How to shift 18 Speed Road Ranger with foot work Aussie Trucker Trucks and Stuff Basics
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- Опубликовано: 30 мар 2019
- Eaton Fuller 18 Speed Road Ranger truck transmission gear change techniques and foot work (double and single clutch)
Although this how to video is predominantly about the Eaton Fuller 18 Speed Road Ranger and the changing techniques including timing, splitting, upshifting, downshifting and skip shifting, it also applies to all the Eaton Fuller TM manual truck gear box family, and to a degree, every non synchronisation (crash) gear box available.
It’s simply the addition of gear stick selector switches that makes them different to accomodate the additional ratios/speeds that are available. In this case the 18 speed Road Ranger has obviously 18 ratios in total. Some range change patterns are slightly different in the other Eaton Fuller gear boxes, ie what gear you finish a low range pattern as your upshifting into the high range set of gears. A little research will make these evident if you find yourself with a 9 speed, 13 speed or 15 speed etc.
Please note my references to “gears” “ratios” and “ speeds” all mean the same thing.
I used a few different trucks for this video. Western Star Constellations with Detroits. Kenworth’s with Cummins and Cats (all with 18 Speed Road Rangers) and a Volvo 13 Speed auto.
I was asked about the music I used and specifically the AC/DC covers and why I used a cover instead of the original music. Unfortunately AC/DC is banned in the RUclips universe in 293 countries and I wanted this video to be entertaining and available to all those who wanted to view it and hopefully learn something worthwhile.
All the footage for this particular video has been shot with various GoPro’s in pro tune mode with colour grading in Premiere Pro and some still images were shot with the Panasonic GH5.
Audio was recorded with native GoPro internal microphones and a Zoom H4n with a Rode Video Pro mic.
This is the first educational video I have made and I am quite happy to make many more if there is interest.
If you like this video, as every You tuber says, please “Like” and “Subscribe” That would really help heaps. Cheers :)
Costs you nothing but puts a big “Got off ya bum Jase and make more videos” motivational thingie up me to do more.
Have a gander at my Instagram and maybe there is something there that you might like to know more about. You’ll see what I mean :) :) :)
Instagram / kinetic_images_australia
Facebook / kineticimagesaustralia
Business Email kinetic.images.australia@gmail.com
Music covers by Veppa Music / @veppamusic
Other music was sourced through Epidemic Sound.
www.epidemicsound.com/ 
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I watch these videos out of curiosity of my dad. We live in New Zealand now but before that, he was driving HR and MCs around Queensland or down to Sydney and Melbourne. He misses truck driving so much, I showed him these videos and it made him a little sad 😅 love these videos btw
Sorry it made him sad but maybe sad in a good way remembering the good times. Cheers bro :)
Great video. like the illustration of actual gear in. I looked like a cnut as I first took one out of my UK yard 1993. ERF EC12. 38 tonnes here in those days only 44 now. A week later I was a master with trial and error, no tuition. Best gearbox ever to use so simple once you mastered it.
cheers mate, you made it call clear and easy to understand.
Ive been doing this 14 years mate and loved your video
Learnt alot and thanks for the great advice
Great video! Thanks for your explanations in an easy-to-understand manner. Looking forward to your next video.
Your welcome MR Chump :)
Thanks bro...4 explanation !!!! I learn more from u ...!!!
Hi mate, I found this quite interesting because I'm in the exact same industry (but different company), carting cement powder down in Melbourne. Most of the Cement Australia blokes down here are pretty good and up for a chat. Would love to see more videos showing your load up spots etc!
Really good information, thanks mate. I'm going for my HR licence today 😬
good video i liked the foot on the brake and accelerator simultaneously technique , very clear and well explained
Same Technic use by race driver's so constant braking but down shifting ,
Most of my videos I try to entertain as well as educate and my apologies if some of you are not music (or at least the music I chose :) fans.
I get a few comments about the music being distractive and you can't hear what I'm saying, my apologies.
