Deuce Shifting Questions

[F18hornetM]

Same thing here, where I work we buy all allisons now. Not many can drive a manual transmission it seems anymore. But we dont replace clutchs, broke axle shafts or 2 speed rear motors anymore either.
Not sure on backing up double and triples. I would say your definately a truck driver if you can back that up and I dont think I can.

 

[mcmullag]

tank full

originator of this thread stated..." I can't afford to shell out $250 in diesel, so i usually keep the tank at 1/4th's full" It's just a matter of how you look at it and work at it. My tank is full but I got there $30 at a time. Now I go out and play and then just spend $30 to $50 to fill it back up. I dont' really use the truck much or go very far. Couple other things to think about. The fuel pump in-tank is adjustable. If it is not down far enuf, you can run outta fuel with 10 gallons in the tank. another thing, the in-tank fuel pump gets 'cooled' by the fuel it is sitting in, the more fuel, the better operating conditions for the in-tank pump. just my two cents. best of luck.

 

[F18hornetM]

I agree with you mcmullag, I would rather keep full or mostly full. Especially seems like spring and fall things tend to sweat.
Had to fill up the M813 after brought home from GL, was almost empty. If I remember right was $260, phew that hurt. BUt easier on the wallet to keep it ful for sure.

 

[Katahdin]

Yeah, I keep mine topped off too. I'll only put in about 15 gallons at time. I also mix in my waste oils between trips to the pump.

Next time at the dead stop, with the clutch, try walking the shifter into third before moving to first. That seems to make it easier to find first gear for me.

 

[dozer1]

Agreed...Im a trucker by trade. Was one in the army, and sadly they were all automatic or semi-auto trannys....todays drivers generally are not truckers...they are simply "steering wheel holders". Although Im fairly young, I grew up around OLD school truckers, and was trained as such. When I got out of the Army, I drove for my cousin, in a Pete with a Eaton/fuller 13 double over. It is one of my favorite transmissions. Ive driven 2 and 3 stickers, although I will admit Im no good at it LOL....AND I never could get more then 90 feet out of my doubles going backwards....long drawbar and all lol...but I have looked at my back bumper from my drivers side window a time or two trying to get into some plants to unload. Being a circle jerk, or a wiggle wagon can be fun sometimes.

I sure hope they are a little better then that! Shifting is really the only part of trucking that is becoming a lost art right? I hope they know how to saftley manage the weight and turn wide (manage the length)

I am not a truck driver by trade, but I truck my grain from the farm to the end users. I did get a CDL even though its not required for farm use. Been running my Volvo for 11 years now. The main thing I learned when learning to run a big rig is you gotta be more forward thinking and a more defensive driver then ever before. Your probably not going to be able to pass a slow driver esp when loaded. Its all defensive. You don't want an incodent even if the smaller vehicle is doing something real stupid.

 

[shenkmen]

Is this perhaps why 1st and reverse are the only gears that ever grind for me? Whenever I'm at a dead stop and shift into 1st or reverse it always grinds 100% of the time. Is there something that needs to be done to avoid grinding or is my trans just dying?

After the truck is completely stopped press the clutch, put the transmission in and out of 2nd gear and then release the clutch or go directly into 1st. This will stop the grinding.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Zie...have you by now "mastered" the judders?..I have only just seen this thread..and would like to point out that if I kept my foot on the throttle UNTILL it was in the next gear, (and unless I CRASH/forced! it through..My enging and tacho would be red lining!!
The tms and the driver handbooks as well as the motor pool booklets ALL tell exactly how to shift your truck. Treat your machine as you would your cherrished car..TAKE YOUR TIME..whats the rush? and DOUBLE clutch every time. Set off in FIRST every time..NO t.m. says "set off in second or third"
few revs slip the clutch progressively when rolling and at the desired RPMs Clutch in THROTTLE OFF in ONE action..Not fast nice and controlled. Shift to NEUTRAL. let Clutch OUT.
Nice N' EASY smoothly, Cluth IN, SHIFT to the next require gear. (yes leave the throttle allone at this point!)
Let the clutch OUT and throttle up simaltaniously.
Check with the directives in the manuals and books. Then co-ordinate and practice your gear shifts , untill you get that "smooth consistant" change UP and DOWN the box. .........only difference going down the gears:
Clutch IN throttle OFF Simaltaniously!.. -gear shift to neutral >
Raise the rpms to meet the new lower/road gear speed. then RELEASE the throttle
CLUTH IN select the lower gear then Let Clutch OUT and APPLY throttle simaltaniously.
GOOGLE DOUBLE CLUTCHING and you will see this being performed properly.
Hope this helps you ENJOY the satisfaction of driving your truck well and carefully, for the greatest longevity possible.

