# 18 speed truck question



## 09dieselguy (Nov 18, 2007)

Hey guys, I got a question to ask you and not sure where else to ask. I have been running truck for a while now. I have always ran the normally 10 speeds pulling anything and everything. I'm trying to get Into a new company and they are running 18 speeds. Now mind you I have no issue running trucks at all and am very me mechanically inclined. I have got a different answer all the way across the board. I don't use the clutch. I float my gears. I don't use low gear so I would be shifting this like a 8 speed. When I have a load on as I shift from say 3 lo to 3 hi do I need to move the stick to neutral or just left off the pedal and roll back into it. 

I've seen guys that are empty split every gear and between hi/lo they will pull the stick out of gear. 
From my understanding I can keep the range selector in hi when I'm empty and shift like a normal 8 speed. 

Just looking for some heads up either way if I can land the job or not. 


What do you guys do!?


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## extra mile (Jan 22, 2007)

just select the hi side then let off throttle wait a second and ease back into it. There is no need to move the shifter into neutral or use the clutch.


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

I always just select the high side and let off the throttle and then slowly roll back into it without ever taking the shifter out of gear. If I'm going back to the low side I just select the low side, give it some throttle and let it slip back to the slow side again without ever moving the shifter.


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## 09dieselguy (Nov 18, 2007)

Thanks guys. I just wanted to reassure my self. I went and took my driving test today. All went well. Nailed my drivin test with them. Not use to the 18 speed. I reached for 6th once and that wasn't there lol. Kinda nice driving this heavy haul tri axle Pete yanking that low boy around.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I have never driven an 18 speed before, I normally drive an 8 speed and sometimes a 10 speed. But, I have talked to a lot of 18 speed drivers and they all say that they leave it in high and rarely take a "half gear."


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

mercer_me;1653757 said:


> I have never driven an 18 speed before, I normally drive an 8 speed and sometimes a 10 speed. But, I have talked to a lot of 18 speed drivers and they all say that they leave it in high and rarely take a "half gear."


A lot of your shifting and gear selection is determined by what's in front of the transmission.

A 385hp C12 will need a lot more gears to get going then a 850hp C15 will with the same load.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

Mark13;1653803 said:


> A lot of your shifting and gear selection is determined by what's in front of the transmission.
> 
> A 385hp C12 will need a lot more gears to get going then a 850hp C15 will with the same load.


Or when your pulling a lot of weight. I have to split the high range gears but we gross 140,000.


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

JD Dave;1653806 said:


> Or when your pulling a lot of weight. I have to split the high range gears but we gross 140,000.


Your tugging 60k more then we do. We run right around 80k, some friends run 90-95k pulling a cattle pot but that's only in certain states, IL is not one of them that likes that.


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## 09dieselguy (Nov 18, 2007)

In Michigan we run heavy. I topped the scales almost nightly with 110k in my wagon. That was with a 2011 Mack with a 415 Benz an 10 speed. Our trains are plated for 160 gross. 

Isn't Illnois only plated for 80k?


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

For the average guy 80k is all you get in IL. The can haulers are 90k, and most others you see legally running over weight are specialty haulers or low boy trucks.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

In Maine you can legally haul 100K with a tandem axle truck and a try axle trailer. But, it's common to see guys hauling wood with 130K on (not legally of course).


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## OldSchoolPSD (Oct 16, 2007)

We run up to 125k moving crane houses, but those have to have permits. With a 3406 set at 550 it still takes a fairly steep and long grade to make you split the gears.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

I'm not even sure why someone only grossing 80k would even want an 18 speed. Our trains are legal for 140k and our tandem tandems are legal for 80k. We could do with even some lower gears for pulling out of the field, 140k isn't the easiest to get moving sometimes.


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## 09dieselguy (Nov 18, 2007)

ive been running a 13 speed mack cl700 with a 425 pulling leads. damn truck is slower then hell. running a pete 379 with a 18 speed pulling the same 4 axle lead trailers and im not splitting them at all. been around 100k lately. i was just offered a job pulling super trains and flow boys in the spring running 18 speed kenworth. pretty pumped for that to come around.

i was just talking to trucking manager at this other company and he was telling me they have a prototype trailer in their yard they are testing as well as another large company that is 8 axle flow boy full air ride. 4 stationary axles an 4 lift axles. says it pulls like a dream. best riding trailer any of the guys have pulled. steel framed with aluminum sides. told me they are putting 50 ton of asphalt in it. pretty crazy to think about if you ask me.


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## tjctransport (Nov 22, 2008)

we have an 18 speed in the 2000 W900 with a C15 cat that we use for the low boy and dump trailer. 
i run it as a 8 speed, and will only split the high side for a little oomph pulling a grade loaded instead of downshifting. .


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## snowpro44 (Oct 31, 2013)

i pull a super...we put 55tons or more..lol...on are trls..


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## snowpro44 (Oct 31, 2013)

its not the horses..its the axle ratio!!!


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## 09dieselguy (Nov 18, 2007)

I got a c15 with a 13 speed in the Pete I've been running. Damn thing is Gutless as can be. I pulled a lead to the dump the other day scaling out at 121k. I had 81k on my lead. Talk about a long slow ride. Couldn't get to 55 hardly going down a hill. 30k over loaded lol. Good stuff. I've been driving my 94 Pete more since its got a 3 stage jake and a 18. I don't much care for these 13 speeds pulling heavy steel leads and what not


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## cl733 (Jul 12, 2013)

09dieselguy;1659561 said:


> ive been running a 13 speed mack cl700 with a 425 pulling leads. damn truck is slower then hell. running a pete 379 with a 18 speed pulling the same 4 axle lead trailers and im not splitting them at all. been around 100k lately. i was just offered a job pulling super trains and flow boys in the spring running 18 speed kenworth. pretty pumped for that to come around.
> 
> i was just talking to trucking manager at this other company and he was telling me they have a prototype trailer in their yard they are testing as well as another large company that is 8 axle flow boy full air ride. 4 stationary axles an 4 lift axles. says it pulls like a dream. best riding trailer any of the guys have pulled. steel framed with aluminum sides. told me they are putting 50 ton of asphalt in it. pretty crazy to think about if you ask me.


Doesn't seem like a lot for 8 axles, just curious what you guys are allowed legal axle per axle down there , up here on a quad trailer we are allowed about 75K pounds (34000 kg) a tandem axle dump would be legal at around 57K pounds (26100Kg), nicest part of the 18 speed is it gives you the right gear for holding back in the hills


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