However near the beginning my voice is only supposed to be background ambience and not fully or clearly understood.. The graphics and visuals are what's important at this stage.
There is plenty of my vocal instructions where important..Skip ahead (see the below time stamps).
There are 9 sections
0:40 Gear stick basics and detent explanation.
1:40 Introduction to the 18 pattern, the focus of this section is on the graphics and my hand. ( My voice is intended to be back ground only and not clear)
3:18 A quick look at skip shifting and clutch basics with clutch brake.
4:50 Downshifting.
7:05 Downshifting with heel and toe foot work. I like this method personally because it allows me to make one application of the brake and I'm able to modulate the brake pressure at the same time as downshifting and using engine braking to assist.
7:47 Floating gear changes and more gear stick basics.
9:22 The Sweet Spot :) Just adding more info to the floating gear method.
11:09Timing (Only a little bit of a chat about it) Will do a video specifically for timing later.
12:35 Me just rambling on, most people are gone now anyway :).........
Fantastically comprehensive; easily THE best vid on how to drive a Road Ranger I've seen on RUclips. And the heel-toe is the missing link in downshifting I've been missing. Many thanks mate for going the distance in putting this together incl. marked up comments & the Acca Dacca soundtrack!
Your too kind Bryce and your welcome...
Thanks for the wonderful comments :)
Awesome tutorial best 1 I've seen thanks for that from NZ
Your welcome @TheCaesar32 stay tuned I've got another one that will tie all three tutorials together. ruclips.net/video/3sq5j-H11c0/видео.html
Take care mate!
Best video I’ve seen explaining the art for us new blokes cheers mate!
Thanks for your kind words Christos :))
Hey @christosMarkou you know there are two other videos as part of this tutorial and another I’m putting together now :)
Thanks for this quality instructional video, clear and detailed with explanations
Your welcome Julian, and thanks for your nice compliment :) Did you have a look at the other video Part 2?
Kinetic Images Australia no, but I certainly will.
Best video ever !!.
Thanks for the video mate. Been living the lazy life with tiptronic the last 6 years since I started on the big trucks and now I'm going for a job where you need to know how to use these boxes. Very informative and much appreciated :)
So glad it helped you :) have a look at the other part with splitting to get the whole picture.
This tutorial is a godsend! Thank you mate 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Your welcome Roy, thanks for the thanks :) Have you watched part 2?
Your videos are excellent. Very well made. I've been driving semis for about a year now. I love road ranger, I honestly prefer it all day over auto even in built up areas with congestion. Once you've got it nice and smooth, it's a sub conscious thing and I don't even think about it when I'm shifting now. Sometimes I mess the gear changes up and it doesn't go into gear as smoothly as it could, it will chirp or grind a little. I'm still working on that.
Thanks ESPSJ :) Every time I get a nice comment from people like you, makes me want to shoot more videos.
I'm just polishing off another one (Hopefully by next weekend if my work isn't too busy) and the one after that will be with people EXACTLY LIKE YOU in mind and how to "Feel" your truck and adapt to it, to make smooth as butter changes all day long.
Thanks cobba on the video made a hole lot me sense to me
Your welcome Matt...Nice blow dart vid you liked on your channel :)
The 1 thumb down guy didnt realise to *use the pause button* so as to read the comments....
.... or he just doesnt like ACDC
7:32 OOOH I saw what you did there (twice) without comment -what a clever trick for continuing to brake while changing down, which requires gunning the throttle. Very impressed, I'm now at the stage where I can try to do that.
So far the best video I've seen. Explanations of gear changes whilst upshifting, downshifting, heel and foot maneuver as well as floating the gears was awesome. The music was great too👏
Thank you for the kinds words and I’m glad it could have been at least entertaining for you.
Have you seen my other videos, splitting? Reversing?
Have a great day! :)
top stuff Jase. This makes me want to become a truck driver.
So Jace, been a while, did you become a truck driver? :)
that was awesum mate loved it from start to finnish Nate from NZ
Cheers Nate hope you liked it and subscribed too... My best mate is from Auckland, hope to go over and do a vid there too. I'll have another one out soon.
