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13 speeds.. how many gears do you normally use?


PEIFamily

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Still getting used to my 13 speed. How many gears do you all normally use when towing or bobtailing?

 

What gear do you normally start off with, etc? What ones do you normally skip?

 

Thanks

 

 

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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In 'D', starts in 2nd. In 'L', starts in 1st and goes to 9.

 

Skip Shifting is Automated and depends on incline, throttle position.

 

I use all the gears except R2 and R3. I can't imagine backing up faster than R1.

 

JohnnyB

2014 ShowHauler Motorhome 45'

Jacksonville Beach, FL

32250

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There is not a blanket answer.

I start is 3rd bobtail and 1st or 2nd with the trailer on. If it is a incline I use 1st. If it is flat or decline I use 2nd. I have a small engine so the power is needed.

If the truck roles off with out jerking or slipping the clutch that is a low enough gear. Watch the truckers and you will see how the truck twist or bounces when they start off. that is two high of gear.

On the top side of the transmission if it pulls ok use 6, 8,10,12,13. I would use all the top side gears in the mountains.

The road and weather makes a difference in how you shift. In adverse conditions use all the gears.

This is only my thinking after 34 years practice driving trucks.




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Glyn (KL0PG) & Diane Carson
2002 I-H 4400 Papa's Dream (Mama's Nightmare)
2015 Space Craft V400
Furkid Max

email: dlcarsonak@hotmail.com

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There is not a blanket answer.

I start is 3rd bobtail and 1st or 2nd with the trailer on. If it is a incline I use 1st. If it is flat or decline I use 2nd. I have a small engine so the power is needed.

If the truck roles off with out jerking or slipping the clutch that is a low enough gear. Watch the truckers and you will see how the truck twist or bounces when they start off. that is two high of gear.

On the top side of the transmission if it pulls ok use 6, 8,10,12,13. I would use all the top side gears in the mountains.

The road and weather makes a difference in how you shift. In adverse conditions use all the gears.

This is only my thinking after 34 years practice driving trucks.

I'm looking at a truck with a 13speed and this skipping of gears is what I was hoping for.

 

I really don't love rowing gears in my Dodge, but most of that irritation is the clutch. Floating gears will make it more effortless to drive and only one more lever movement for all those available gears!

1999 Peterbilt 385 C12 430/1650 13spd

2006 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4

2010 Hitchhiker Champagne 36 LKRSB

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With my Super 10 I start in 4th bobtail and 3rd with the fiver, 2nd if on a grade. 1st is a real stump puller!

 

Sometimes skip gears when bobtail, always use every gear with the fiver on.

 

Always float shift, never touch the clutch unless I am stopping. When in stop and go traffic I float down into 1st or 2nd and just creep. Have gone 20 or 30 minutes that way and never touched the clutch or brake.

Dennis & Nancy
Tucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.

1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.
2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS
2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud
(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06

and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)
Our Travel Blog

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Thanks everyone!

 

Is it ok to "ride" the clutch backing up? Or would that hurt the clutch brake?

 

Just hitched up for the first time a few minutes ago and heading to the CG in about a hour.. maiden voyage towing with the HDT ;)

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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Just a not the clutch brake does not engage until the clutch pedal is almost to the floor. Basically should only do that when at a complete stop. Riding the clutch is never a good idea however there are times when it maybe necessary but don't make a habit of it. :)

2019 Thor Chateau 28E on a Ford E450 chassis. Maybe awhile but will get a new picture forgive one up there it is my old rig.

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I have an 18 speed. Towing, I use a minimum of 6 gears,...loaded or not. Bobtail, I use at least 5 gears. In either scenario, that's leaving the splitter in Hi, and just doing full shifts until I'm in 18th gear, or 8th over, as some would say. By not using the splitter, I guess you can say that I'm skip shifting every shift. I do use the splitter. I find myself always running at that perfect rpm while I'm driving. You kind of have to learn to use it,....especially when you Jake Brake all the way down til when it automatically cuts off, and then you have to downshift to the right gear. As far as riding the clutch when backing,...you really don't ever fully release it when backing to hook up to your trailer, unless you have a ways to go.

