How To Shift An 18 Speed Transmission SMOOTHLY ~~ Meat Delivered  

Ya I know it's a long winded confusing video, but I was trying to play teacher lol

My friend your. shifting is much like your personality. Smooth, never in a hurry, and easy on the equipment. 50 years ago I had a 5 and 4 transmission. Both hands off the wheel at times.

great info!! smooth& easy listening and feeling the truck without looking!! You and family have a great weekend!!!

I always say treat it like a lady soft and gentle you look after her and she will look after you

The 18 speed is not an 18 speed because it has 3 reverse gears. It's 18 because you can split the first 5 low range gears equaling 10 then split the 4 high range gears equaling 8, for a total of 18. If it was the way you explained it then a 15 speed would really be a 20 speed

Just to save your leg…just a recommendation, you don’t have to move the stick in and out of gears to get your half gear. Just push up on your splitter remove your foot from the accelerator and push back on it, it will give you the half gear. Just put it back down when you go the the next highest gear.

(For newbies): If you can drive a 13 spd. you can drive an 18 spd. On the 18 spd., the bottom 5 are "split" or it's LOW-lo/hi, 1-lo/hi, 2-lo/hi, 3-lo/hi, 4-low/hi. (there is your bottom 5 split or 10 gears). Then it's: flip the "range selector" up and go to 5-lo/hi, 6-lo/hi, 7-lo/hi, 8-lo/hi. (there is your top 4 split or 8 gears). There is your 18 speeds. notice the last gear is 8-lo/hi? which on the 18 spd. is 17 and 18. so, a 13 spd. is a 9 spd. with gears 6 thru 9 split. an 18 spd. is a 13 spd. with gears 1 thru 5 spit as well as 6 thru 9. in "low range" 5 slots "can be" utilized (forward gears). in "high range" only 4 slots "can be" utilized (forward gears). can you see how the 13 spd. and the 18 spd. gear boxes are based on the "9 speed box"?

Drove a 13 buy never drove and 18; like to see it.

Can you do an uphill video pls, for us humble beginner truckers 👌🏼🔥

Hey, splitter, for the side button and ranger is the front button. Now, about the transmission model? And it go with your engine torque, so RTLO18918B or RTLO20918B ? And the last digit is your final gear speed. Few years ago, the was a A of B rating. What is yours ? Don’t worry, I do that a daily basis...specking Kenworth truck for a living. Yep, I’m a sale rep 😜

Yes as of now I dub you Dr Smooth!

when you are in 1 gear it is then 1 or ½,,,,1 gear you decide yourself you end up in 8 ½ or 8 gears

I hope your phone is okay 🤓. You are a rare breed Kurt. You drive a truck like your supposed to. Too many throttle jockeys out there. Great video but you drove right past the Golden Arches. Sorry opie No cheeseburger 🍔

How do you know what gear to fall into when coming into a yield or if your rolling up to a red light and it turns green? hopefully you know what i’m trying to say

First Class is easy to shift for those who know, a lot of trucks you can't shift like that at all, some of the new junk and stuff, try shifting like some of these Jamaican drivers just for fun sometime, annoying to me but a lot can't do it

My Dad is the only other person I know that shifts that smooth. He taught me that you handle the shifter as gently as you would hold a baby bird.

Kurt, those are the drivers that destroy transmissions, rear ends, and power dividers. They don’t know how to respect the truck or either just stupid.👍👍👍

I like the old Mack's just get the shifter near the hole and it sucked it in for you.

The sound of that CAT with open pipes is just ♫ to the ears, tx for the video, thought low low and reverse only had 2 gears each. Another lesson learned.

Your correct teaching someone is hard because i’am like you I hear the engine , not watching the tack , it all boils down to just learning by doing it . Don’t panic . Sound is great 👍 good job getting to Buds Game

Your shifting is a thing of beauty…. Gentle hands……. I’m not a driver but you make it look very graceful.

I was a very young teen-ager when my Grandpa was trying to teach me how to drive an old two stick Lincoln log truck.I asked how do you know when to shift.His anwers started with a very cantankerous laugh.It's like being with a women,listen to her.She will tell you what she like's,and how she likes it.Then do what she likes,and keep doing what she likes.It was alittle bit of time before I truely new what he meant.But when I finally new what he meant.Ha ha.I called him up right away and said Grampa What you said about shifting gears makes sense now.Grandpa erupted into the best laugh I've ever.Kurt thank you so very much for bringing back great memories.That was along time ago,but it seems like yesterday.Great job and thanks again.

