days we have been working on double clutching and down shifting....IN TRAFFIC. I have almsot got it down pretty good. Stopping with clutch is harder for since i have never driven a manual transmission. I hope i can get that down.

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.

Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

Mike, double clutching (& just shifting in your case) is a motor skill you learn, much like riding a bicycle. Takes practice, then you'll have it forever. I learned the double clutch 30 years ago (school bus) then when I got into a Freightliner in school it simply can't back.

I just drove through Dallas, TX, traffic yesterday. Yes, shifting in traffic is lots of practice real quick. Good luck!

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.

Brett Aquila's Comment
member avatar

Oh you'll get it all down soon enough. It's a clumsy mess for everyone in the beginning. But over time you'll get the feel for it and before long you won't think anything of it.

Rick S.'s Comment
member avatar

I thought "yeah, I got this", the first time I got into a truck in school. Been driving sticks all my life.

NOT...

But you get used to it pretty quickly.

One of the KEY THINGS to remember - is NOT to push the clutch ALL THE WAY DOWN on every shift. You are really only "breaking torque" - and most the the time - when you are at the correct shift point RPM's, you end up "floating" the shifts anyway (without even knowing it).

My problem was - I learned how to float quickly driving the school trucks - and didn't have enough "clutch time" when it came time for my road test, to effectively double clutch. The examiner was like; "hey, you have to double clutch", because I was floating by "force of habit". Failed on 23 bad shifts my first road test.

So DO LEARN AND PRACTICE double-clutching - once you get through school - you can learn to float and you will pretty much never touch the clutch except to launch and stop.

And don't try to "muscle the stick", clutch or not - if the RPMS don't match the road/transmission speed, it's not going to go into gear ANYWAYS (grind). Bring the RPM's back up, while you hold the stick towards the gear - and when the RPM's match, it'll drop right in.

Rick

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Jay R. R2-Detour 's Comment
member avatar

I thought "yeah, I got this", the first time I got into a truck in school. Been driving sticks all my life.

NOT...

But you get used to it pretty quickly.

One of the KEY THINGS to remember - is NOT to push the clutch ALL THE WAY DOWN on every shift. You are really only "breaking torque" - and most the the time - when you are at the correct shift point RPM's, you end up "floating" the shifts anyway (without even knowing it).

My problem was - I learned how to float quickly driving the school trucks - and didn't have enough "clutch time" when it came time for my road test, to effectively double clutch. The examiner was like; "hey, you have to double clutch", because I was floating by "force of habit". Failed on 23 bad shifts my first road test.

So DO LEARN AND PRACTICE double-clutching - once you get through school - you can learn to float and you will pretty much never touch the clutch except to launch and stop.

And don't try to "muscle the stick", clutch or not - if the RPMS don't match the road/transmission speed, it's not going to go into gear ANYWAYS (grind). Bring the RPM's back up, while you hold the stick towards the gear - and when the RPM's match, it'll drop right in.

Rick

Lol, this is a fear of mine. I learned to float the gears and I'm banking on the fact I havent driven a truck for 7 years that I won't try to float gears with the trainer or examiner.

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.

Float The 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.

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

Rick S.'s Comment
member avatar

double-quotes-start.png

I thought "yeah, I got this", the first time I got into a truck in school. Been driving sticks all my life.

NOT...

But you get used to it pretty quickly.

One of the KEY THINGS to remember - is NOT to push the clutch ALL THE WAY DOWN on every shift. You are really only "breaking torque" - and most the the time - when you are at the correct shift point RPM's, you end up "floating" the shifts anyway (without even knowing it).

My problem was - I learned how to float quickly driving the school trucks - and didn't have enough "clutch time" when it came time for my road test, to effectively double clutch. The examiner was like; "hey, you have to double clutch", because I was floating by "force of habit". Failed on 23 bad shifts my first road test.

So DO LEARN AND PRACTICE double-clutching - once you get through school - you can learn to float and you will pretty much never touch the clutch except to launch and stop.

And don't try to "muscle the stick", clutch or not - if the RPMS don't match the road/transmission speed, it's not going to go into gear ANYWAYS (grind). Bring the RPM's back up, while you hold the stick towards the gear - and when the RPM's match, it'll drop right in.

Rick

double-quotes-end.png

Lol, this is a fear of mine. I learned to float the gears and I'm banking on the fact I havent driven a truck for 7 years that I won't try to float gears with the trainer or examiner.

As Errol mentioned - it's a "muscle memory" thing. It'll come back to you. You just have to be a little more "conscious" about it.

Rick

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.

Float The 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.

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

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