what's the proper way to shift?

[450whpGSX]

I have heard that using the brakes to slow down while keeping the car in gear will wear you tranny out. is this true or do you have to put it in neutral then apply the brakes to slow down? what shifting techniques do you guys use when driving?

 

[leakyfaucet]

Also if you look inside your Owners Manual last time I checked it always says to downshift while slowing down to "prevent early trannsmission wear"

That's retarded.

 

[leakyfaucet]

As for all the "coasters"- --I just shudder at the thought.

I don't see what the major problem is with putting the clutch in to slow down as opposed to your method of leaving the car in 5th until 1500 RPM. At 1500 RPM in 5th, you might as well be coasting, because you're going to be making no power and you're still going to have to shift if you need to accelerate.

 

[hkdl]

Proper way to shift:

Relase clutch while pushing on gas
drive
Push cluch in, move shifter from the "1st" Postion to the "2nd" postion
Release clutch.

Heh I've been wanting to post that since I saw the title of this thread.

 

[dont need 8]

Unless you're riding the clutch when you're downshifting, it's not going to wear out your clutch from engine braking. Now, if you're downshifting without rev-matching, or at excessively high revs, then that's probably going to cause some problems. Engine braking is a normal part of driving a stick. I doubt you could find any experienced and/or proffessional drivers that would disagree or at the least say that it's something you should never do.

I also downshift and allow the engine to assist in slowing me down. I got my car with roughly 36,000 miles on it and it now has over 120,000 and I haven't changed the clutch. I think slipping the clutch under acceleration is what kills the clutch faster. Also, by using the engine and the brakes to slow down I go thru brake pads less often as well. If I remember right I put about 100,000 miles on my previous car and never replaced the clutch.

 

[Defiant]

Sence there already has been an example for downshifting... the upshifting way to double-clutch is:

2nd-clutch---Nutral---clutch-3rd.

No need to rev.

True, but I'm of the belief that this is pointless. The small difference in gear speeds -unlike when downshifting, in a direction in which the loads are higher- obviates the need to double-clutch when going up.

 

[Defiant]

I don't see what the major problem is with putting the clutch in to slow down as opposed to your method of leaving the car in 5th until 1500 RPM. At 1500 RPM in 5th, you might as well be coasting, because you're going to be making no power and you're still going to have to shift if you need to accelerate.

True enough, except that when in gear, even below power-producing speeds, you still have the flywheel and pistons to help dampen the driveline and provide the chassis with that much more stability.

 

[Defiant]

And what about starting from 1st, quickly shifting to 2nd & as soon as speed is OK shift to 4th?? That's the way I drive in the city.

Well, that's cheating.

It won't hurt a thing, it's just not proper to skip gears. Because they can't do it in Formula 1 (sequential gearboxes, like motorcycles) and we shouldn't be able to, either. Some of us keep a firm clasp on our fantasies.

 

[Defiant]

how would that put stress on the tranny if you match revs

(About doing a moving shift into first)
Because of the amount of leverage involved in the larger first gear, you have to be much more precise in matching crank and gearbox output speeds. Virtually everyone will experience more grinds shifting down into first than any other gear. Additionally, the benefit just isn't there. If you're starting from a stop, just wait to go into gear, and if you're rolling, just go ahead and use second.

 

[Defiant]

Ok I get the technique now.

I'm also confused. I thought double clutching completely eliminates the use of the syncros.

It's about impossible to "eliminate the use" of synchros. They're part of the shifting collar, and are going to get "used" regardless of the shifting technique. However, matching crank and gearbox speeds will greatly reduce the braking load on the synchronizers, and hugely increase their functional lifespan.

So from your example about the farm equipment the only way not to use the syncros is to get to idle after neutral and right before the rev.

No, farm and trucking equipment like that have no synchros. Straight crash boxes.

Also, I'm not sure if it was from this post or another but the trick you posted about bumping 2nd before going to 1st works really well. I probably would've never known that. haha

Well, then. Too cool. Glad it got through to at least one of you

 

[MikeMara]

how many of you double clutch on downshifts?

how many of you have blown a trans?

 

[MrBentley]

how many of you double clutch on downshifts?

how many of you have blown a trans?

I never double clutch and i have never blown a trans

 

[kyle h.]

dont forget to double clutch. we dont need no granny shifters.

 

[b17tuner]

F&F is old and its not funny. Double clutching is not needed in modern transmissions.

 

[slugsgomoo]

If there were any more FUD in this thread, it would scare me. Seriously, for a car forum, the amount of ill-educated opinions (note, i did not say facts) in this thread are staggering.

