Hello, this is my first post, though i have been lurking through out my training! This forum is a great source of info. I pasted my class C back in October and now i have a job in London driving a 60 plate scania 18 ton with a a semi Auto box in it. I learnt with a range box. I am getting on fine with the Scania, its a nice drive but i just cant get the hill starts right, Im always staling it. What is the secret? Please could anyone give me any tips on using the semi auto box, i would be very grateful.
Thanks Mash, I will give that a go tomorrow. Can you flick between auto and man easily or do you need to use the clutch while doing so? I had no problems with hill starts while training, this semi auto thing is doing my head in. My fello drivers said i will get the hang of it and but they also hate doing hill starts. They arnt being much help.
If itās the three pedal opticruise it is the little button on the end of the right stick. Press it once for M (Manual) mode then change gear by pushing the lever down to change down, up to change up etc.
You can leave it in A (auto) and still get it to change to a lower or higher gear by pushing the lever as above.
Letās say the truck is programmed to start in A 3 and you want to do a hill start from scratch.
Select A
Clutch down
Gearbox displays A 3
Push lever down
Gearbox displays A 2
Lift clutch and pull way as normal. Gearbox will carry on as normal and revert to starting in A 3.
There is a way to alter the default starting gear, if you feel that it usually selects an unsuitable gear for starting in. I used to find that when mine started in second Iād lumber out half way across a roundabout for it to decide to change gear and Iād almost stop by the time it got the gear. Changing it to pull off in third made a load of difference, if fully freighted I manually select second. I canāt remember the exact method to alter the starting gear though but it can be done.
8wheels:
If itās the three pedal opticruise it is the little button on the end of the right stick. Press it once for M (Manual) mode then change gear by pushing the lever down to change down, up to change up etc.
You can leave it in A (auto) and still get it to change to a lower or higher gear by pushing the lever as above.
Letās say the truck is programmed to start in A 3 and you want to do a hill start from scratch.
Select A
Clutch down
Gearbox displays A 3
Push lever down
Gearbox displays A 2
Lift clutch and pull way as normal. Gearbox will carry on as normal and revert to starting in A 3.
There is a way to alter the default starting gear, if you feel that it usually selects an unsuitable gear for starting in. I used to find that when mine started in second Iād lumber out half way across a roundabout for it to decide to change gear and Iād almost stop by the time it got the gear. Changing it to pull off in third made a load of difference, if fully freighted I manually select second. I canāt remember the exact method to alter the starting gear though but it can be done.
Thanks for that info thats very helpful, yes it is the three pedal type.The main trouble i have is finding the biting point while letting the parking brake off without rolling back. Im struggerling with the timing of it all, i know its all very basic stuff, i had no trouble with hill starts with a full manual box. The clutch bites at the very top of the pedal and it wont let me build up enough revs until the clutch pedal gets to a certain point (at the top).
Any more pointers would be great.
Thanks for that info thats very helpful, yes it is the three pedal type.The main trouble i have is finding the biting point while letting the parking brake off without rolling back.
Firstly, Iāve never driven Opticruise. But my understanding is that, as far as hill starts go, itās no different to a ānormalā manual gearbox. General advice I give is to get it in gear, all the normal checks and signal and (when itās safe) throw the park brake away - no dithering - and drive the truck. Forget itās a hill start. If youāre reasonably quick, youāll get the bite without thinking about it whilst the park brake is releasing. Problems come when you start thinking about it. Next thing is trying to pull away against a half released park brake. Wont work!.
What is the advantage of any automatic gearbox over a manual gearbox plas a half decent driver please?
In other words, why do manufacturers put them in?
None. The manufacturers fit them because, sadly, most drivers are not good enough, or bothered enough, to drive the truck economically with a manual box. Itās proved that a good, well trained driver can get brilliant fuel figures with a manual that youād never achieve with an auto. But itās also accepted that most drivers achieve better mpg with auto. Speaks volumes - moreās the pity! Pete
As Peter says, treat it as a manual for pulling away then forget about it. I was sceptical to start with but am now a convert, my job involves a lot of site work and it seems to deal with everything that gets thrown itās way. When I had to drive our manual truck in the summer I was getting in a right old mess despite it being a gearbox Iād used for most of my driving career.
Donāt be scared to put your foot to the floor when getting biting point. These trucks will not go past 1500 revs unless they are in N and handbrake is on so you dont need to worry about revving the ā ā ā ā off it.
