Changing gears and how would one go about driving manual lorries?

[Internet_Hero]

I drive a car in real life and obviously it's only got 5 gears. How does a lorry work when changing gears? I can pull away faster in second gear than I can in first so how do these gears work? Are they like a car or is it a bit more complicated than that? If I go from first gear to second to third to fourth the revs are very high but absolute no power. (I know I'm driving a heavy load) can I just skip from 2 to 4? Like driving, I go from third to fifth in my car.

[Nono54Fr]

It's the same mechanic principal, albeit the truck has more power spread out out on even more gears. Also the ratio between two gears being tighter, there is almost no differences between 2 gears torque-wise and speed-wise, albeit the 2nd gear would " pull away faster ". So yes, you can skip 1-2 or 3 gears at a time or more, like start in 4th at a red light if you're trailer-less.

[TracyJay]

skipping gears in the low range (1-6) with either no/empy/light load is acceptable, it's in the high range (8-12), where not skipping gears is a good habit to be into. Of course, this is a game, so drive how you wish. Remember that optimum torque for trucks is generally between 1100 and 1500 rpms, any more or less and you're just wasting fuel.

[N2G]

Yes, you can skip some gears... Do it this way: Start with 2nd or 3rd gear (depending of the load weight) and then you go skipping 2 gears untill the 9th gear. Don't skip the 10th, 11st and 12nd gears, and don't let the revs arrives to the red level in the tachometer. It's not a rule, you will end up getting used to this system and do it the best way for you! XD

[Internet_Hero]

Okay cheers guys. Only thing I find difficult (with keyboard) is the stopping at red lights when coming up to it in say 7th gear. I end up tabbing down so fast the revs are high. I then just end up stopping in a high gear and then shifting down that way to avoid it. Is this a bad idea?

WASD keys is tricky in some areas but I don't have a steering wheel just yet so I'll have to make do.

[Skrimskeez.]

Originally posted by Shifty Powers:

Okay cheers guys. Only thing I find difficult (with keyboard) is the stopping at red lights when coming up to it in say 7th gear. I end up tabbing down so fast the revs are high. I then just end up stopping in a high gear and then shifting down that way to avoid it. Is this a bad idea?

WASD keys is tricky in some areas but I don't have a steering wheel just yet so I'll have to make do.

Gamepads work well and are even cheaper, good luck!

[Kaleckton]

Being a truck driver I always found the best fuel economy in any given semi truck is 1400 rpms, ideally upshifting is good at 1400 rpms and downshifting is good at 1100 however training new student to drive (I am a trainer) the truck the best upshifting is 1500 to 1000 rpms. Reason why is new drivers have a harder time shifting at 1400 and 1100 for some reason, but as they gain more confidence they are able to shift better and grind less. And also if you are not able to shift down fast enough it wont kill the engine or transmission if you downshift after you are stopped. Most people I know do it. The problem is by constantly pressing down the clutch hard to downshift down after stopping in a high gear the CLUTCH BRAKE wears out faster and have to be replaced. In real life replacing a clutch brake is highly expensive, and is the big argurment most owner ops have when they ask new student drivers to float instead of double clutching. But being a video game you really dont have to worry too much about the cost of replacing a clutch brake. Also while a clutch brake is expensive, it is far cheaper to replace it once in awhile than to buy a new transmission every 400,000 miles. A semi transmission should last for the life of the semi truck in question, but by floating you wear it down way too fast.