I found a vid for you to watch NOTE. My m62 with full and extra kit dials over 26 (britsish! tons( 2240 lbs to a ton))
U will C I do NOT rush! the gearchanges (even on the UP Grade!) FLOOR the throttle OR EXEED 2000 RPM. I ENJOY my M62 I LOVE the sound and the carefully selected gearshifts. (who's in a rush anyway??) Would like to know of your prgress as well.
wrecker canik hill.wmv - YouTube

 

[zeisshensoldt]

Well, each time I drive it I've become increasingly better at using the clutch, minimizing the shakes to almost none, but I have yet to attempt double clutching in the non synched gears (1-R). I'm hoping that's the only problem and not something more serious.

 

[F18hornetM]

Good for you on the practice. You'll get the hang of it.
Somebody mentioned it, but if you will put in another gear, say 2nd, then put in first will probably work much better without double clutching.

 

[F18hornetM]

dmetalmiki- cool video and that was a knuckle head who pulled out in front of you. That was a pretty long hill, We dont have any hills that steep or long where I live.

 

[Floridianson]

Double clutch a syncro trans. PLEASE no need.. Inless there is a problem like a sticking pilot bearing or pressure plate disc is sticking. Could be bad syncros to. You will just wear out your clutch that much quicker. You double clutch a non syncro and you don't put it to the floor eather. Some over the road trans /clutches have a clutch brake and when you put it to the floor it slows/stops it so you can get it in your starting gear. Then when it's rolling you only push the clutch in 1/4 to 1/2 way down or we some might call a bump. One bump to get it out and a bump to get it back in if you want or just know when and how to not even use the clutch peddel at all. On a hard pull loaded I would use a bump out and in. When empty and not in a hurry no clutch needed on my big OTR trucks.
Syncro trans. peddel to the floor once and shift.

Driving any good size truck outher than your pickup is done by you not a TM.
Im not saying you have to drive around at red line all the time eather empty or loaded. I never saw the tm about not letting the rpm drop lower than 1400 on the up shifts but I said 1500 cause on most of my trucks I can feel the truck and it is breathing right. Deisels are all about breathing.

 

[panshark]

Floridianson, it sounds like you are advocating double clutching a synchro transmission in your first sentence. Just making an observation.

Don't the tm's advise against double clutching (as a rule) the duece? I've never had to double clutch mine yet. I do agree with floridianson regarding double clutching increasing wear on the clutch.

 

[F18hornetM]

I think he means NOT to double clutch,
He's right on the clutch brake, we've replaced many over the years from drivers doing just what he said. When asked, they didnt even know it had a clutch brake

 

[quickfarms]

There is a lot of good info here. I think we are all partial to a certain trans for personal reasons. I am partial to the twin stick Mack I used to drive.

 

[zeisshensoldt]

Shifting is a lot smoother now, but I've encountered another problem. I usually always start off in 1st gear low, but for a reason. Whenever I try starting in 1st gear high the truck is so violent it scares the sh|t out of me. What I do when I attempt a 1st gear high start is: Clutch to the floor, into 2nd then into 1st, release clutch slowly with a little bit of throttle, when i feel the clutch start to engage the truck suddenly becomes a shaking monster that feels as if it wants to kill me, I then apply more throttle so it doesn't stall and then into 2nd fast to dissipate shakes. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but being able to start in high range would be nice for once.

 

[TMNT]

That sounds like a bad clutch.

 

[Kohburn]

clutch chatter?

 

[m816]

The deuce only has a little clutch. You are popping it and it is chattering and telling you that you are killing it. Go back and give the guy a thumping with my blessing. Either he doesn't know what he is talking about or he don't know how to explain it to you. (which I have been told is my problem) You keep doing it the way he said and you are gonna wind up with deuce pieces all over the ground.

 

[Srjeeper]

As someone who started driving trucks when most didn't have synco trans in em and just so happened to own them all too...I can tell you this, I double clutch everthing to this very day. I've never worn out a clutch and never had to replace a trans in any of my equipment.

The reason most have trouble shifting is because they try to do it too fast. These are trucks, not dragsters...slow down, let the RPM's drop and it'll go right in. Ease the clutch out while giving it fuel and keep right on goin. Down shifting, let the gears slow ya down, stay off the brakes...it's all about planning and watching what's goin on in front of ya.

The first thing to do is relax...tense muscles don't work smoothly and will only make matters worse the more ya try to force things.

Keep practicing and all of a sudden everything will fall into place...just remember...you break it you'll end up fixin it or payin to have it fixed and neither one is any fun...

 

[panshark]

sounds like your truck likes to be in 2nd high a lot more than 1st high, I'll wager that's why you shift into it ASAP. Do you get the violent shakes at all speeds (within reason) and rpm's in 1st high? Can you give it about 1/4 throttle, and just putt along smoothly? What are you doing differently in 1st high than you are in 1st low? Have you been able to crawl around the truck, inspecting steering linkages, driveshaft flange bolts, inspecting the frame for anything out of the ordinary?

These remedies may be a far cry from what your current problem is, but familiarizing yourself with more than the cab and engine will pay dividends in the future. Maybe have a fellow SS member who is local to you do a walk-through.