I have my Cat C test on Monday and I’m a bit concerned about the truck gearbox.
I’m quite a small lady and I find that the slap-over gearbox, namely the “slap” across to 5-6-7-8 can be really stiff and hard to do. Most of the time it’s ok and it just gives me terrible arm ache after an hour. But every so often, it gets stuck and requires a couple of really hard whacks to get it across.
Will the examiner mark me down for struggling with knocking it across to 5th? My instructor hasn’t really made an issue of it.
I have my Cat C test on Monday and I’m a bit concerned about the truck gearbox.
I’m quite a small lady and I find that the slap-over gearbox, namely the “slap” across to 5-6-7-8 can be really stiff and hard to do. Most of the time it’s ok and it just gives me terrible arm ache after an hour. But every so often, it gets stuck and requires a couple of really hard whacks to get it across.
Will the examiner mark me down for struggling with knocking it across to 5th? My instructor hasn’t really made an issue of it.
Thanks
When “slapping it over” make sure you pull the gear stick over horizontally, the biggest problem is if you do it diagonally you wil struggle.
So do it slowly in 3 movements
1 from 4th to neutral
2 slap over horizontally
3 relax hand and feel for desired gear.
I found the same issue whilst learning…The first half hour was the worst, whilst the gear box " loosened up ". I found that actually slapping it with a cupped hand worked, also double’in the clutch worked wonders as well…good luck
toshtwentythree:
I found the same issue whilst learning…The first half hour was the worst, whilst the gear box " loosened up ". I found that actually slapping it with a cupped hand worked, also double’in the clutch worked wonders as well…good luck
I second that. Cup the hand and catch the end of the stick as you bring it across. Also, see if you can get an hour in before the test, this should loosen the box up. My car has a real notchy gearbox when its cold.
I used to run one of those - they’re ex forces. Paul at Elmet has one as well. Properly maintained, they are very easy to use. If it needs physical effort, provided you’re using it properly as Paul explained, there’s something wrong with it.
Pete
Will the examiner mark me down for struggling with knocking it across to 5th?
Yep that’s gonna be a minor
Top markers for sticking with it, but I prefer the 4 over 4 boxes over them slap it ones…
Lets hope that you don’t get marked down for many of them come Monday’s test lass but wishing you all the best, let us know how you get on…
I did my cat C in a slapover Mercedes - my arm and should ached for about a week afterwards. Pain is all in the mind, and all you can do is persevere sometimes. The test is only an hour or so, try to work through the pain and hope that your good looks and charm will persuade the examiner to turn a blind eye.
Most of it is luck on the day, and if you are generally competent with good driving skills it is less likely that the examiner will regard your gearbox troubles as a major fault - especially if it is evident that the truck has a maintenance issue.
especially if it is evident that the truck has a maintenance issue
Then the truck shouldn’t be in use if it has such an evident mechanical issue that requires maintenance, especially when people are paying good money to undertake training and a test…
cupcake1973:
can be really stiff and hard to do. Most of the time it’s ok and it just gives me terrible arm ache after an hour. But every so often, it gets stuck and requires a couple of really hard whacks to get it across.
Right,theres no way in a million years that wording is accidental!
But on the bright side,if you fail the test just transfer wording like that to the adult side of the internet and you’ll make a fortune!..
Then the truck shouldn’t be in use if it has such an evident mechanical issue that requires maintenance, especially when people are paying good money to undertake training and a test…
Sadly, this is often the case. And the candidate has no way of knowing that this isn’t the norm until they eventually go to a decent trainer to get sorted out.
cupcake1973:
can be really stiff and hard to do. Most of the time it’s ok and it just gives me terrible arm ache after an hour. But every so often, it gets stuck and requires a couple of really hard whacks to get it across.
Right,theres no way in a million years that wording is accidental!
But on the bright side,if you fail the test just transfer wording like that to the adult side of the internet and you’ll make a fortune!..
Lol. I tried to rephrase it when I was writing it, but no matter what I put, it all sounded just as bad
Thanks everyone for the advice. The gearbox is alright the majority of the time - it just gives me arm ache. It’s only once in a while, usually when crawling in a bit of traffic that I find the knock across is extra stiff. I have 2 hours pre-test to practice and get warmed up and if it happens on test, then I can live with one minor for it.
I’m not in that green truck - I’m in an identical blue one which has just been serviced. Ironically, the green one developed a gearbox problem on my 2nd day when my training buddy was driving it
