Why You Should Learn To "float The Gears"
Topic 7740 | Page 2
I kind of chuckle about double clutching. I went through a college driving class and got my cdl-a with all endorsements and I never once have ever learned to double clutch. It wasn't on the exam, it wasn't taught in class. I can double clutch thanks to youtube, but I never do it. Every now and then I will use the clutch once to help me get out of a gear when downshifting but that's about it.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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.
How in the world do you learn to float? I am having enough trouble just double-clutching.
It's easier than double clutching...way easier.
My trainer refused to show me how to float until I passed the CDL test. The next day he told me how and I haven't stopped since. It's actually far easier than double clutching , at least for me.
To upshift, just push on the stick while you have the accelerator on, then let off the gas and slide it into the next gear. The RPMs have to drop enough for the next gear, but it's pretty easy to get a feel for it.
To downshift, while pushing on the stick toward neutral, touch the gas just enough to get out of gear, then touch it again to rev the engine enough for the next lower gear. Remember, you'll need higher RPMs when down shifting, just like double clutching.
Keep in mind that if you have the cruise control on and want to down shift, you'll need tap the clutch or the brake or hit the button to turn off the cruise, or the engine will over-rev when you push the stick out of gear. I would think that no one uses cruise in any gear but the highest, but if you did, you'd have the same issue upshifting.
There are situations where it might make more sense to use the clutch, like when you're climbing a steep grade and shift at a higher than normal RPM to avoid lugging the engine so much that you have to downshift again. (Man I wish I had a Western Star with the big motor!)
Hope this helps. I'm sure the more experienced drivers will correct any inadvertent errors I've made in explaining it, but I love floating so much I can't imagine why double clutching is even required on the road test.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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 floated the gears when I took my driving test
Is there some advantage to double clutching?
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.
Had to go get boss's son, he gave him a Porsche 911 targa for his 17th birthday, clutch cable broke. I don't usually let ANY 1 drive MY cars, but I had to, this day. Told him to follow me to his house, he was like huh??? how you gunna drive my Porsche with no clutch?? I'm like dude, just follow me ok! lol I had to go fix it at their house once a new cable was in. Next time, I had to go get the Porsche, take it to a rim shop for new rims.Was a good thing I checked the oil level! booger was down to 1 quart IF that much! whewwww
Had to go get boss's son, he gave him a Porsche 911 targa for his 17th birthday, clutch cable broke. I don't usually let ANY 1 drive MY cars, but I had to, this day. Told him to follow me to his house, he was like huh??? how you gunna drive my Porsche with no clutch?? I'm like dude, just follow me ok! lol I had to go fix it at their house once a new cable was in. Next time, I had to go get the Porsche, take it to a rim shop for new rims.Was a good thing I checked the oil level! booger was down to 1 quart IF that much! whewwww
If my dad bought me a Porsche when i was 17, I probably wouldn't have been alive long to enjoy it.
Is there some advantage to double clutching?
Your leg gets a good work out? That's all I can think of haha
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.
Is there some advantage to double clutching?
Your leg gets a good work out? That's all I can think of haha
There's a school of thought - that drivers that don;t know how to shift - actually do more damage to transmissions and shift linkages by double clutching , because they think if they DO IT - then the truck HAS TO GO INTO GEAR.
I was P.O.'d on my 2nd road test in school (I failed the first one on shifting, because I'd been "floating" in school pretty much the entire time) and I wasn't going to take the embarrassment of failing a 2nd time on shifts. So that truck was GOING INTO GEAR - whether it wanted to, OR NOT.
The examiner got P.Od' at me - because I was so rough on the truck ("shoulda let me float them bro: - LOL). Luckily - all the instructors at school are Florida Certified Examiners (in fact, my instructor, the head of the program - is one of the guys that CERTIFIES EXAMINERS for the state), and my examiner that test was MY instructor - so after a brief "dressing down", he let it slide. I doubt I would have gotten away with that with a DMV Examiner.
So LEARN to double-clutch - because most road tests REQUIRE IT - then learn to float, because it's actually easier on the equipment and your leg - once you have it down.
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.
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.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Is there some advantage to double clutching?
No, there really isn't.
But once in a while you'll try floating gears and get stuck in gear for whatever reason. Like say for instance you're starting down a hill and you're loaded heavy. You're not paying attention cuz a pretty girl was walking down the sidewalk and you let your rpm's hit the governor before you tried shifting. Now you can't get it out of gear. You try "kicking" the throttle hoping when you let off quickly it pops out of gear but you're already at the governor so hitting the throttle does nothing. And you're being pushed downhill by the load you're carrying so it won't slow down quickly enough on its own to pop out of gear when you let off the throttle. You're stuck in gear. The only way to release the pressure off the gears so you can get it out of gear is to push in the clutch.
So knowing how to double clutch at least gives you that instinct to hit the clutch if its stuck in gear. But I mean, that's a stretch. That's not even double clutching but at least I get a point for thinking up a reason to use your clutch when shifting!
Floating 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.
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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Tips For Shifting
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