Thanks you mate, good and helpful video
Your welcome Alan glad it helped :)
One of the better explanations on a road ranger I've seen. So many people showing bad methods or things they don't really understand. I have old VHS tapes from Eaton fuller with techniques that describe do's and don't techniques. One of which is as soon as you shift that splitter button (not range Change) make the change don't push it and wait for a few seconds or more as inside the box is air is trying to Change straight away putting ware on components. One I like to tell people that no one seems to tell in videos is. Ease the throttle off smooth and slow before each shift not abruptly and let gear lever slip out so you don't need lots force on gear lever it makes shifts smoother and easier on the whole box. No snatching out of gears just flowing. So many little things that are actually so important to long gevity of the box. I have an 15 speed in a 30 year old western star done 1800kms and is as good as new and its alot of around town start stop through gears alot of off road in mud going up hills dragging trailers most of the time, stress driving with decent weight. Only had oil changes. Looks like for fairly new trucks your driving the gear lever is pretty sloppy. A sign of too much force on lever pulling out of gears with no clutch use. Or even to much force with clutch use even. Good explanation in your videos though. No complaints👍
Cheers Bush600R :)
Awesome video. Just got my MC license on Easter Monday. Cannot wait to get into these trucks and go into Mining.
Cheers Owen and welcome to the club, although if your MC then HC has been old news :)👍 I did a stint at Emerald for a couple of years. Was fun but I put on a heap of weight.
Did you suss the other video part 2?
Kinetic Images Australia is emerald a fuel company? I used to drive coaches in qld and remember seeing those trucks. Still trying to find my feet in the industry. Sucks how companies want experience when I don’t have much. I’ve started gaining weight tho lol I’ll suss out part 2, cheers.
There is a company called "Emerald Carrying Co" All of their trucks and trailers are immaculate but I was referring to Emerald the suburb in the Bowen Basin of Queensland where several large mines are. I worked at the Ensham and Jellinba mines operating the 250 ton excavator and 789 Dump trucks..
All the best in your trucking life mate and don't forget to subscribe :) :)
Kinetic Images Australia that’s the company! Yea I used to work in the BB. Moranbah/Nebo. Good times. Dump trucks would’ve been awesome. Thanks for the chat. Definitely going to subscribe. All the best.
G’day mates. Thank you for share video. Good idea to show anybody who want to learn 18 speed gearbox It is not hard. I am deaf and I come from New Zealand.🇳🇿I have no problem with 18 speed gearbox because good fun with 18 speed gearbox than automatic bored. Drive safe and stay safe mates 👍🇳🇿
Thanks 👍
10:10 hey that's Oxenford :D very close to where I live, I'm actually learning to drive a HR truck today and this video has been very helpful
Hey Tomtom glad it helped and good luck :)))
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia update, going for my test on Wednesday, have had 8 lessons and now test ready :)
@@Tomtom88983 go you good thing and good luck. Just remember to breathe, try not to tense and be too nervous. Don't rush your gear changes and if you have a problem with an upshift or downshift, relax and select another gear and match the revs accordingly... easier said than done...
LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DID!
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia I did it and I passed, had a few hiccups but passed the test, overall went really well! Had a few tense moments but I managed to recover and keep going
Good on ya bloke, welcome to the club.
If you break down give us a buzz lol
What a legend bloke
Thanks Bloke :)
Very informative ... makes it understandable ...
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia All good , understood everything you said & did, not like some :) ..... you explained everything in a language / a way to simplify the process.
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Hi , any more videos forth coming ? Regards Barry
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Hi Jason , the !8 speed & whatever you get time to post ...Very interesting & informative ... Barry
& tanker Load / unload ?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Hi Jason, that would be ok , Out of the cement trailer ? ...Barry
tks that was very useful
what I found funny starting in the industry most truckers cant even explain how to drive a road ranger - the key is know what gear to use for what road speed and the rev ranges to use for changes. Always double clutch and ignore those who tell you its better to not use it. When your loaded you rev higher before changing as you loose road speed and revs faster when heavier, you need the extra revs to stay in the sweet spot when changing.
