Having Trouble Shifting

So today was our 1st day out on the range, and I am having a lot of trouble shifting. We have some older freightliners with straight 10s. Not sure if I wasn't at the right rpms or engine speed but I grinded all day today or an hour at least. Maybe it hasn't clicked yet but I'm very frustrated for today. My other problem is knowing what gear in. Trying to go from 3rd to 4th didn't work out too well. Also I stalled out several times. It's my 1st try at all this but I'm still kinda let clown. Any advice would be appreciated.

Its your first day don't beat yourself up about it... A search on this site will show you how many people struggle with shifting and then they pass...

Just remember can't find it grid it lol... Everyone grinds gears.. I've been driving ten months and still grind and forget what gear I'm in from time to time...

C.T. wrote--

So today was our 1st day out on the range, and I am having a lot of trouble shifting. We have some older freightliners with straight 10s. Not sure if I wasn't at the right rpms or engine speed but I grinded all day today or an hour at least. Maybe it hasn't clicked yet but I'm very frustrated for today. My other problem is knowing what gear in. Trying to go from 3rd to 4th didn't work out too well. Also I stalled out several times. It's my 1st try at all this but I'm still kinda let clown. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey C.T., We hear this a lot, you are not alone in your frustration. Relax and don't beat yourself up, in the beginning everyone has trouble with shifting. We are not born knowing how to do this.

My first piece of advice is avoid the tendency to rush your shifting. Heavy truck transmissions are not like cars or light trucks, so take your time as you progress through the gears. Use a One----Two count as you match clutching with moving the gearshift. The other thing many students will do is press the clutch in too far. When shifting you only need to move the clutch no more than 2" in order for it to work, pushing it in too far engages the clutch brake and completely fouls the shift. Practice and time will make a world of difference from one day to the next. It's only your first day, you'll eventually get it.

One last suggestion, draw a picture of the shift pattern on an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper. Go through the shifting progressions in your head using the paper as a guide until you become accustom with the pattern and committed to memory. Eventually as you drive you will know what gear you're in by "feel" and the speed of the truck.

Good luck.

C.T. wrote--

So today was our 1st day out on the range, and I am having a lot of trouble shifting. We have some older freightliners with straight 10s. Not sure if I wasn't at the right rpms or engine speed but I grinded all day today or an hour at least. Maybe it hasn't clicked yet but I'm very frustrated for today. My other problem is knowing what gear in. Trying to go from 3rd to 4th didn't work out too well. Also I stalled out several times. It's my 1st try at all this but I'm still kinda let clown. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey C.T., We hear this a lot, you are not alone in your frustration. Relax and don't beat yourself up, in the beginning everyone has trouble with shifting. We are not born knowing how to do this.

My first piece of advice is avoid the tendency to rush your shifting. Heavy truck transmissions are not like cars or light trucks, so take your time as you progress through the gears. Use a One----Two count as you match clutching with moving the gearshift. The other thing many students will do is press the clutch in too far. When shifting you only need to move the clutch no more than 2" in order for it to work, pushing it in too far engages the clutch brake and completely fouls the shift. Practice and time will make a world of difference from one day to the next. It's only your first day, you'll eventually get it.

One last suggestion, draw a picture of the shift pattern on an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper. Go through the shifting progressions in your head using the paper as a guide until you become accustom with the pattern and committed to memory. Eventually as you drive you will know what gear you're in by "feel" and the speed of the truck.

Good luck.

Also like to add you can use a chair and a plunger as the shifter and practice the gear pattern...

Chair and plunger, just might work lol. Try explaining that to the misses huh? Also, how do I avoid stalling? Every time I try to ease out in 3rd it just dies. Or so I thought I was in 3rd

C.T. wrote---

Chair and plunger, just might work lol. Try explaining that to the misses huh? Also, how do I avoid stalling? Every time I try to ease out in 3rd it just dies. Or so I thought I was in 3rd

Give it a bit more throttle and ease out the clutch slower. Since it's your first day you haven't had the chance to develop a feel for the truck yet, where the clutch catches, how much slop is in the shifter, etc. Believe me, each day will get a little better.

Well I was told or heard not to out any gas on it, ease up and it should roll but it definitely didn't. So I DO need a little gas not to stall?

Remember the finger snaps in the Adams Family theme? Bum ba da dum, snap snap. The timing is perfect in regards to shifting and working the clutch. Try it out and see if you like it.

You really should be able to ease that clutch out and start rolling in third gear without any throttle if you aren't under a loaded trailer. My guess is that you are not really in third gear. Your splitter should be down - if it is up then you won't find third no matter what position you put that shifter in. If you think you found third first and then changed the position of the splitter you are still not there yet. Changing that splitter's position while in gear has no effect on it.

If it stalled in "3rd" when you released the clutch, it probably wasn't in 3rd, but more likely 5th, 8th, or 10th. Pay attention to the splitter.. my own personal nemesis.