Hi,
Had an assessment last week,first time in a lorry.Started of in 3rd as instructed from then on in every time i had to change gear i kept looking down at the gear knob.The lorry had 4 high and 4 low gears with the little switch on the gear stick.Could any body please give me any advice regarding changing gear.I thought i was going to do a lot better than i did and felt a bit gutted when i got out of the lorry.
Cheers Nick
Hi Nick. This is perfectly normal and will generally sort itself out within a few hours.
But maybe it helps if you understand why the range change is laid out as it is? You have 8 forward gears (ignoring any crawler). If 8 gears where laid out like a car, there would be so many forward and back options with the stick the chances of getting the correct gear would be low.
So they are divided into 2 “ranges”. Low range contains 1 - 4 and high range 5 - 8. This eliminates that issue.
You have been told to move off in 3rd (perfectly normal with an empty vehicle). Once moving, flick the range change swich. Nothing will happen until the gear lever goes through the neutral position. GENTLY engage 5th gear. (same place as 1st would be). Then use the gears normally as the engine note and road speed dictate. It’s unlikely you would need to engage any gear out of the low range once you’re on the move.
Approach junctions/roundabouts in the gear that will keep you going if you dont have to stop. This will often be 5th but could be 6th for a bigger junction and many roundabouts. If you have to stop, flick the range change switch and GENTLY engage 3rd ready to move off again.
This needs practice away from any traffic. Anyone has a “pot” of concentration. For as long as 80 or 90% of the pot is going to the gear change, nothing else will come right. Be patient with yourself and never rush the gear change.
If you are really disgruntled following the assessment, try another and compare.
Happy to help further if you need any more guidance. Pete 
It is very useful to get over those niggles if you go to 3 or 4 local trainers and have half hour assessments with each one.
It will sort the wheat from the chaff and you can be an hour or 2 into your 16-20 hours and hopefully have become a little more confident in using range change gears.
Best of luck in your training.
great advice Peter, thank you 
iain
nick466767:
Could any body please give me any advice regarding changing gear.
Hi Nick,
Here’s a link to a topic (with pictures) from somebody rambling on about range change gearboxes. 
It covers both common types of range change gearbox, but please scroll because the one that has the switch on the gearstick is the second type I covered.
I hope it helps. 
when i did my training i used 4th gear, up hill starts in 3rd, and down hill starts 5th, worked fine for me and passed class 2 few months back, gud luck with rest of ur tests
davy1111:
when i did my training i used 4th gear, up hill starts in 3rd, and down hill starts 5th, worked fine for me and passed class 2 few months back, gud luck with rest of ur tests
All trucks perform different. And that would not work loaded to 44t
lol no i know that, nick said he had an assement drive, i was just saying what i had did in my training
Silly question? Does it have crash box? Don’t laugh, our last one only went last year. Re the post about “if there were 8 gears together” I’ve driven a Merc Atego with this gearbox. Utter crap…it was a demo I was meant to have for 2 days and I took it back at the end of the first.
When I drive a 16 speed range/splitter (rigids) I leave the splitter in high and just use the range change thus making it an 8 speed.