Shifting

I would like to learn how to float gears. Even though I don’t have a lot miles under my belt, I am very comfortable double clutching and want to teach myself to float gears without tearing up the truck.

What RPM range works best? Also can you float when downshifting?

Any information provided will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

It's going to be the same RPMs as when you utilize the clutch, give or take maybe 200 RPMs. I'd recommend somewhere between 1250 to 1350 RPMs, let off the throttle, pull it out of gear, then ease it up into the next one. If it doesn't go in smooth, try giving it just a hair of throttle input. If you need to use more than two fingers on that shifter knob, you're not smooth.

Eddie;

In 'interviewing' my other half .. here's his 2 cents...

1100 is the 'sweet spot.' Perhaps less... addendum.

This was in a Peterbilt like PJ's; maybe he will chime in?!?!

The timing between the shifts is crucial. Listen to the engine. Bring the rev's up to where the transmission wants to pick up another gear. Then remove your foot from the fuel pedal, wait a second, then slip it into the next gear. You've got to listen.

Then apply the fuel pedal again. Fingertip pressure on the shifter is all that's needed.

He taught me this .. way back when I drove & rode along with.

Let the TT professionals explain better, but ... I had a few minutes of Tom time ... and he explained it .. !

Hope it helps, more to come from the others.

~ Anne ~

YouTube has whole variety of helpful videos with explanations first hand. It is too much to type and explain how to slowly ease off the gas pedal in order to pull the stick out and count to one two to stick the stick into the next up, or rev up the rpms to stick the stick into the next down. Just take your time and watch a few. Usually, on 10 speed it is 500 rpms+- difference between gears.

It's going to be the same RPMs as when you utilize the clutch, give or take maybe 200 RPMs. I'd recommend somewhere between 1250 to 1350 RPMs, let off the throttle, pull it out of gear, then ease it up into the next one. If it doesn't go in smooth, try giving it just a hair of throttle input. If you need to use more than two fingers on that shifter knob, you're not smooth.

Didn't see this before I hit send. Sorry.

Being an 'armchair' driver again, has me .. can't grab a word. Let's say 'BROKEN.'

Setbacks are ALL a part of trucking, so I'm getting mine, pre loaded!

~ Anne ~

ps: AGAIN, o/p . . . the advice you've been given is spot on. Mine from an ole' guy/driver, LoL!

YouTube has whole variety of helpful videos with explanations first hand. It is too much to type and explain how to slowly ease off the gas pedal in order to pull the stick out and count to one two to stick the stick into the next up, or rev up the rpms to stick the stick into the next down. Just take your time and watch a few. Usually, on 10 speed it is 500 rpms+- difference between gears.

Care to share one or two???

Type "how to float gears" in yt search, they will share more than one or two)

Flew around a few videos, thanks!

Seriously . . . I just 'learned by doing.' They all are converse to one another on Y/T, per se! It's just 'sense & sensibility' .. methinks.

Thanks, Art ~!!!

~ Anne ~

You are welcome, Anne. Honestly, it was my first time I've looked for "how to" myself just because of the OP's question. Also I knew there is a thing called 'double clutch", but never actually seeing how it is done and/or did it. Useless extra moves to do the same thing as float, inho.

IMho)

Don't like the format of this forum a bit, cuz there is no way to "fix"/edit mistyped words and/or change anything. Oh, well, it's just to kill some time sometime

As a professional technician I’m going to go against the flow and put a cautionary note in here. Floating gears can be done artfully and trouble free, and I have done it myself many many times in many different vehicles. That being said you need to understand the dangers, both technical and professional. When you float a gear you are not interrupting the torque/power from the engine, you are simply managing it. In many ways this is very much like pulling the pin on a grenade and then carrying it around while holding the detonation clip in place - you can do it, but you sure as heck don’t want to slip up, even a little bit. When you float a gear you are balancing the input and output speeds to allow the transmission to shift, the problem arises not when you miss and grind a gear (which is bad, and damaging if done over and over) but when you do t get the gear fully engaged and re-apply torque to the trans. If you’re lucky it will pop back out of gear - if you’re not it will shear the gear(s) sending debris into the rest of the trans and most likely destroying it completely. Even better you could break a driveshaft or even damage the engine as well. And to top it all off, when you get back to the shop, any tech with any experience will know as soon as he opens the trash can that used to be your transmission up that you floated a gear and missed. Most large companies have rules prohibiting floating gears for this reason, and it is considered abusive driving. So you may also end up fired, and get handed a bill for the repairs. As I said up too, I’ve done it quite a bit, and never broken anything, as many drivers here will also say. But you need to be mindful of the dangers . . .

Gregg