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Posted: 1/12/2021 9:03:46 PM EDT
And just start it up and take off? I mean, is it something an average joe with no experience in a big rig can do?
If there were a shtf situation and my only option was a big rig, is it something I would be able just hop in and drive off? |
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It's got a pretty shallow learning curve (at least I thought so)
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Most trucks are auto, so no problem. If it’s a manual you may be able to drive it, but it’s gonna be ugly. You’ll run over some curbs and possibly roll over a sign or hit a pole turning, but you’ll work that out after a little bit. You won’t be backing it up successfully.
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In before stories of drivelines laying on the road as a result of rookie drivers.
LOL |
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If you’ve never driven one, you probably can’t hop in and drive one without taking several minutes to figure it out. They’re not exactly complicated, but they take a little instruction.
If the SHTF, find something else to drive. |
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If you happen to find one with an automatic transmission you should be gto. If you get one with manual shift you will do better on foot.
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Once you figure out up shifting it’s pretty simple especially if your empty or bobtail.
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You have to push the big yellow and big red buttons before you can go anywhere. After that, it's pretty self explanatory.
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I was sitting in my pickup at a loading dock last week for work for a few hours. I watched a driver about as wide as he was tall take a few minutes to get back up into his rig after he got out to open the doors on the trailer. So I would say it may not be all that easy to just "hop" in but YMMV.
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Quoted: If you happen to find one with an automatic transmission you should be gto. If you get one with manual shift you will do better on foot. View Quote This is totally true. On top of the basic parts of driving a non-synchro transmission, you also have to be in the right gear for any impending situation, especially long downhills. eta- Locally a noobie driver fucked up and was either in too high a gear or neutral coming down a long steep twisty road. He was probably going about 60 when he went off the road and down into a creek bottom. He sheared off some 30 inch trees and broke his truck in ways I've never seen broken. |
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When I was ten years old I decided I was going to go for a drive in my grandmothers car, which had a three on the tree manual transmission. I grabbed the keys and hopped in, and thinking it was in park turned the key trying to start it. The car kept lurching forward since it was in gear, I did this about three times before my dad came out and yelled at me to get out
I don't even think I got in trouble, but this is kind of how I picture the OPs plan going in SHTF Also, in SHTF, don't drive a vehicle that gets like 6 mpg |
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Can you post where and when you plan to do this on ARFCOM. Would like to see this go down!
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How to shift an 18 speed transmission |
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Admittedly, I was thinking about the road warrior where he was able to drive that “tankah” back to the refinery/base. I know it didn’t matter for the sake of the movie if he knew what he was doing or not, but it got me to wondering how possible it really was for someone who didn’t.
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Have you seen who’s driving tractor trailers around the country?
Just sayin’ |
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My disabled mother retired due to bad knees after a storied career as a long haul trucker. What a great woman.
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Quoted: so the big red button is trailer brakes? not asking for a friend. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Only the yellow if bobtail...... not asking for a friend. Yeah, and the johnny bar on the column........... ETA, red button releases trailer spring brakes, johnny bar applies trailer-only service brakes........ |
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Quoted: Admittedly, I was thinking about the road warrior where he was able to drive that “tankah” back to the refinery/base. I know it didn’t matter for the sake of the movie if he knew what he was doing or not, but it got me to wondering how possible it really was for someone who didn’t. View Quote That Mack was a 2 stick, even harder to drive... |
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Quoted: This is totally true. On top of the basic parts of driving a non-synchro transmission, you also have to be in the right gear for any impending situation, especially long downhills. eta- Locally a noobie driver fucked up and was either in too high a gear or neutral coming down a long steep twisty road. He was probably going about 60 when he went off the road and down into a creek bottom. He sheared off some 30 inch trees and broke his truck in ways I've never seen broken. View Quote Ouch! You can go down a hill too slow many times, but only once too fast... |
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Quoted: Most trucks are auto, so no problem. If it’s a manual you may be able to drive it, but it’s gonna be ugly. You’ll run over some curbs and possibly roll over a sign or hit a pole turning, but you’ll work that out after a little bit. You won’t be backing it up successfully. View Quote Sounds about right except for the backing up part. Trucks are easier to back up than most bumper pull trailers. The wheel base ratio, and location of the pivot make backing up pretty easy compared to a small boat or equipment trailer |
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Quoted: Those are easy, IMO. Cutch only for starting and stopping. Shifting and splitting is easy once you get the rythm. I never understood how some guys could never get it. Too easily flustered, I guess..... View Quote Yeah, if you know how to do it, it's easy. If all you've ever known about manual transmissions is your Honda when you got when you were 16, you're not going to do very well...at all. Forget the gear pattern...just learning how to shift in sync is not something someone is just going to 'do.' |
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We only have big straight trucks, bucket trucks and derrick digger trucks, most people can't even get the older trucks started because they have a fuel cut off that's like the throttle in a little airplane and not marked.