Great video Kurt! It's not always easy to explain all the details of the "art of shifting " and you did a great job! Also thank you for sharing your family time and events in some of your videos. I think it helps folks who drive like us to remember to keep that healthy "balance" of life in and out of the truck for our mental well being, if that makes any sense 😆. As always, safe travels and God Bless!

I love that you split your gears the pro way, and not the lazy way.

I couldn't finish watching this video, sorry. I'm not sure where you found 3 reverse gears on an 18 speed transmission, because there's only hi and low. I guess I'm kinda lazy though, because when I shift from Hi to low I just release the throttle and get back on it. I'm not perfect by any means, and I'm sure there's truckers out there that are going to learn something from you, so keep on truckin' and doing your thing. God Bless you Brother Trucker!

You can split the lower range gears with an 18 speed.. good for off road use and really heavy Loads .. not really needed for OTR

Kurt Good afternoon Thank You for sharing your passion Yes driving an 18 wheeler smoothly is some kind of art

I agree with you 100% remember when I first got my CDL and thought I was cool to gear jam and take off fast and years go by and then became an owner operator and grew wise quick and drive it like you do take ur time there’s nothing to prove to anyone

I’ve been driving 12 years. But damn. You can drive. I’m humbled

Yes sir ,, I just listen to what the cat is telling me

Thanks Kurt, You are still the smoothest gear changer I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. Well Done Mate

The best way to be good to a truck is to skip gears up and down when its best do do so which is very often, use the gears when need be

I don't care if you have a winded conversation I like it a lot. Hi opie.

This is how you keep a transmission around for a while.

Without a doubt you are still one of the smoothest gear shifters I have ever seen!!! Definitely finesse and experience!!!! Family time worked in while on the job!!! Freaking awesome!!! Keep doing what you do Kurt!!! You definitely inspire lots of subscribers out there!!! See you and Opie on the next one 😎✌️

pre select all shifts, never shift the range or splitter while in neutral, a lot of guys will shift the splitter when they come out of gear and into neutral that's bad on the synchronizer's life span

I use to drive some old trucks when we fell off a hill you just kick it into Georgia overdrive and let it ride 👍

This driver is a true pro when it comes to shifting. I like how nice and easy he goes thru the gears.

My Dad did that trip with swinging meat 45 years ago. Thanks Dad , I never lacked for nothing. Not I thing . Love your channel.

FYI, the number of speeds refers to forward speeds only, does not include reverse. I do agree that you are one of the smoothest drivers I've seen in a long time! Have Fun and Happy Motoring!!

Ol' truck sounds good Jake,take care be safe out there! Remember folks these drivers are out there making a living keeping AMERICA stocked. The one thing they need from us,PATIENCE!

Maybe this is a simpler explanation. Leaving reverse out of the picture, your "stick" has 5 positions. 1st position (L) has 2 available "gears". The other 4 positions (1-2-3-4) each have 4 available gears. So the math is- 2+4+4+4+4=18.

You shift an 18 as if it was a 13, a friend used to haul Heavy, when he grossed over 90k, he would split every gear, and shift as you do, smooth, to avoid damage/excess wear to the drive line. His truck, so he had to do the repairs. Best wishes all.

Thank God for semi drivers. I couldn’t do it. It takes a person that I am not. And we need food! So thank you!

Are you keeping a tiny bit of rpm on that foot while shifting? Never seen a slower smoother shift in my life. Curious to what your doing different than the rest! Amazing driving!!!

I move the Stick sometimes when I'm Splitting Gears. Mom & dad had 20 trucks ..All Pete's & KW's..Dad tought me from when I was 5 yrs old sitting in his lap, 13 yrs old I'd drive by myself, 1983 359 Peterbilt with 13 double over Aginst the Dash. Nowadays I find myself when Splittin' gears flip the splitter at same time as moving the stick into neutral and right back into gear .I'm some gear changes it seems to be easier on the driveline, I love shiftin' gears .Am Very smooth and and precise with my gear shift, I can split by Rollin off the throttle then ease back on throttle, some gear changes just seem to be smoother when moving the stick. Whether it's right or wrong to move the stick when splitting years I don't know but it seems better A lot of times

