Generally, gears transmit power from the vehicle crankshaft to the drive shaft located under it and then to the vehicle wheels. If you feel difficult to switch gears crankshaft to drive shaft, do not force the gears you just need driveshaft specialist to get rid of this situation. Gears are essential because they help people to focus on different functions of the truck. The gear changes the functionality depending on whether you want to increase the vehicle’s speed, increase the force, change the direction or leave the truck at a resting position.
Today, most companies manufacture trucks with automatic gears; therefore, people do not have to keep switching the gears. However, there are still vehicles that require the gears to be operated manually, like trucks. For manual trucks, it is difficult to change the gears if you have not mastered the art. Therefore, here are some trucking gear tips to help you shift gears with ease:
Starting The Truck
You need to first switch on the vehicle, place your foot on the clutch and press your foot all the way. Then change your gear from neutral to the first one and release the clutch pedal slowly while you pedal in the acceleration one.
Switching Gears Properly
When you are driving the truck, slowly release the gas pedal and press the clutch down. Release one hand on the steering wheel and switch the gear. After that, release the clutch pedal and press the acceleration pedal again.
Switching gears is different on various trucks because it depends on the truck’s performance and condition. If changing the gear requires more effort to clutch in, it is because of the high performance of the clutch, which requires more effort to move. On the other hand, the truck has a problem in the transmission if the issue has recently begun.
Listen to The Sound of Your Truck’s Engine
When driving, make sure to listen to the engine’s sound, and you will know when to switch gears. When the track starts making deep sounds, you should change to a lower gear. If the engine makes a high-pitched sound, you need to change to a higher gear. It might be hard to tell the difference, but you will begin to hear the distinction and easily switch the gears after some time.
Use The Lower Gears for Acceleration.
The gears number 1 and number 2 are considered the lower gears and are powerful. Acceleration in trucks is the rate at which your truck can change the speed. Different drivers can accelerate to a pace that they are comfortable with. When you use the lower gears, it will help you accelerate faster because the lower gears have more power. On the other hand, the lower gear enables you to slow down faster by simply taking your foot off the gas pedal when the crankshaft is on the lower gears.
Use The Higher Gears for Speed
Gear three and four are called higher gears. The speed of a vehicle is how fast your truck can move in a given time. Therefore, if you want to increase the speed of your vehicle, you can switch your crank shift to the higher gears. Then your truck will move faster, but if you want to change your speed more quickly, use the lower gears.
If you are traveling at a higher speed and want to slow down suddenly, do not go for the brakes immediately; that will cause your truck to roll. Instead, you can let go of the acceleration paddle, press down the clutch and slowly brake till the truck stops.
Block Changing
Block changing is switching gears without having to follow the numbered sequence. Most people do this to make their truck move for a longer distance without the truck consuming a lot of gas. Block changing also helps in preserving your clutch’s lifespan.
Finally, there are some special circumstances where you are allowed to downshift, and they include:
- Before Descending on a Steep Hill– here, you are required to reduce the truck’s speed and switch the gear to the lowest gear possible so you can drive without entirely depending on the gear. This will help you in cases where the brakes malfunction and stop working.
- Before You Enter a Cure – just before you get to the road curve, reduce the truck speed and downshift the gear so that you will be able to control the vehicle while turning on the road curve.
Driving a manual truck requires you to understand how to balance the clutch while changing the gears and alternating the brakes and the gas pedals. Some heavy trucks require double-clutching, and that needs a lot of practice. When you drive the truck at a particular gear for a while, it can be difficult to change it to the next one. Do not force the gear if it is difficult to change. Instead, return the gear to neutral, then release the clutch and increase the engine speed to match the road speed.