Manual Transmissions and learning curve questions.

[BravestDog]

I've never driven a Class 8 truck.

I have driven class 7's with automatics and manual transmissions in cars for 35-40 years.

How long would it take for me to learn to shift a manual transmission on a class 8?

Would it be impractical or impossible to get a friend to drive a class 8 manual transmission who has never driven one before?

Would there be a lot of mis-shifts, grinds...can a person do it immediately or with some practice...? How much practice?

anyone?

[Joe]

Boy are you gonna have a lot of fun. The term "grind me a pound" didnt come from Juan Valdez; rather, it came from a truck driving instructor! I would imagine it would take a few hours of practice to stop embarrassing yourself, then a few weeks of on the road to learn the joy of downshifting without the clutch. It's actually fairly easy once you learn the essentials. Have fun and remember to keep the dirty side down. Joe

[KAYE RIVERCITY]

....about 2 weeks of consentrating on what your doing then you forget to think about it----then maybe a week in the city getting used it turns on city streets...running over curbs and splashing water on the walking public....that 's the fun part....I like blowing off compressed air when the sidewalk full of lunch timers....they all jump in unisom.....also loud horns[160db] are good at crowd control in the citys for clearing j-walkers with ear phones or listening to RAP music.....they kinda put their hands on the ears to stop the noise....doesn't help at all....still rattles their soul.......crack dealers drop their stash and potheads explode from the first burst COPS wave back-as do the hookers- and so do little kids pumping their arm up and down-freaking out on the school bus on the way home....geofkaye

[fastlap]

the answer to your questions realy depend on what engine and trans combination you begin with !

Some are much much tougher than others and some are so easy to get along with that its not even a challenge!

If you are purchasing a unit make sure it is not one of the tuff ones first !

The engine makes more of a difference then the transmission in this respect ,

Engines that decelerate at a slower rate at trailing throttle are the best to learn on !

t