It’s been a few weeks since a posted on here, but I still look on here for advise (chances are someone’s been there before you )
Right, as most people know, a good number of training schools use automatics. Yes they are so much easier to pass in. However since passing I most have driven a auto about 4 times, every thing else has been manuals, e.g. slap overs/ 3 over 3 and straight up 6 or 8 gearboxes. Now what the hardest to master was the 3 over 3 or x over x. For some reason I couldn’t get the right gears. But that could have the gearbox it self as there wasn’t much of a clutch left ( collecting on behalf of a lensing company). I stalled more times then brexit talks. There is a great section on this forum about manuals and while worth read.
My word of advice is when you pass (in a auto) ask if they have a manual or know of another company that has one. Book a few hours on one to get the feel and learn a few tricks and tips.
There are so many different types of gearbox that whatever you train on is not going to cover what you come across during a driving career so the best advice is to ASK ANOTHER DRIVER if you come across a gearbox you are not familiar with
Hi ROG,
Yup couldn’t agree more. I think the reason a struggled on the 3 over 3, was I didn’t ask. I was handed the keys and a fuel card, dropped off at a dusty vacant yard and told see you back at depo.
Ukcinc:
Hi ROG,
Yup couldn’t agree more. I think the reason a struggled on the 3 over 3, was I didn’t ask. I was handed the keys and a fuel card, dropped off at a dusty vacant yard and told see you back at depo.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
would that not be the quickest way to learn if your in any way competent?
shades of normality there…heres the keys and off you go.
find a gear to limp it out of the yard,then play with it down the road a bit mashing it about till you find a few gears to suit you…bit of a steep learning curve but 30 mins later,youve mastered it unless the gear lever comes off in your hand or your walking behind the truck picking up the internal cogs out of the box.
There is that but sometimes having a idea helps. I mean I know most people on here will know how to use gears. But when you come up to gear shift with these 2 buttons on; your brain melts and you think, oh dear Lord what has Thu done to you to deserve such torment. Fyi they should make clutches smell much nicer.
This topic comes around regularly. My own experience involves passing a test with an unladen flat 28’ single axle trailer drawn by a beaten up wreck of a unit with a 4 speed “straight” box.
From there I’ve driven most gearboxes out there and certainly much larger trailers and abnormal loads. Extra training? Zero. Common sense? Plenty. It really isn’t rocket science.
Without a doubt, it’s easier to pass on auto. At first I thought the powers that be had lost the plot. But, after thinking about it, I dont see the issue.
Drivers now have the added bonus of Google in their pocket. 45 years ago that was unthinkable.
Any help a new driver can get is great. The point ROG makes is spot on. With so many variances of gearbox, it’s not likely you’ll get to learn on one that you’ll be driving next week. Ask another driver, ask Google, speak with your trainer.
Most of the old hands just started on what they were gifted, it may be an worn out non synchro or an equally worn out synchro box in a Volvo. I think the only gearbox training I ever had was a fuel saving demo on an MAN course, we had tanks to unload and reload that day so fuel economy went out the window.
I passed my C test last Friday in a 2001 Scania 94D with a 4 over 4 box and when we were out training we always went to the same snack bar for our breaks, where I met a couple of other guys learning with another firm in Autos, and they were struggling to get the timing right when it came to pulling out at roundabouts, where as after a day or two in the Scania, I was getting the gears like butter.
Every other driver I’ve met says if you can pass in the Scania you can drive anything…dunno if thats to do with the quality of the Scania or not