If your on a hill, tell it what gear you want (2 or 3) foot on accelerator, hand on handbrake, lift clutch, release handbrake and just lift it as normal.
stagedriver:
Donāt be scared to put your foot to the floor when getting biting point. These trucks will not go past 1500 revs unless they are in N and handbrake is on so you dont need to worry about revving the ā ā ā ā off it.
If your on a hill, tell it what gear you want (2 or 3) foot on accelerator, hand on handbrake, lift clutch, release handbrake and just lift it as normal.
Agree with this when I had a shot of a lorry my Dad had it wouldnāt go anywhere unless you had your foot flat to the floor, you automatically think lots of revs but it all works surprisingly well.
stagedriver:
Donāt be scared to put your foot to the floor when getting biting point. These trucks will not go past 1500 revs unless they are in N and handbrake is on so you dont need to worry about revving the ā ā ā ā off it.
If your on a hill, tell it what gear you want (2 or 3) foot on accelerator, hand on handbrake, lift clutch, release handbrake and just lift it as normal.
Agree with this when I had a shot of a lorry my Dad had it wouldnāt go anywhere unless you had your foot flat to the floor, you automatically think lots of revs but it all works surprisingly well.
It sounds like 1500rpm is revving the ā ā ā ā off it!
Changing gear and hill starts are like making love to a beautiful woman, you have to be gentle and caress the knob, and just as you hear the low groan, you slide it in gently.
Thanks all for the advice, I had a good day yesterday, no real dramas. Had to start up a slight gradient and had no problems. I had a car park close behind me while i was out of the truck so i had no room for error
Anyway really enjoying driving around London in the truck, it gives you a real challenge avoiding suicidal cyclists, buses, taxis and driving down tight roads.
8wheels:
If itās the three pedal opticruise it is the little button on the end of the right stick. Press it once for M (Manual) mode then change gear by pushing the lever down to change down, up to change up etc.
You can leave it in A (auto) and still get it to change to a lower or higher gear by pushing the lever as above.
Letās say the truck is programmed to start in A 3 and you want to do a hill start from scratch.
yes I failed my cat c in a Scania like this on the hill start. I stalled and rolled back.
Select A
Clutch down
Gearbox displays A 3
Push lever down
Gearbox displays A 2
Lift clutch and pull way as normal. Gearbox will carry on as normal and revert to starting in A 3.
There is a way to alter the default starting gear, if you feel that it usually selects an unsuitable gear for starting in. I used to find that when mine started in second Iād lumber out half way across a roundabout for it to decide to change gear and Iād almost stop by the time it got the gear. Changing it to pull off in third made a load of difference, if fully freighted I manually select second. I canāt remember the exact method to alter the starting gear though but it can be done.
Thanks for that info thats very helpful, yes it is the three pedal type.The main trouble i have is finding the biting point while letting the parking brake off without rolling back. Im struggerling with the timing of it all, i know its all very basic stuff, i had no trouble with hill starts with a full manual box. The clutch bites at the very top of the pedal and it wont let me build up enough revs until the clutch pedal gets to a certain point (at the top).
Any more pointers would be great.
I got a 32 tonner auto scania with a clutch pedal today (no idea if it was opticruise) had a nightmare with it fully laden to begin with. Nobody bothered to give me the down low on how the truck operates, it was just a case of trial and error :-/
But by the end of the day i ended up liking it better than most of the autos ive driven (i say most, not all lol) the clutch gives you that bit of control that you donāt have with a full auto. I wouldnāt have liked to do a steep hill start with it, i found that you can get false neutrals at the worst possible times.
I hated them in the rigids and I dislike them in the artics. Scania took all the worst parts of a manual box and lumped it all together with a medicore automatic. I found them annoying on hills, annoying at junctions as you had about 3-4 seconds of nothing as the clutch was disengaged. Good luck if you need a quick exit. My last place and nothing but 3 pedal Opticruises and driving them became a chore. Either give me a auto box or a straight manual, not this semi-auto crap.
Radar19:
I hated them in the rigids and I dislike them in the artics. Scania took all the worst parts of a manual box and lumped it all together with a medicore automatic. I found them annoying on hills, annoying at junctions as you had about 3-4 seconds of nothing as the clutch was disengaged. Good luck if you need a quick exit. My last place and nothing but 3 pedal Opticruises and driving them became a chore. Either give me a auto box or a straight manual, not this semi-auto crap.
yeah I can do everything else fine in this lorry I just find he is such a bugger to hill start got me test in him again soon so gotta get that clutch bite right bloody frustrating.
What is the secret? Please could anyone give me any tips on using the semi auto box, i would be very grateful.