Repeat it with me now people:

Engine braking places no higher loads on engine and drivetrain components than acceleration.

Say that a few thousand times, and it'll sink in eventually. The only way you're blowing transmissions, engines, etc when downshifting, is if you're doing it wrong. In fact, it's the same way you'll blow things up upshifting if you're doing things wrong.

it doesn't "hurt" your engine to go back up to 3, 4, 5, or even 6k RPM in a downshift. This is because your motor is designed to rev that high. If you were driving a big block V8 those numbers would be lower, but as long as you're not in the red-band, you don't have anything to worry about.

The transmission also doesn't care how fast or slow it's spinning, nor on what cog. In fact, the only thing that the transmission knows is that you can only go so fast in each gear- if you downshift too low at once, you can hurt things badly- but you're not a dumbs#!t are you? I knew you weren't!

Holding the clutch in for long periods (while braking for instance) will cause excessive wear. The clutch is designed to be held in for short periods for upshifting, downshifting, and starting & stopping. When you're at a light, sit in neutral. Don't sit there with your foot on the clutch. It's just as bad as people who rest their foot on the clutch pedal while they're going down the road- that is excessive wear.

My daily driver, which is a 1992 4runner had the ORIGINAL clutch replaced at 165k miles. It probably could have gone another 10k, but i wanted a newer, stronger clutch. My truck now has 195k miles on it and runs like a top, in fact, the dealer asked me why the odo said so many miles, as it runs like it has about 100k less on it.

Oh, did i mention that it's been through shitloads of city, highway and other driving, including 4wheeling, and downshifting EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Technique, and knowledge, those are power.

Fast drivers, and good drivers know how to downshift, they know when and where to downshift, and they do it well. I don't claim to be the best at it, but I tend to think that i know my stuff.

As for everyone here, when i hit 300k miles, and i'm still downshifting when i come to a light, or a hard corner on my way to work in a few years, i'll remember to stop in and let you guys know. (I'm probably going to put a nicer (read: stiffer) clutch in before then though, just because i've never liked the pedal feel on this one.

 

[450whpGSX]

If there were any more FUD in this thread, it would scare me. Seriously, for a car forum, the amount of ill-educated opinions (note, i did not say facts) in this thread are staggering.

Repeat it with me now people:

Engine braking places no higher loads on engine and drivetrain components than acceleration.

Say that a few thousand times, and it'll sink in eventually. The only way you're blowing transmissions, engines, etc when downshifting, is if you're doing it wrong. In fact, it's the same way you'll blow things up upshifting if you're doing things wrong.

it doesn't "hurt" your engine to go back up to 3, 4, 5, or even 6k RPM in a downshift. This is because your motor is designed to rev that high. If you were driving a big block V8 those numbers would be lower, but as long as you're not in the red-band, you don't have anything to worry about.

The transmission also doesn't care how fast or slow it's spinning, nor on what cog. In fact, the only thing that the transmission knows is that you can only go so fast in each gear- if you downshift too low at once, you can hurt things badly- but you're not a dumbs#!t are you? I knew you weren't!

Holding the clutch in for long periods (while braking for instance) will cause excessive wear. The clutch is designed to be held in for short periods for upshifting, downshifting, and starting & stopping. When you're at a light, sit in neutral. Don't sit there with your foot on the clutch. It's just as bad as people who rest their foot on the clutch pedal while they're going down the road- that is excessive wear.

My daily driver, which is a 1992 4runner had the ORIGINAL clutch replaced at 165k miles. It probably could have gone another 10k, but i wanted a newer, stronger clutch. My truck now has 195k miles on it and runs like a top, in fact, the dealer asked me why the odo said so many miles, as it runs like it has about 100k less on it.

Oh, did i mention that it's been through shitloads of city, highway and other driving, including 4wheeling, and downshifting EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Technique, and knowledge, those are power.

Fast drivers, and good drivers know how to downshift, they know when and where to downshift, and they do it well. I don't claim to be the best at it, but I tend to think that i know my stuff.

As for everyone here, when i hit 300k miles, and i'm still downshifting when i come to a light, or a hard corner on my way to work in a few years, i'll remember to stop in and let you guys know. (I'm probably going to put a nicer (read: stiffer) clutch in before then though, just because i've never liked the pedal feel on this one.

OK so basically this guy said it all and gave me the answer I was looking for: it does not hurt your tranny if your in 4th gear at 1500 rpm, then you downshift to second and the rpms shoot up to about 4500. thanks bro.