Went through my 10 month College Credited CDL Course in a W900 18sp. We'd go into low or high then split, lift the peddle & back on the peddle then you was in your gear. Then I moved on to a 389 with the 18sp. Your correct, drove it the same. Nice & easy into each gear. 🤟

Actually the reverse gears don't count as "speeds". You got 1 through 8, plus all the half gears, which makes 16, and then the Lo which also can be split to make 18 gears. (High range Lo is the same as 4th, so it doesn't count.) Then you got 4 reverse gears, 2 in low range, and 2 in high range. It makes sense not to count te reverse gears because when you look at an Eaton 10 speed you got: 1 through 5 in low range, and 6 through 10 in high range. (No Lo gear there.) They don't count the 2 reverse gears there to make up a 10 speed.

Ah so that's what I'm doing wrong, I'm starting out in a 610 Kenworth with 485hp hauling as a Roadtrain (3x Trailers & 1x Dolly) around 230000lbs. an Underrated Truck for a heavy load as apposed to Overrated Truck for a bare minimal load. lol

Nice shifting , thats way I've done many years we had 2 sticks what learned on , dont need to jamb gears and heavy throttle make truck jump each gear ,your the best I've seen shifting and low RPMS , I drove W 900 had cat ran it like you do , hey sorry I tried writing book , take care always

I suppose we could call you the gear whisperer.

Hi Man, congratulations to your vídeo ,Very Nice! God bless you and your family (inclouding The Dog) Juca Bala (Brazil)

When you’re shifting your action seems so slow. And I don’t know if it’s just because the RPM and the big cat comes down slower. I can shift slower on my 8LL vocational behind my old 60 series Detroit then I can in this Freightliner with a 10 speed behind a DD 15. On this one I have to move the stick fast otherwise the engine drops to quick and I miss the gear

Hey Opie and Partner Good luck on Buds game .🇺🇲😎

Thanks for sharing this with us. I am impressed with the way you shift and how you are so smooth with driving your rig. I can imagine what hauling hanging meat is like, with all the weight constantly moving around in the trailer. Be well and thanks again. BTW I really like your Copilot. He’s a great companion for the road. 🇺🇸

Why do you count reverse as a gear? Reverse doesn’t count as a gear on a 5 speed. Isn’t this all 18 forward gears? 1. Lo-lo 2.Lo-hi 3.1-lo 4.1-hi 5.2-lo 6.2-hi 7.3-lo 8.3-hi 9.4-lo 10.4-hi 11.5-lo 12.5-hi 13.6-lo 14.6-hi 15.7-lo 16.7-hi 17.8-lo 18.8-hi

Thanks for the demo. I was just curious after seeing the diagram of a 20 speed. You made it look effortless. Do you use the clutch while shifting? And glad to see you staying in the right lane as much as you can. I read in some European countries, trucks are ONLY permitted to use the right lane at all times. There was pushback but after it was implemented the companies found there were cost savings due to highways being more effecient, speeds were kept slower but with less stop and go traffic meant quicker deliveries and used less fuel.

18 gears, not 15, not 24. low low, high low, low 1-4, high 1-4, low 5-8, high 5-8. Means you have 10 gears on the low range(low-5 with a low and high each), 8 on the high range (5-8 with a low and high each) for a combined of 18, plus reverse gears.

24 gears but you almost never use more than 20 of them because high range low is the same set of 2 gears as low range 4th . That takes it from 24 to 22. Reverse has low range low and and high and high range low and high. Unless you’re a maniac you won’t back up in high range. That’s 20 gears. Now you don’t generally use low unless loaded heavy in a hill or pulling out of a loading dock and you have a preference for which reverse gear to use. Down to 17 gears skipping low and only using a single gear for reverse either low reverse low or low reverse high. Just forward gears down to 16 gears. Since it is an 18 speed and you can have the splitter in high in all gears you can start with the splitter in high and just leave it there the whole time - 8 actual gears being shifted if you start in 1st instead of low and don’t split all your gears. Now if you have an empty trailer you’d start in 3rd or 4th. Down to 6 or 7 gears. And in very rare cases you can be bobtail and skip low range entirely but use that high range low in place of low range 4th and it’s a 5 speed. High range splitter in high. Low, 5, 6, 7, 8 all splitter in high. Now if you do use all 18 gears it is low low, low high, 1, 1 high, 2, 2 high, 3, 3 high, 4, 4 high, go to high range before moving stick, 5 low, 5 high, 6, 6 high, 7, 7 high, 8, 8 high. Staying in 8 low is okay but 8 high is like a second overdrive for better fuel mileage or for 70 mph+ You could also split just high range and drive like a 13 speed skipping low. That’s probably best most often but I see no point in shifting the whole way with splitter low and then splitting to high at the end unless driving like a 13 speed and you’re not heavy.

