driving a stick shift

[d33pt]

I just bought a truck with a stick last week and I'm pretty good at driving it now, but i have a few questions that people have given me conflicting answers on. When waiting at a redlight, is it ok to leave it in 1st and clutch in, or should i put it in N? When slowing down from 5th at 60mph to a dead stop, should i downshift 4-3-2-1; or should i shift to N then brake to a stop; or should i hold in the clutch, shift to 1st, then brake to a stop? I've heard any of the above from different people... i want to make my clutch last as long as possible.. what should i do?

 

[Ameesh]

this is why i like automatics

 

[Tominator]

Read the owner's manual for shifting tips...

Generally at a stop, put the tranny in neutral with the cluth not depressed.

When decelerating downshift into each gear and use the motor to help slow down the truck. You could wait until almost at a stop to downshift into first.

In some states it is against the law to coast out of gear for over a certain distance for safety reasons. For instance if the brakes failed and it it was in gear the motor might help slow the truck. If you do not downshift it might be hard to get the truck back in gear in an emergency.

 

[freebee]

If you are only stoping briefly, clutch in is ok. Otherwise, put in N.

When slowing from 60 to 5 (example. stoplight), no need to go thru the gears (stuff wears out faster). Just shift into 1st is fine. The less you use the clutch (within reason), the longer it will last.

 

[StageLeft]

I hardly ever engine brake because I'm sure that cost to replace the brakes for the extra wear on them is better than the drive train. I'm a big-ticket coaster. I generally put it in neutral at the lights. I'm not sure if there is a good reason to do so or not but somebody whoworks on transmissions recommended leaving it in neutral and clutch not depressed.

The only problem I see with coasting is that since your engine is near idle speeds at this point it's more likely to stall and then you lose your brakes and then you're screwed. So if you think your car may stall don't be a coaster, but otherwise I think it's perfectly safe. How often to brakes fail? They really don't if you keep them checked up. And if mine do stop I'll put it into gear quite quickly anyway.

 

[kt]

<< I hardly ever engine brake because I'm sure that cost to replace the brakes for the extra wear on them is better than the drive train. I'm a big-ticket coaster. I generally put it in neutral at the lights. I'm not sure if there is a good reason to do so or not but somebody whoworks on transmissions recommended leaving it in neutral and clutch not depressed.

The only problem I see with coasting is that since your engine is near idle speeds at this point it's more likely to stall and then you lose your brakes and then you're screwed. So if you think your car may stall don't be a coaster, but otherwise I think it's perfectly safe. How often to brakes fail? They really don't if you keep them checked up. And if mine do stop I'll put it into gear quite quickly anyway. >>


yeah... let me see how quickly you can put into gear again if your clutch pedal fails.. and don't say that rarely happens cuz it can happen. i am speaking from experience here.

 

[Tominator]

If you learn to shift properly there is no reason the clutch and drive train would not last the life of the truck. You will never wear anything out by downshifting if it is done properly.

 

[StageLeft]

<<

<< I hardly ever engine brake because I'm sure that cost to replace the brakes for the extra wear on them is better than the drive train. I'm a big-ticket coaster. I generally put it in neutral at the lights. I'm not sure if there is a good reason to do so or not but somebody whoworks on transmissions recommended leaving it in neutral and clutch not depressed.

The only problem I see with coasting is that since your engine is near idle speeds at this point it's more likely to stall and then you lose your brakes and then you're screwed. So if you think your car may stall don't be a coaster, but otherwise I think it's perfectly safe. How often to brakes fail? They really don't if you keep them checked up. And if mine do stop I'll put it into gear quite quickly anyway. >>


yeah... let me see how quickly you can put into gear again if your clutch pedal fails.. and don't say that rarely happens cuz it can happen. i am speaking from experience here. >>

Well so you're always in the right gear? If your brakes fail you don't want to be engine braking at 3000 RPM. you want to be almost redlined for maximum braking...so you're probably not going to be in the right gear anyway. personally I've never known a single person in my life who's brakes have failed. I knew one guy who had a single brake disc fall off (he said, though I don't see how that can happen) cause his dad worked on his car. Brakes really don't fail. It's far less likely to happen than getting broadsided by an alligator on an out-of-control golf cart.

 

[d33pt]

well this is a truck with 192k miles on it already..so the life of the truck isn't that far off =]