2001 Kenworth T600, Cat 3406E, 525 hp, 18sp, 3.55 gear ratio
2012 41' Keystone Fuzion 399 Toyhauler
2005 Chevy 3500 DRW Crew Cab
2006 Dodge 2500 Mega Cab
2006 Dodge 3500 DRW Quad Cab
2010 Kawasaki Teryx
2012 Kawasaki Teryx 4

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I have an 18 speed. Towing, I use a minimum of 6 gears,...loaded or not. Bobtail, I use at least 5 gears. In either scenario, that's leaving the splitter in Hi, and just doing full shifts until I'm in 18th gear, or 8th over, as some would say. By not using the splitter, I guess you can say that I'm skip shifting every shift. I do use the splitter. I find myself always running at that perfect rpm while I'm driving. You kind of have to learn to use it,....especially when you Jake Brake all the way down til when it automatically cuts off, and then you have to downshift to the right gear. As far as riding the clutch when backing,...you really don't ever fully release it when backing to hook up to your trailer, unless you have a ways to go.

 

Does that mean your driving it like a 9 speed? 1 - 4 > Range Selector UP > 5-8?

1993 Freightliner 3406C Cat, 400 HP, 9 speed, singled long, 3.91 ratio, 264" wheel base, 12' flat deck with dove tail

1997 F350 dually, 4wd conversion, intercooler, 3 inch intakes, WW2 compressor wheel, bellowed up-pipes,

2007 Ragen Toyhauler

 

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Does that mean your driving it like a 9 speed? 1 - 4 > Range Selector UP > 5-8?

Yep, pretty much. 3rd, 4th, Range Selector UP, then 5th-8th. I can tell a difference when using and not using the splitter too. When i don't use it, theres a 400 rpm drop between shifts. When i do use it, there's only a 200 rpm drop.

2001 Kenworth T600, Cat 3406E, 525 hp, 18sp, 3.55 gear ratio
2012 41' Keystone Fuzion 399 Toyhauler
2005 Chevy 3500 DRW Crew Cab
2006 Dodge 2500 Mega Cab
2006 Dodge 3500 DRW Quad Cab
2010 Kawasaki Teryx
2012 Kawasaki Teryx 4

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Yep, pretty much. 3rd, 4th, Range Selector UP, then 5th-8th. I can tell a difference when using and not using the splitter too. When i don't use it, theres a 400 rpm drop between shifts. When i do use it, there's only a 200 rpm drop.

exactly how i drive as well..

 

18speed here too..

Fulltimer Class of 2007

1998 Volvo VNL64T610 Detroit Series 60 12.7 470HP/1650TQ Eaton 18spd 228"WB Tandem
2006 40' ToyHauler 3 slides and a 14' Toybox

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I normally don't even think about it, but bigg-limo explained about what I do also. I use the splitter when bobtailing while grabbing a sip of coffee, easy to slide the red thumb knob with the outside of the knuckles until I can put the cup in the holder and move the lever.

I know. I know....

Jeff Beyer temporarily retired from Trailer Transit
2000 Freightliner Argosy Cabover
2008 Work and Play 34FK
Homebase NW Indiana, no longer full time

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BobTail, start in 4, float to 5- maybe depending on traffic and road speed, flip to high range, 4-5 float to 6-7, float to 8-9 if traffic is staying below 45mph, float to 10.

With trailer, usually start in 3, float to 5, float to 6,7,8,9,10. Basically, I use all to top gears unless I am on a downhill when gaining speed. I listen to the engine, it will tell you when you need to shift, and when you don't need to skip a gear.

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

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Start in second with very little clutch needed at idle speed then with just 1100 to 1300 floats of 3, 4, 5 ,6 then maybe 1400 to 1500 floats 7 thru 10 ...... The ole 10 speed has very gentle gates when you just row along and it's almost like those Eaton "Gearheads" used a bit of math so that this thing floats like a dream...... With low shift points the truck has very smooth speed build up so the wife's horse in the back of the trailer does not complain to the wife........ If I give the horse a bit of a jerk......the wife puts a big bump on my head..... Great way to not get to sloppy with the gears, clutch or throttle....

 

1st is very touchy with our light loads and with the horse aboard I very seldom use 1st....... Once in a while 1st will work to crawl in slooooowly traffic...

 

Of course tranny manufactures don't "approve" floating but some trannys sure float pretty well so as long as I pay the bills I just "float along"........

Happy shifting....

