Question:
I am takeing my Driver training for my class 1 and was wandering, I am signed up to learn the 18 speed, how well would I adjust to a lower speed truck after I'm done my course? I thought that if I learned the 18 speed then I could drive the lower speed trucks with ease (or with little adjustment.)
Thanks.

Answer:

I believe you thought correctly.. Considering the Canadian weight limits shifting the 18 would
be a prefered skill to have.
Answer:
After the 18 speed it will just be a matter of learning different shifting patterns. That would be easy. You made a good choice.

Answer:
The 18-speed (Eaton Fuller I assume) is also almost identical to their 13-speed (same pattern), so you're covered on both versions of a common transmission, especially for heavier haul.
If you have to test on a "straight 10" or another configuration, the testers see this all the time and will be looking for basic technique more than how well you know that pattern. Once you learn one or another, it only takes a few shifts to start learning a new pattern. Good luck!
.http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sect...onusWeek.php#tabs

Answer:
Thanks for the replies. I'm glad I made a good decision to go with the 18 speed. My course starts at the end of this month and I am anciously waiting to start. I already fully read the Books 5 times and am reading it over and over, especially untill I have the pre-trip inspection and the airbrake test procedures completely memorised.

Answer:
The difference beetween the 13,15, and 18 are small.. If you can drive one of them you can drive the other.. You will be able to drive the more traditional 9 and 10 speeds easily after learning on a 13,15, or 18
The difference beetween the 13 and the 15 is the BOTTOM gears are "split" on the 15 speed giving you a lot of gear choices in the deep reduction side of the transmission. (Handy when crawling around jobsites and hauling heavy)
The Eaton Fuller 15 on my last truck had a blue splitter switch to differenciate it from the 13 which usually is red in color The 18 usually has a grey switch..
The 13 speed has everything normal in the low range side of the transmission it's the TOP gears where you can split and get more choices..
The 18 has them BOTH low and high splitting ability.. A lot more gear choices.. Not to say you will use them all.. I have to be honest.. I can't remember when the last ime was when I actually used ALL the gears up through the whole transmission! You will skip shift and just move the stick like a regular 9 speed most of the time.. Splitting is not realy nessessary with todays high HP / high torque motors as much as it was years ago in the past when torque curves were narrow, and the engines small and non electronicly controled..
If you can drive any tranny w/ a splitter you can drive one without one with ease..
Using a splitter takes a sort of finness to do it gracefuly, without putting a lot of stress on the tranny. The school will no doubt teach you to use the clutch and "double clutch" ever time you shift.. Once you get into the real world, you do things different like "float" the gears.. The same with splitting.., You won't use the clutch to split in the real world.. so knowing how to do it correctly is vital, or expensive repairs could be in your future.. Simply preselecting the splitter with your foot on the fuel release your foot off the fuel for a second and GRADUALY reapply the fuel and the tranny will shift all by itself into the next higher gear.. If you SLAM your foot down when getting back on the fuel.. You could bend the shifting forks, stress the driveline, break somthing inside it..
Makes for a REAL BAD DAY...
Sure some will argue with me.. they have done it for years and not had a problem.. I ask.. if it was your truck HOW would YOU rather have it shifted....? They know I am right.. You might have many miles and happy years.. Then BANG.. 1 time you get too cocky and slam things around.. there goes the tranny.. I have a 18 in my 2001 Pete.. 3:55 rears, 11R 24.5 rubber, with a ISX Signature 600 rated at 2050ftlbs. of torque.. It has over 640,000 mi. on it and no problems with tranny at all..
With that much torque you have to respect it... or things get expensive real quick.. It was the ONLY transmission in 2001 that was rated for that torque since then others have come up with trannies that wil handle it but in 01 it was not a option.. I don't regret it.. I love the thing... makes my job almost too easy!
Now I hear they have a 18speed automatic! Gotta see 1 of those things in action!!
Gotta run..... Have fun at school.. It's all downhill from there..lol School is where you can actualy have fun and learn at the same time..
Answer:
Thanks for the info. It's good to know that it is that easy to go from one tranny to another. I just took my road test today and sad to say I didn't make it. I knew everything and could perform them perfectly but my nerves got the best of me. The exam started with coupleing and uncoupleing (wich I did perfectly) then it went into the pre-trip inspection (did that perfectly) then the airbrake test (again perfectly) we were ready to hit the road, I hopped out of the truck and grabbed the wheel chocks, put them into the compartment, got back in and looked at the examiners face and immediatly that told me I did something wrong. I started looking over my instrument pannel trying to figure out what it was that I did wrong. Then he finally said that I performed an "unsafe action" That's when I knowticed that before I got out I forgot to set the parking brake (I was so ticked off at myself.) Of all the times I did this that was the FIRST time I forgot to do that. He said not to worry, that a lot of people will forget some little thing like that when they are that nervous. I am going to try again on Wednesday and hopefully things will be a lot better.

Answer:
Don't drink coffee first.
Don't "jump" out of the truck, or anywhere else.
Walk slow.
Move slow.
Think slow.
Drive slow.
You're not getting points for "hustle". (popular misconception)
The test is strictly about safety.
Take your time.
LOTS of time.
.http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sect...onusWeek.php#tabs