Your spot on Michael Re loaded and loosing road speed faster, however the revs drop the same no matter what (unless you have exhaust brakes enabled) the magic is knowing your particular trucks characteristics and yes, matching road speed and revs… an interesting thing I’ve noticed in all my years teaching is that people often try changing when turning at intersections etc when loaded and you loose road speed real quick when you factor in axle scrubbing whilst turning…
Thanks for your comment Bloke :)
Awesome video mate. I drive a Freightliner Argosy in NZ and I find it won’t come out of gear without the clutch in Low Box unless I use the splits. And now and again it gets stuck in High Box as well unless I give it some throttle then it seems to come out smoother without the clutch. But awesome video 👌
Thanks Steve, bit of a worry the gears getting stuck. Have you tried applying a little pressure to the stick before you release throttle?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia yeah I do. Most of the time it works. I have found recently that it it changes much better at lower revs without the clutch. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot of training in this country on how to use a roadranger. We just get thrown in the truck, taught a few basics and then learn as we go. I find with all the Japanese trucks I’ve driven, they were more forgiving but this Argosy seems to be a lot more temperamental. My downshifting is fine but I still have a bit of trouble with my upshifting.
Good I understand
Bien explicado.!!: no importa si el volante esta de lado derecho, los cambios son lo mismo.!!
de nada y gracias por sus comentarios.
you heading from the Yatala truck stop out toward wanderoo???
the first part of the video...
Hey Jay, Close. I was a bit further south. I was out the back of Oxenford heading back to the Gold Coast highway and then North to Yatala etc.
Do you need to steer it like a bus? I'm a bus driver part time and we drive over the corner then turn, 2m sometimes overhang.
I know it's different. But do you just drive it like any other trailer like a car or is it in between?
The same reason you delay your turn in a bus (2m) you do the same for a semitrailer. But the longer the truck the wider you have to turn to make sure your trailer stays on the road. Sometimes it’s way more than 2m.
Would love to get into this sort of role and out of the HR Fuel Delivery, Would love to get my own truck and run these Powder tankers. I see the sub contractors all the time at my delivery points but never get a chance to have a chat.
That was two jobs ago but I must say it was the easier of the two.
Fuel delivery? Earthmoving machinery?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Oh wow, well I’m glad I found your channel albeit late, I have my HC but have had almost zero time in a road ranger since achieving it as most jobs I had since obtaining it had auto fleets.
I drive for a diesel delivery service basically just a mobile petrol station. I love learning new aspects of transport and powder tankers is something I’ve never tried.
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Hi mate, Hope all is well always re watch you videos to remind myself of the basics. Little update finally got a shot in the pneumatic tankers driving with Boral sadly not a road ranger complete auto fleet but still exciting to be back in the trailers and learning something new. All the best
@@ashdavy9828 Its a good job on the tankers. I miss it a bit as it's definitely not as hectic as my current job.... Just don't mix your powder with the wrong silo lol.
Hey mate do you work for cement Australia looks like the inside of alot of there trucks with blowers attached by the look of the tablet/phone set up
Hey Jacob, yep you got me.
I had to cover something’s for copyright and intellectual property reasons but it’s hard to miss hey :)
I don’t work there anymore, now
I work in the heavy vehicle recovery towing and recovering the big stuff.
I’ll be making some vids of that soon.
Right now I’m in the process of one more tutorial on the road ranger and then the fun stuff.
Thanks for your question.
Good stuff I use to work at Brown and h and have worked on heaps of the cent aus gear and installed alot of the external PTO controll modules and systems
I don't quite understand the splitting of the gear ... is that to give it more revs before you go to the next gear?
Splitter is like an extra intermediary gear (between each of the gears) -ideal for when you have a heavy load (and/or on an incline) to help changing up through the gears.
