beatngu Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 well I started trucking school Monday, the first day went pretty well. We are learning in a 90's international with a cummins and 10 speed eaton fuller. Upshifting wasn't too bad, but downshifting will take some getting use to for sure! 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_kelly Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Have fun, but be safe. You'll never drive a manual transmission the same way again - in anything! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-169800 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike69mackman Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Good luck and pay attention . Especially to the safety aspects. Anyone can learn to drive a truck but the trick is to drive it safely. Mike Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-169807 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Maikshilo Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 You'll do great and down shifting will come with time and it's hard at first especially with an audience. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-169810 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike69mackman Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Tim's right you'll get it pretty quick just takes practice. Keep us up to date on your progress! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-169827 Share on other sites More sharing options...
refusegetter Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Congrats, good luck, and be sure to use your mirrors Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170024 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack mhe9 Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 all ways keep the truck in front of the trailer. dont laugh i see alot who cant Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170063 Share on other sites More sharing options...
refusegetter Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 all ways keep the truck in front of the trailer. dont laugh i see alot who cantAnd keep the shiny side up Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170066 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackniac Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 good for you hope you will enjoy that , all comes with time patience and deep breath , but you will make it for sure. Quote Makniac , collector and customizer of die-cast model in 1/50th scale Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170175 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Green Dash Posted March 6, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted March 6, 2013 Good Luck!Shifting will come to you. Eventually you'll be able to judge shifts by sound without having to glance at the tach for each change.Hopefully your school is also teaching trip planning. Learn to use maps and a cell phone. Drivers today are finding themselves in bad situations more and more these days because they are relying solely on a GPS that does not take the size and weight of the truck into consideration. Also, they don't have the math skills to know that a 13'6" truck will not fit under a 11'2" overpass, I kid you not it happens on a daily basis. Buy a Motor Carrier atlas. It will list height and weight restrictions and even show weigh stations. Always know your route before the start of your trip. 3 Quote Jim Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170263 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Good Luck!Shifting will come to you. Eventually you'll be able to judge shifts by sound without having to glance at the tach for each change. Hopefully your school is also teaching trip planning. Learn to use maps and a cell phone. Drivers today are finding themselves in bad situations more and more these days because they are relying solely on a GPS that does not take the size and weight of the truck into consideration. Also, they don't have the math skills to know that a 13'6" truck will not fit under a 11'2" overpass, I kid you not it happens on a daily basis. Buy a Motor Carrier atlas. It will list height and weight restrictions and even show weigh stations. Always know your route before the start of your trip.Hey just outta curiosity, are there any GPS devices with software especially for Motor Carriers that has low bridges, weight-restricted bridges and other hazards like that??? Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170266 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 well I started trucking school Monday, the first day went pretty well. We are learning in a 90's international with a cummins and 10 speed eaton fuller. Upshifting wasn't too bad, but downshifting will take some getting use to for sure!Good luck kid. It's all in matching the input shaft and output shaft speeds. You'll do fine. By the way I was not allowed to drive an automatic transmission until I got the basics of a manual. 1 Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170267 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatcity Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Good Luck!Shifting will come to you. Eventually you'll be able to judge shifts by sound without having to glance at the tach for each change.Hopefully your school is also teaching trip planning. Learn to use maps and a cell phone. Drivers today are finding themselves in bad situations more and more these days because they are relying solely on a GPS that does not take the size and weight of the truck into consideration. Also, they don't have the math skills to know that a 13'6" truck will not fit under a 11'2" overpass, I kid you not it happens on a daily basis. Buy a Motor Carrier atlas. It will list height and weight restrictions and even show weigh stations. Always know your route before the start of your trip. Quote Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170269 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmerrill0516 Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Supposed to take my road test tomorrow but the snow is going to postpone that I'm afraid. I'm close but yet so far...good luck. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170272 Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatngu Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Well, I was doing much better on the second day, but 5th was starting to fail, wouldn't go in most of the time so we had to do 4th to 6th. the other student started driving and we lost most of the tranny before we got back to the shop. So after we lost 5th soon to follow was third, 10th, 9th, 4th and 8th, so all we had was 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th. we creeped back to teh shop at a blistering 20MPH in 7th! They pulled the tranny out today, next class date TBA. The instructor said it wasn't anything we did, but you can imagine that truck has seen some abuse with all the student drivers. Back in january my one thing I requested for my birthday was a roadcarrier's atlas, it sits on my Blazer's dashboard now waiting to plan trips. I know how "reliable" those GPS' can be! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170343 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slpwlker Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Hey just outta curiosity, are there any GPS devices with software especially for Motor Carriers that has low bridges, weight-restricted bridges and other hazards like that???There are a couple out. For the most part they keep you out of trouble. Mine likes to say vertical height clearance when they bridge is over 16'. or new bridge over rr tracks and not going on them. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170354 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 ah god love ya,,,have a ball...ive been out there 40 years and lookin forward to retirement.but i do remember,,training on a U model mack,,,and couldnt wait to get out therelol.bob Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170389 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Maikshilo Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 ah god love ya,,,have a ball...ive been out there 40 years and lookin forward to retirement.but i do remember,,training on a U model mack,,,and couldnt wait to get out therelol.bobBob, did the U have no power steering? I bounced between an R with pwer steering and a U with out when running NYC. Pretty interesting back in the day. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170427 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dash Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Hey just outta curiosity, are there any GPS devices with software especially for Motor Carriers that has low bridges, weight-restricted bridges and other hazards like that???Yes, they've actually been available since the early days of GPS, but I have no first hand experience using one. Quote Jim Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170432 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Dash Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Well, I was doing much better on the second day, but 5th was starting to fail, wouldn't go in most of the time so we had to do 4th to 6th. the other student started driving and we lost most of the tranny before we got back to the shop. So after we lost 5th soon to follow was third, 10th, 9th, 4th and 8th, so all we had was 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th. we creeped back to teh shop at a blistering 20MPH in 7th! They pulled the tranny out today, next class date TBA. The instructor said it wasn't anything we did, but you can imagine that truck has seen some abuse with all the student drivers. Back in january my one thing I requested for my birthday was a roadcarrier's atlas, it sits on my Blazer's dashboard now waiting to plan trips. I know how "reliable" those GPS' can be!Just chalk that up as a situation you may experience in the "real world", it's just part of your training. You can skip gears in low range when light and on flat ground of going downhill. The quicker you get to top gear the more fuel you save, provided you are not lugging the engine. Quote Jim Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-170434 Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatngu Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 Well, unless other wise stated we have class on Monday. we started going through downtown Plattsburgh on Tuesday when the tranny shi* the bed. Maybe next week we will be doing hills in Keene , NY. I'll keep you fellas posted on our progress Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-171105 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Maikshilo Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I think your school needs a old Mack with a 5 speed trans. in it. Pretty bullet proof and friendly shifting trans. My son learned on an old RD 600 with a 5 speed then graduated up to the Superliner and 12 speed. He makes me look bad now Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-171110 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Covert Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Got to get comfortable with running the RPM's up to downshift with ease. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-171112 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatcity Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Get a quad box. If y'all can shift that good, you can shift anything Quote Success is only a stones throw away.................................................................for a Palestinian Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-171177 Share on other sites More sharing options...
1958 F.W.D. Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Get a quad box. If y'all can shift that good, you can shift anythingIf you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!!! 1 Quote TWO STROKES ARE FOR GARDEN TOOLS Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/30293-started-school/#findComment-171182 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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