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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Of course tranny manufactures don't "approve" floating but some trannys sure float pretty well . . .

 

Eaton tells John Doe in their operator manual that HE shouldn't float shift, yet they design both the Autoshift and Ultrashift to do exactly that.

 

The FreedomLine, on the other hand, being based on a full-synchro European gearbox, clutches for every shift to avoid synchronizer damage. If I'm not mistaken, the I-Shift is also synchronized.

Phil

 

2002 Teton Royal Aspen

2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore.

ET Air Hitch

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Phil makes a good point about Eaton manuals and Autos..... Below is a recent comment that I posted on a thread titled "Do I need driving lessons" The thread author was having shift selection and harsh operation issues........

 

Below are some points to ponder......

**********************************************

 

Ya know sometimes the subjects that come up on the forum makes me wonder about my ......Karma...........

 

Last week we overnighted in the ole Freightshaker at a truckstop in Winnemucca NV and I made a early morning mad dash in a rain shower from the from FL to the cafe to get a cup of morning joe.....as I jogged past a very nice T2000 KW my eye caught a I-Shift emblem on the side of the cab.

 

When I made my way to the coffee station I saw a older gent getting coffee and he had a shirt on with the image of the "I-Shift KW" on it.

 

As I started getting my coffee I complimented the gent regarding his attractive KW and he smiled and said thanks.....then I ask how did you get a I-shift in a older KW and he smiled some more and said "oh it's sort of a joke the KW has a small Cummins and a 18 speed".

I smiled and said " wow that sounds like a lot of work". He smiled more and said " No, son, that is a labor of love....it's a pleasure AND a art to drive a truck very well". I said "but some days rowing that many gears must get a bit old"...... he smiled and said " oh I love my work and I have a lot of relief drivers.........I mentor younger pro-drivers for a specialized carrier who has a very specialized fleet of many types of trucks. He went on to tell me that he uses a 10 speed manual and a 18 speed to help younger pro auto-shift drivers better understand the "energy needs" of truck operation and that once the drivers become more "polished" in manual shift operations they have a far better understanding of what can be done to obtain better auto-shift operations"

 

I said " I never gave much thought that manual shift habits could help in auto-shift operations", he smiled and ask, "do you drive a auto-shift"?

I said "no I drive a old FL with a 10 speed and a M11". He smiled and ask "do you float your shifts" , I said "sure", he ask do you miss many shifts?" I said, "not really.......the ole road ranger just seems to have nice big holes to shift into". "well son" he beamed a big smile and said " you see you have a auto-shift AND did not even know it"......... He said, "think about it........thats what a auto-shift is really about...... IT'S # 1 job is to float the gears..... and hopefully the driver does not get in the way of the computer too much"

 

Often the young pro-auto-shift drivers are mortified of the 18 speed but almost always after the somewhat jittery start and I help them to "get in the grove" they start to enjoy the "art of thinking a truck along the way......not just steering the thing......

 

He said " I am semi-retired but the company keeps sending me young pro-drivers to mentor and polish and the company has proof that the program has produced much better drivers and better operations all around."

 

I ask, "do you help private drivers?, He said very rarely and only drivers of older classic trucks mostly 5 & 4 speed trucks that younger collectors have trouble getting mentoring in.........he said I am semi-retired and while I love what I do I am not looking for more than I do now....

 

So now I gotta big head.........I have a ......"me-shift" and I did not know it...........so........anyone got a pair of those "I-shift emblems that I can paste on the side of the ole FL..........

 

Cheerz,

 

Dollytrolley

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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Well, my first trip was not fun in my HDT.. It was the first time hauling. Last fall I bobtailed it and didn't seem to have this issue as bad.

 

My top speed was about 35 MPH with black smoke pouring out of the pipe. It barely would haul itself along. Got to the CG and read the engine lights , low fuel pressure error, egrs and a EGT heat error. I am thinking something happened the turbo over the winter or the EGRS completely died and the engine derated bigtime. I see fuel in the davco and she starts up great, sounds good but zero power.

 

A retired trucker here at the CG said it could be a clogged fuel filter, clogged exhaust or the egrs. I was averaging 3 MPG on my trip here..

 

Guess she will be heading to a shop soon to see if they can find the problem.

 

 

Thanks

2006 Volvo 670 singled long

2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK

2006 Smart passion

2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB

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