If you've no load forget about using it!
ive sent the link to a guy whos just got his truck and trailer license but cant get a job because of nil experience which is sadly the way it is in nz so hopefully he watches and learns enough to give him some basic knowledge
Cheers Doogie lol... thanks for the compliment and for the sharing.. I've got another vid in the works which will explain more about splitting etc.. Really appreciate people like you who comment and share... If my channel gains enough traction I'll do a heap more.
What about an old 1420 Spicer? Got any videos on that mate?
Nope! Flintstone Mac Quad box which is what I learnt on, nope!
So when downshifting the splitter is always in the back position ? And you're always downshifting whole gears ? So it's not like upshifting where you split gears when your downshifting it's always in the back position and you're splitting whole gears is that correct or can you split gears downshifting ?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia yes it makes sense thanks for the quick response I guess a better question would be if I was in 7th gear in high range(splitter forward) and wanted to downshift, would I just move the splitter to the back position and let off the gas pedal or push the clutch in to downshift ?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia I used to drive a 10-speed and a 9-speed. But I think I will wait for your next video so I don't have to ask you a thousand questions thanks for responding
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Tampa Florida
Just curious to know if managers at cement know of your vid?
Sure do :) was many years ago now.
Just a bit confused on the splitter what is it used for
Hey Joseph, thanks for your comment/question. Put simply the splitter is just another gear that can be used anytime or not at all. The splitter is a gear that is added to what ever position the gear stick is in, therefore it is added to what ever gear you are currently in and gives you just that little bit extra. That maybe still a bit confusing so imagine you are looking at a 5 speed bicycle and its gears. You'll have a sprocket on your pedals with a chain going back, and on the back wheel you will see 5 different sized sprockets (Gears) that you can change with a lever on the handlebars and you can go up and down these gears forever and as such this would be considered a 5 speed bike. Now a 10 speed bike is almost the same except where your pedals are there will be a larger sprocket and a slightly smaller one which you can also change with a different lever on the handlebars and this becomes a 10 speed bike because the two sprockets on the front multiplied by the 5 on the back makes 10 total. You still have the choice of never changing gears on the front two sprockets but maybe there will be a hill that you need just a little bit extra to help you get over it so you change to the smaller one without changing the rear ones. Conversely you're already using the smaller front sprocket and you want to go just a little bit faster so you change to the bigger one. In a way you could say the front is the splitter. Hope this makes sense:) This link is my second part to this video and I go into splitting in more detail. ruclips.net/video/3sq5j-H11c0/видео.html
Wouow, please more upload WS truck...
I’m on it lol.
Hopefully after Christmas :)
You didn’t explain what you have to do with clutch/accelerator pedals when downshifting ½ a gear. Could you please make a tutorial focusing on downshifting in all its different forms (full gears, 1/2 gears and 1/2 gears between Hi and Low range ie. Low 5 down to Hi 4). Thanks a million 👍
G'day Graham, thanks for you comment and suggestion. How did you go with your licence?
I'm currently working on the three phases of the clutch pedal movement and a brief over view of the air braking system.
In this video @ 5:49 that wasn't what you were after?
Just FYI though, I have mentioned a lot about the revs (RPM) and letting them fall when down shifting (about 400 RPM) and raising them (about 400 RPM) when up shifting. The clutch is used exactly the same for both, and the accelerator is either released for the downshift or a quick little stab to raise the RPM's for the up shift.
I'll rarely downshift a half gear though in a real world application. No real need to and to best utilise effective engine braking the whole gear (regardless of the splitter position) is the only way to go. Often you will have to judge the amount of road speed your loosing (slowing down for an intersection, loosing speed because of an incline, turning a tight corner) and you'll need to skip a few gears because the road speed is dropping off too quickly. A half gear (splitter movement) wouldn't be effective and to be honest you would really have to be on your game in the above scenarios to make a nice shift..... and as soon as your have you'll need to change again.. Bugger that :)
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Thanks for the quick reply. Yes I got my HR licence in May and I’m just about to start work as a backup driver for a timber and trade business in Albion Park Rail driving MR flatbeds with HIAB cranes. One of the four trucks has a 10 speed box, the other three are auto I believe. At least it’s a start!
