Question:
I started trucking school on Monday. So far we were taught Pre-trip inspections, In-Cab inspections, straight backing and double clutching. Downshifting is causing me problems so far( clutch,nuetral,rev,clutch,gear)I can not seem to get it. I always seem to miss my gears and can't recover. Can anybody give me some good advice to make things go smoother?

Answer:
Practice, practice, and more practice! Some people jump into a truck and get the shifting down first time. Others sometime during their practice something just clicks and they get it. Make sure to keep an eye on your rpm's. Before long you will be able to do it by sound with out looking at the tach.

Answer:
All I could say is when you put it in neutral rev the engine at least 500rpms higher than it was in the last gear. At the same time pull your shifter towards and sligtly against the gear you want to go into. Don't ram it in just hold it snugly against it. You'll feel the gears at that point. As the revs start to fall you shifter should slip into the next gear.
If your loosing it, it could be because your speed has dropped to low and you would then need to go into the next lower gear. Thats a little more complicated but not much.
It could also be that your over reving the engine by giving it to much fuel. It doesn't take alot of peddle to bring it up a feww hundred RPMs.
I think I would relax. Thats why your in school and it's only your first week. By the time you finish it won't be a thought.
Great Stuff
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
make constant note of the tach. When dropping a gear you will generally want 500 more RPM than the gear you are leaving. When upshifting,same thing in reverse, you want 500 RPM's less than the gear you are leaving. This can be applied on level ground. When on inclines you will begin shifts sooner or later depending on the hill.
Character: Doin the right thing when nobody's lookin..JC Watts

Answer:
My instructor told me that I am shoving it in gear. Also I skipped nuetral a few times and went right into the next gear

Answer:
What school are you with, you`ve done alot in just two days
I will try anything once....

Answer:
1. When you get it into neutral quickly stomp down on the accelerater pedal and release as soon as you hit the floor. Kind of like stomping on a moving bug.
2. Apply real gentle pressure on the gear shift towards the hole you want to go into. As soon as everything matches it should slide in real smooth.
3. Count silently to your self to be sure you dont miss a step.
Step 1: Clutch in
2: Go into neutral
3: Rev up
4: Clutch in
5: Into next lower gear.
So count with each step.
Other than that it is just something that takes time and practice. Also be sure to just tap the clutch when taking it from one gear to another. If you push it in to far you will engage the clutch brake and screw yourself up quickly.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
How different is up shifting from down shifting???

Answer:
One other thing alot of people do is to push the clutch in too far, in only needs to travel slightly, not like your 4-wheeler!
Relax, you'll get it, we all did, or do!!
Drive on! bandit58....

Answer:
POGO
I go to Shippers Choice in Chester Virginia

Answer:
I was having the same problems as you. I kept at it until I finally realised I wasn't giving the engine enough revs.
If you just give it a little rev it'll not go in.
Also waiting until my rpm's dropped low enough. If you are driving and your tach is showing 1500 rpm. it ain't downshifting. Let it drop to about 9-1100 to drop 1 gear. Once there clutch in, pull it out of gear (say 5th) big rev, clutch in and grab your gear. In the second and a half you should have the gear shift in front of the gear you want as was perviously posted.

Answer:
Just a thought also, Make sure you are not resting your foot on the clutch when you rev the engine..
Some trucks just the littlest amount of pressure will still keep the clutch engaged.
Pratice is the best thing..Get yourself a plunger and pratice with it, It helps..
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

Answer:
Today we did not do any shifting. We practiced our straight backing and our instructor took us on a ride to show us the difference in a Super 10 engine compared to the 9 speed that we learn on.

Answer:
Peterbilt with the super 10 in the yard today. Tomorrow we do our first long distance trip. I'll probably have the 13 speed for that one.
Keep practicing.

Answer:
Got to drive today. I did a whole lot better on my downshifting. I seem to be getting the hang of it. The problem that I was running into today, was that when I tried to upshift into 6th or downshift in to 7th. I kept going to far and missed my gear. Also I have to work on my turns. A lot of times I would turn to soon and and bump my trailer on the curb.