I think you are the best 18 speed driver I've ever seen. But, you're understanding of the gear layout is wrong. It is NOT a 24 speed. It is 18 FORWARD speeds. The little lever on the side is the splitter and the lever on the front is the range selector. It is very simple once understood. And the diagram on the top of the shifter is correct. Maybe not clear, but is correct. It is a simple 4 speed H-Pattern, with access to another gate on the left in Low Range only. In Low Range, the leftmost gate is Reverse (upper left) and Low (lower left). Both Reverse and Low can be split. However, the 18 forward speeds are gears 1 through 4 in Low Range and gears 5 through 8 in High Range. Each of those gears can be split. That's 8 gears x 2 = 16. Plus Low can be split so that's 2 more for a total of 18 forward speeds. Once in High Range, the leftmost gate (where Reverse and Low are located) cannot be accessed.

Hey man! I appreciate all your videos but I would suggest you stick to what the diagram says rather the way you think of it. LO is LO and not 1st. I totally get what you are saying but for someone that's completely new to it that will probably confuse the hell out of them lol. However I appreciate your videos!

to add to my other comment. this guy really is a numskull explaining 18. yes it does have 18 gears forward. not conting reverse high and low. it has low gear first gear second, third, fourth. . Lets take low gear out of the equation. 1-4 plus high range to 5-8 is 8 gears. Now were up to 16 gears with the high and low splitter. Lets now factor in low gear which is down in the hole from rverse. You have low on low side and then low on the high side. Thats 2 more gears. Whats that equal??????? 18 gears. Boy this world has become brain dead. YEs 18 speed owner opertor hear.

Awesome video Kurt . I have a 18 speed in my 96 Pete, with a 3406 B. I love it. Smooth shifting man 😃

Splitter - forward and backward on the side of the shifter. (Thumb) Range selector - up and down at the front (fingers) They arent both splitters lol.

Hi!, Kurt & Opie. Well, Bobby really enjoyed the shifting lesson. He remembers running a 7, 9, 10, 13, 18, 4x3, and 5x4. He believes the same way that you do in shifting nice and slow. Finesse means everything when getting the truck down the road. Tell Troy congratulations on another win. God Bless all of you. Stay safe and well. Oh, it was nice to see that your mother made it out to the match.

I just enjoy watching you shift so softly, even though you have a messy gear system compared to a European H shift, with high and low, in the same gear. But why not drive with automatic transmission in all trucks, now that you have at least 80 years of experience with automatic transmission for passenger cars. No matter, just drive some truck :-) 10-4

What are you doing with your feet? Up and downshift. Are you matching gear/engine speed? Great video. It's pushing me more to the industry. I learn better rubbing shoulders with the experience than I ever would in a classroom.

Great debate….Floating or double clutching??. I started in 79’ I was taught to float then double clutch. Leaned to D.C. but went right back to floating after first test drive.

I was taught the bigger the gearbox the slower the shift. May depend on rear gears, i only use low for manoeurving etc. But use hi/lo on 2nd/3rd etc when loaded. In Australia so heavier loads etc.

Haha -Caseys! Coming from Australia, breakfast pizza was weird. From a gas station weirder. How i was wrong!

Big empty highway! I'm from tri state nyc NJ CT trucking is pleasure in Midwest

You add lots of extra motion between gears. Is that because it’s loose with wear? The extra stick wiggling reminds me of an old COE Ford ie. wobble stick. Those old trucks never had any solid shifting feel. It would be a better explanation to tell when you are shifting the rear axle gears from lo to hi from the gearbox hi and low.