In your video, I saw some ½ gear up shifts where you just released the accelerator slightly to release strain on the drivetrain allowing the shift to take effect. My query was if you were to say go back ½ a gear in the first instance before going back full gears, do you effect the gear change just with moderating accelerator pedal (after selecting Low on the splitter) or do you need to move the stick to neutral and back into the same slot again (effectively, a double clutch downshift)? Keep up the great work. 👍
Well done re your licence... The short answer is yes , accelerator moderation should be all that is required. BUT. The correct way is a single clutch depression, raise the revs 200 RPM (because the whole gears need approx. 400 RPM ) having pre selected the splitter and it should be a nice and smooth downshift change. The gear stick into neutral and back again is an alternative and not really text book but this ensures there is no load on the drive train. Depressing the clutch has the same result.
Try not to use the accelerator only method until your really comfortable with the truck because so many variables ( Payload, current RPM, current gear etc) can cause this change to go wrong and damage will result.
Having seen a few gear boxes dismantled we noticed some unusual wear on some of the splitter gear sets, and other gears as well ,and concluded that the driver/s were not completely removing all drive line load (not using clutch or gear stick into neutral ) during a change and the gears only managed to partially mesh. After a few of these partial engagements the gears would wear into this position there after, if not breaking all together.
I like the video and instruction but unfortunately the AC/DC drowned out some of the instruction and being able to hear the revs with gear changes. Otherwise good. Ta
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
When downshifting, and your in 5H, and you pre select for 4th, can you also flick the splitter back so you effectively select 4L?
Hey Donk, yep you sure can but be aware that your going to need a lot of road speed to wash off and or quite a bit of revs to rise to meet this gear. For each split reduction the is a need of about 200 RPM to rise and a whole gear wants about 400 RPM so your asking for about a 600 RPM rise needed assuming your not slowing down too quick because of a hill or heavy breaking etc.
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Thanks for that, mate
Thank you. The music distracted from the video though. Parts where we couldn't hear what you were saying because of the music.
Your welcome Ernst.
Some do and some do not like the music.
But there was nothing important missed when it is playing.
I get a few comments about the music being distractive and you can't hear what I'm saying, my apologies.
However near the beginning my voice is only supposed to be background ambience and not fully or clearly understood.. The graphics and visuals are what's important at this stage.
There is plenty of my vocal instructions where important..Skip ahead (see the below time stamps).
@ Gear stick basics and detent explanation.
@ Introduction to the 18 pattern, the focus of this section is on the graphics and my hand. ( My voice is intended to be back ground only and not clear)
@ A quick look at skip shifting and clutch basics with clutch brake.
@ Downshifting.
@ Downshifting with heel and toe foot work. I like this method personally because it allows me to make one application of the brake and I'm able to modulate the brake pressure at the same time as downshifting and using engine braking to assist.
@ Floating gear changes and more gear stick basics.
@ The Sweet Spot :) Just adding more info to the floating gear method.
@Timing (Only a little bit of a chat about it) Will do a video specifically for timing later.
@ Me just rambling on, most people are gone now anyway :).........
i'd call your spring a detente?
Spot on Stuart, but I wasn’t trying to be 100% technically correct, many people watching from a learning standpoint would understand what I’m saying.
But I stand corrected :)))
Outstanding!
Sorry for the delay... Thank you for your comment :)
More experience
Just not used to seeing a semi-truck driver on the right-hand side !!
Where are you from Tipit?
@@Kinetic-Images-Australia Canada !
I have a hard enough time driving a synchro MR truck. Ain't no way I'm ever attempting even my HR licence.
Don’t sell your self short Peter.
It all becomes easier with time a practice.....
Thanks for your comments :)
It's not synchronised like a car nothing to do with oil or speed. No synchronised mesh.
Ruined by the music
Sorry Max about the music. If you hung around for the whole video you would see the music doesn't impede any information.