WTB: Teach me how to double clutch a truck!!!

[jdwhitak]

CDL Class B holder is looking to learn how to double clutch on either a straight truck or tractor. Willing to pay $100 for the lesson. Must provide a straight truck or tractor for me to practice on. Located in Greenwood, IN. Willing to travel a small distance.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Let's see...

First, it is difficult to get something like this done. In days gone by it was much easier without the worries in today's climate. As it is, I doubt anyone would consider doing this without jumping through the hoops with their insurance carrier. There is simply too much risk otherwise if things go sideways.

You apparently tested in a straight truck with an automatic transmission. Are you getting rid of the automatic transmission restriction or trading up to Class A?

Is this a 'just because' or are you prepping to hunt a bigger and better job?

Are you learning from scratch or just needing to polish your method a bit?

Knowing where you are and where you are trying to go would be helpful for the purpose of giving useful advice.

 

[PapaScout]

Skip the lesson and drive a truck with an Allison automatic in it.

 

[patience0830]

Automatics suck.
Why double clutch. Just float the gears. I never touch the clutch in a semi except to stop and start.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Automatics suck.
Why double clutch. Just float the gears. I never touch the clutch in a semi except to stop and start.

Same here, but since it is an issue to him, I am guessing that he needs to learn for a specific reason and retesting is the only one I can think of.

 

[sloughfoot]

Been driving the big trucks off and on since I was 14. 52 years. Swinging beef from St Cloud, MN to Detroit. CO4000, 238, 5 speed trannie with 3 speed rear. Springs tractor and trailer. Floating seat thank God. Back when Schneider Freight was all Teamster company drivers. Before Schneider International. My brother rescued me from a very dark place after the Army let me go and we hauled cattle all over in a cabover Freightliner with big Cat and a 13 speed in 1974. Worked as a truck driving instructor in Garrett, IN for a couple of years in the early 90's. I owned a small fleet for 18 years. 15 trucks, 25 drivers. Plus me. Great business, made lots of money. Downside? Gotta deal with truckdrivers....

Your statement that you are not willing to travel much requires me to give you written instruction. I am not going to travel to you buddy.

Lots of companies require double clutching in the driving test of the pre-hire. But you can fake it by pushing in the clutch pedal at the right time while floating the gears.

You have to watch the tach. It is usually a 500 RPM change between gears. But whatever the split is, when upshifting, push in the clutch. tranny to neutral. Move toward the next gear and push in the clutch as the gear slides in as the RPMs match. Be sure the evaluator sees the left foot moving up and down twice.

It would take like 5 minutes to show you how to fake a double clutch. Which is actually a real double clutch but so many new guys freak out about it. Because of the big two word name? All you are doing is getting the gears and everything spinning at the same speed to smoothly make the shift. Clutch or no clutch.

You could always hang out at the local truck stop and drive some foreigners truck around the lot or down the road for a ways. Little risk for the modern company driver. If anything goes wrong they will just walk away. Yeah, that is my cynical view.

I will tag along here for my own WTB....

Any of you guys know of any old crackerbox GMC with a 238 and 10 speed or maybe an old Emeryville with a 250 Cummins and maybe a 5x3? I keep seeing an old Hendrickson farm truck up by Wanatah but can't find out which farmer has kept it going all these years.I think it would be cool to have a old truck around to play with....With like a 38 foot flatbed....Something like I grew up around, working on and driving in the sixties...

 

[ghitch75]

........jump in a ol' 3 stick Mack for some shiftin' fun!!!!......shift in a turn was always fun with your left arm stuck through the wheel!!!

 

[churchmouse]

........jump in a ol' 3 stick Mack for some shiftin' fun!!!!......shift in a turn was always fun with your left arm stuck through the wheel!!!

I spent some time one summer a long time ago in another life rolling a 3 stick..........

 

[Bigtanker]

Skip the lesson and drive a truck with an Allison automatic in it.

Pulling 98,000 pounds with this Eaton 10 speed.


It does ok. A few problems here and there but when I'm scheduled on that truck, I don't have a choice.

 

[PGRChaplain]

I learned on a Mack "B" Model, 711 & a Triplex Transmission. If you missed a shift with this, you had to start all over again. There's plenty of Trucking Companies that will Train you. The company my son works for has drivers inbound daily that can't speak English, your way ahead of them!

 

[PapaScout]

Pulling 98,000 pounds with this Eaton 10 speed.


It does ok. A few problems here and there but when I'm scheduled on that truck, I don't have a choice.

Eaton makes a great transmission, but it's automated - not automatic. Think taking a manual transmission and bolting a controller on it to shift it for you. Same lag in power between shifts (not smooth), but arguably much less work and driver fatigue than a straight manual transmission.

 

[SSGSAD]

Sloughfoot, hit the nail, on the head .....

Bad shoulder, and knee, I can't and won't drive anything but an auto .....

 

[Bigtanker]

Eaton makes a great transmission, but it's automated - not automatic. Think taking a manual transmission and bolting a controller on it to shift it for you. Same lag in power between shifts (not smooth), but arguably much less work and driver fatigue than a straight manual transmission.

Yep. You can rip the elecronics off of it, pit a clutch pedal and a shifter in it, change the computer and have a true manual again. I've been on the Eaton test track in Michigan. That was fun.