I was taught the side switch was high low and the front is the range but that is me

I wanna be this good show all the peeps peddle view a lot of guys can’t understand to not let off throttle fully they get stuck on the idea of normal stick shift to let off all the way once you get past that if you know you’re pattern is pre straight forward from there on down shifting is same idea just step are reversed giver a bit of gently pull back giver er some revs and down shift I can’t split all em yet but can drive 10 speed pre good

I love your style shifting you are speaking truth. When I taught my grandson how to shift I also added how you can shift without using the clutch. That I think is a good way to teach them to be gentle because it has to be completely lined up therefore going slow and easy.

so funny I'm not that guy but I swear I watched I video for a black guy doing this everyone was saying the would not let him truck their trucks and how he has a lot to learn Etc now I'm watching him do the same thing and not a single dislike so sad

I still don’t understand how you do that lol. I want to be that smooth but if I take my time like that to get it in to gear it won’t go in to gear. I have to be kinda be quick with it. That being said when I was taught I was taught to double clutch. I’ve since taught myself to float gears. I’d love to learn how to slowly and smoothly shift gears like this.

I've never seen anybody split a gear like that in my life. you know you can just flick the splitter and let go the throttle and push it again and it automatically changes, you do not have to pull the shift out

as an owner opertor with many years experience and with a pete 379 18 speed. that diagrahm is everything it says it is. Always someone to to come out there on youtube and confuse new people with the logic of "age and experience is better". That diagrahm on shifter is what it is and is what eaton says it is. Any dummy could tell you that you dont need to use every gear. The shift pattern on the shifter is to show you how the trans is setup. this whole thing about high almighty is out of hand

Get that old FreightShaker fired up with the Cummins and 13 speed. The RPM's drop quick on that one!

You're a very smooth shifter! However, you're explanation of the 18 speeds is incorrect. Reverse doesn't factor into the 18 speeds.

The reverse gears don't count toward the 18. Trying to figure out how there's three reverse gears. Do you have an 18spd? You didn't split the bottom.

Hey guys just to give me an update if I have an already Thursday the 22nd which is this week coming up I will be having my pain pump put in at around 2 PM

What happens when you go back in neutral and you were in gear 9 or something going 60mph lol? Does the transmission just know that? What?

Dude, you got 10 gears in the low side of the transmission and you got eight in the high side if you use the mystery gear those aren't progressive it's still an 18 speed I hate to think you can't count I know you can

How come you put it in gear, pop it out and put it back in? 6:58. Newer c1 driver, sorry if it's a dumb question.

Pay attention people...realize this....he is smooth cause he is NOT in a rush!! It's a truck, not a race car.

You sir are the smoothest shifter I’ve ever seen. And oh, by the way I was taught the same way you were taught lol. Great video, thanks for sharing.

Im trying to catch on but its really confusing the wording when your in lo 4th and go to 5th thats basicaly the 1st gear position but HI so thats not splitting or is it ? splitting a gear is a moderate ratio change you cant split gears with the front switch ( only the side switch is a splitter I thought) or can you no way unless you have no load can you just flip that front swich without changing the gear selector it would bog down maybe with no load? never drove truck sorry dumb questions

you drive smooth because you listen to the trucks song , you should never have to shove just feel them in .

Agree that a lot of rookies think that just because it's a truck you need to manhandle the shifter, basically doing chin-ups on it, but it's all about treating the equipment right. You treat it right and it will do the same for you. For me, I'm a long time heavy hauler and I think the Eaton 18 speed is the best shifting transmission on the planet, and there are times that even with my big HP I'll need to use every gear. I'm running a new Pete 567 daycab set-back tri-drive with a Cummins X15 Performance 605/2050, and it's an expensive piece of equipment built to do a specific job, so I treat it as if I bought it. Really nice tutorial for the guys who will actually listen and watch it, but as I'm sure you know, a lot of these rooks can't drive anything but an automatic and can't back up straight for 100 yards.

Cool I’m one who asked lol. How you spelling that town in Iowa? Ottawa Ia. I looked it up nothing there? Lol

Way you shift, after 10 years those gears are good as new. Real smooth. Is it that you only split your high side gears?

Up shift is easy, downshift is hard, but, I do it like a 10 speeder at downshift. Joe.

Another Rookie pretending to be a professional driver Seen and heard more mistakes in this video then I can count on one hand

Most of us old schools know about the 20 forward gears

I’ve always known the knobs as the range selector on the front, and the splitter on the side.

I see he's floating the gears (gas only, no clutch) best way to drive.

Congratulations on the win little bud, thank for the info on shifting 1st class, I know there alot of guys shift the 18 differently. U n the family have a good weekend

Tell bud good luck with the game of soccer 🤞🤞🤞🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