Am I bad at shifting? Or……

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richman513

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I bought a 2014 2500 Cummins with manual trans. My issue is clunking when I’m shifting gears. Specifically when I’m letting off the clutch pedal. Am I doing something wrong? I’ve driven many other manuals in my job as a valet driver and never heard this in any cars. The last manual I owned was a 96 Chevy 1500 and it clunked very rarely so I just thought it was because it was old. Am I a bad shifter? I attempt to rev match but maybe I’m not revving enough. I shift at 2k. Anyone have some tips or advice. Is it the drive train making this noise? The truck has a reman trans just put in yesterday. And a brand new LUK single mass flywheel and clutch.
 

RLJ10X

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Back when I was a bundle chucker for United Parcel Service, I was assigned a package car, which like all of them at the time, had a Muncie 4 speed. Well, this particular old truck had led a rough life before I got it. I got real good at shifting without a clutch in that thing because the tranny was so wallered out. I don't need no stinking clutch, except to get going, and given a hill, not even then.

I went on vacation and when I got back, I couldn't hardly drive the blasted thing. When I came back to the building that first evening back, I asked the Wrench just what did he do to my assigned package car. He was real proud of the fact thhat he put a new transmission in it.

He said nobody else could drive it.
I sure struggled with that new transmission for a while. I assume that you're doing the same thing. New manual transmissions can be pretty stiff and notch. My Mustang has 40,000miles on it and that manual is just now starting to loosen up some.
 

drakon543

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how long have you been driving the diesel? you may be trying to hard to compare it to that 1500 chevy. totally different engine appropriate shift points and power band and comparing any 1500 to a 2500 even mfg to mfg is different. if you haven't had it long keep looking for that sweet spot.
 

aces-n-eights

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When are you getting the clunk? Is it when you start out from a stop? Up shifts, like from first to second? Remember you only need to rev match on downshifts and actually in modern transmissions you don't have to rev match at all... I'm wondering if shifting at 2k is too high for the Cummins. I recall shifting mine between 1200-1500, but that was a long time ago.
 
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richman513

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I've been driving it for about a week now. I get the loud clunk noise when shifting 2nd to 3rd and sometimes other gears but 2nd to 3rd is the worst. It happens when releasing the clutch pedal to accelerate in 3rd gear. I've found out that if push the accelerator pedal down more than I normally would, it will raise the rpms and sometimes shift smoothly without a clunk but Im having a really hard time doing this every time. Starting to regret buying a manual. If I dont try to rev match and shift at anything below 2k the rpms drop way to fast and it clunks bad and lugs. Maybe that is happening because I shift too slow. When I downshift to slow the truck I dont have to touch the accelerator and there is no clunkning when releasing the clutch pedal.
 
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richman513

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If I dont touch the accelerator pedal and just let the clutch out slow (upshifting) it will clunk every single time. Does not sound normal at all to me.
 

huntergreen

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I had a 2004 3500 Cummins with a manual. NV5600 I believe, no clunk when shifting.
 

RamminMopar

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Do you feather the clutch or fully depress it when upshifting?
 

GTyankee

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Like was mentioned above
with some vehicles, they have what is called a CLUTCH BRAKE
With that type of setup
The only time that you push the clutch all the way to the floor is to start from a full stop
After that the clutch pedal is pushed down until it is about 1 to 2 inches above the floor board

I don't know if your Ram has a clutch brake

A clutch brake stops the gears from rotating, so some gears are in motion & others are stopped & it won't allow smooth shifts
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Another thing is, there is a certain RPM that has to be met, before the gears will mesh smoothly.
With the trucks that i drove back around 1974 to 2003, the Fuller & Road Ranger transmissions had to be shifted at about 1750 RPMs once the transmission was in High Range
Current semi truck transmissions are not built that way & most of them only have 7 & 10 speeds
I was driving 12 & 15 speed transmissions in the larger trucks
 

fireflymedic

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A clunk could be a sign of universal bearing getting bad. Easy to check. Park truck on level ground put in neutral set parking brake. Get under truck and turn drive shaft clock wise and counter clock wise. Should not clunk or have very much play. I've had bearings that slung all the needle bearings out and it causes a clunk every time gas pedal is let up or pushed.
 
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richman513

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I’m pressing the clutch all the way to the floor.
 

aces-n-eights

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I think it's time to take it back to to the guy that installed the trans and clutch. Something is not adjusted right.
 
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richman513

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I think it's time to take it back to to the guy that installed the trans and clutch. Something is not adjusted right.
It’s performing almost the same as before the reman trans and new clutch were installed.
 

RamminMopar

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Try pressing down just a couple inches or floating gears
 

Gear Jammer

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I've had a few manual trans Cummins trucks, when up shifting I always had to keep my foot slightly on the throttle to shift smoothly and keep the rpm's from dropping off too much and causing a clunk.
 

Treburkulosis

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Last big diesel I drove with a standard shift was a 94 Chevy 3500. Those transmissions shifted really smooth. I would check the universal bearing as well. I have not personally driven a Cummins with a standard shift.
 
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