Truck Training Films Adelaide

Often clients first comments when greeting for the first time is that they are nervous, because they don't know what to expect.

So G&L has produced training films to help understand what the training will involve. Watching these films will hopefully calm the nerves a little and also aid with your heavy vehicle training.

Pre Departure Check.

Before driving any heavy vehicle a pre-departure check is performed to ensure the truck is roadworthy and meets all legal requirements. This is a task that must be demonstrated to achieve a truck license in Adelaide, whether you choose the CBT log book method or a VORT test.

 

Reverse Left Heavy Combination.

To be able to drive a heavy combination truck, anywhere you need to without worry, you must be able to reverse the HC truck to the left or blind side. Any truck driver will set up to reverse to the right, but there will be times that you have to reverse to the left.This is an important skill that you must master to have any chance of securing  that new  truck driving job.

 

The training film below is a very mechanical way to reverse around the corner to the left, but it does give you a idea on which way and when to turn the steering and also about how far you can bend the truck. The type of prime mover and trailer and the difference in corners will give variations in angles and steering on the truck you use.

 

 

Unhitch And Hitch Heavy Combination.

One of the most important maneuvers you will learn is how to hitch and unhitch the trailer from the prime mover.To drop a trailer is unforgivable, expensive and probably give your company lots of unwelcome publicity. I'm constantly sent emails of pictures of trailers dropped on Adelaide roads. 

 

 

Unhitch and hitch with air bag suspension

 

Reverse Straight Heavy Combination

This is one of the easier maneuvers to learn, if you have a good heavy vehicle instructor.  If you use good observation and look in both mirrors, minimum steering is required to stay straight.

 

Shifting Gears With A Eaton Fuller Road Ranger Gearbox

One of the more common mistakes a new truck driver makes is to over rev the engine on the lower gears 1 to 4. This makes the drive jerky and uncomfortable. Lower gears are designed to get the load moving, not to catch up with other road user's. The correct way to shift gears is to move progressively through the gears, that is if you move off in first gear bring the revs to 1000rpm before shifting to second, then bring the revs to 1200rpm before shifting to third gear, then 1300rpm before shifting to fourth, fifth gear 1500rpm, sixth gear 1600rpm, seventh gear 1700 rpm and so on. By progressively shifting gears this way you we get to the speed limit fastest. Watch the rev counter in the u tube film and watch how easy the gears are shifted.

 

The correct use of the clutch is one of the hardest tasks that a new truck driver must master. Years of pushing a car clutch to the floor is a  almost impossible habit to break.Once the truck is moving only a quarter to half depression of the clutch is needed to shift gear's. A common statement often made to me is " my mate doesn't use a clutch to change gears". Yes you can drive the truck without it but if you use the clutch and make a mistake it will reduce the damage to the gearbox.

 

Splitting Gears With A 18 Speed Road Ranger Gearbox

The splitter is used to move the load uphill, or for heavy loads where a full gear will cause the next gear to labor the engine.

 

When you first sit in the drivers seat of a  truck with a Eaton fuller road ranger gearbox have a look at the splitter to see what colour it is. A grey splitter means that you can split gears low and 1 to 8 which equals 18 gears .A  red splitter means you can only split gears 5 to 8 which is a 13 speed and a blue splitter means gears low and 1 to 5 can be split which is a 15 speed gearbox.

 

Double clutch

This is the hardest new skill a truck driver must learn. Years of driving a manual car cause the new driver to push the clutch to the floor. The clutch only is pushed to the floor to select the moving off gear from a stationary position.Once moving its only necessary to push the clutch no more than half way.

 

Helpful Training Links