I bet most people could drive one, but doing it for 14hrs a day and not killing people, or jamming yourself up is what they pay you for |
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Well, get in. Clutch in and shake shifter to make sure in neutral. Foot on the brake. Turn the key. Push in both air supply knobs if hooked to a trailer, if not the truck air knob only. Start off in 2nd if you’re full and 80,000lbs. If you’re bobtail start in 4th. If you’re gay push the button for drive.
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Not too bad, if they know to push the brake buttons in. Are they going to drive a manual truck decent? Nope.
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Quoted: Yeah, if you know how to do it, it's easy. If all you've ever known about manual transmissions is your Honda when you got when you were 16, you're not going to do very well...at all. Forget the gear pattern...just learning how to shift in sync is not something someone is just going to 'do.' View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Those are easy, IMO. Cutch only for starting and stopping. Shifting and splitting is easy once you get the rythm. I never understood how some guys could never get it. Too easily flustered, I guess..... Yeah, if you know how to do it, it's easy. If all you've ever known about manual transmissions is your Honda when you got when you were 16, you're not going to do very well...at all. Forget the gear pattern...just learning how to shift in sync is not something someone is just going to 'do.' I'm a retard and had it down in less than a day. IDK, maybe some folks just don't have the knack? |
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Quoted: That Mack was a 2 stick, even harder to drive... View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Admittedly, I was thinking about the road warrior where he was able to drive that “tankah” back to the refinery/base. I know it didn’t matter for the sake of the movie if he knew what he was doing or not, but it got me to wondering how possible it really was for someone who didn’t. That Mack was a 2 stick, even harder to drive... I know. I had to ask an old coworker who had driven before why that was because I had never seen one with a trans like that before. |
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It will be much easier for you to drive without the trailer. You can unhook it but you would need to know how to do that as well.
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Quoted: Yeah, if you know how to do it, it's easy. If all you've ever known about manual transmissions is your Honda when you got when you were 16, you're not going to do very well...at all. Forget the gear pattern...just learning how to shift in sync is not something someone is just going to 'do.' View Quote Yup, there is a reason they came out with auto's. ALOT of drivers today would not pass their test without one. |
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Did driving training one day while in the military and one of the vehicles was a manual 18-wheeler with no trailer. It was difficult to say the least, and I have decent experience with manual transmission vehicles.
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Quoted: Most trucks are auto, so no problem. If it’s a manual you may be able to drive it, but it’s gonna be ugly. You’ll run over some curbs and possibly roll over a sign or hit a pole turning, but you’ll work that out after a little bit. You won’t be backing it up successfully. View Quote Not here, all 13 speeds. |
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Quoted: Not too bad, if they know to push the brake buttons in. Are they going to drive a manual truck decent? Nope. View Quote What about someone who has a crapload (like 30 years) of experience driving manual transmission vehicles daily? Never driven a semi, have driven large straight trucks, manual 4x4s and various construction equipment (smaller backhoes, skidsteers, forklifts etc). Have also driven vehicles with trailers. |
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Quoted: What about someone who has a crapload (like 30 years) driving manual transmission vehicles daily? Never driven a semi, have driven large straight trucks, manual 4x4s and various construction equipment (smaller backhoes, skidsteers, forklifts etc). Have also driven vehicles with trailers. View Quote It’s nothing like a standard car. Besides the pattern, you need to either double clutch or know how to float gears. It generally takes our new drivers a few weeks to choose the right gear at the right time without just constant grinding. Is it impossible to pick it up within minutes, no. But if I took you out in a Eaton 10 speed you would grind the gears for the first solid hour. |
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Quoted: Most trucks are auto, so no problem. If it’s a manual you may be able to drive it, but it’s gonna be ugly. You’ll run over some curbs and possibly roll over a sign or hit a pole turning, but you’ll work that out after a little bit. You won’t be backing it up successfully. View Quote Third post nailed it! This man has driven more than one big truck before. |
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