Learning a stick, any tips?

[Time2Kill]

As many of you know I got a new car last week that was a stick shift. Today is the first day I could really practice driving a stick, so far its working out good, still a little rough going into first though. So does anyone have any tips, and how can I shift into first faster without dropping the clutch at high rpms? Right now, I just give it some gas, and slowly let of the clutch, if I let off too fast the car just jerks bad or comes close to stalling, so how can I get into first quicker without it being so rough or squeeling the tires?

Thanks

 

[Time2Kill]

Also, any tips for starting off on a hill, I havn't mastered that yet either

 

[Viper GTS]

Practice, practice, practice. Cruise around a large parking lot.

Give it more gas as you let the clutch out further, it's a simultaneous motion of letting the clutch out & giving it gas. One foot goes up, the other goes down.

But practice is really what you need. No amount of telling you is going to do it, you've got to feel it with your own left foot.

Viper GTS

 

[Czar]

Well you got the right way of getting the car moving, just takes a bit of practice to get that perfect.

Practice on some hill, if not, try using the handbrake. Clutch down, brake down, handbrake on, brake up, push gas a bit, stop pushing the clutch, handbrake off, more gas.

 

[Time2Kill]

<< Practice, practice, practice. Cruise around a large parking lot.

Give it more gas as you let the clutch out further, it's a simultaneous motion of letting the clutch out & giving it gas. One foot goes up, the other goes down.

But practice is really what you need. No amount of telling you is going to do it, you've got to feel it with your own left foot.

Viper GTS >>



So far I've just been going up and down my drive way

Ive got enough room to get into first, go up to 10-15mph, stop, and do it over again 5 times before I need to turn around.

I'm sure I'll get better in the next week or two, but I can't stand these slow take offs

 

[kt]

get into first gear:
if you are still learning, hit the gas just a bit to bring the RPM up a bit. let go of the clutch. once the car is moving step more onto the gas and let go of the clutch. once you feel more comfortable, you should let go of the clutch first and simultaneously step on the gas.

starting on hills:
if you are still learning, put on the handbrake. balance with clutch (at this point you should know your car's clutch well enough to know how much to release to get it balanced) and slowly let go of the handbreak and step on the gas. once you are comfortable with your manual skill, you don't need the hand brake anymore. just start and go.

 

[Viper GTS]

Oh yeah, forgot about the hill part...

If you can find one, a steep gravel incline is the best place to perfect starting on a hill. If you can start successfully on a gravel hill (and yes, it is possible) you won't have any trouble on pavement. It's frustrating as hell at first, but if you keep it up you'll get it.

Viper GTS

 

[bigshot]

the most important aspect of learning stick is when the clutch engages (or the sweet spot) once you learn this, driving is a piece of cake

to try this put the car in first gear. without even touching the gas press the clutch all the way down with your left foot. let your foot off very slowly but not all the way
when you hear the car start shaking it means your near the (sweet spot). very slowly let your foot off more and boom your out of first gear without even pressing the gas.

do this numerous times and by no time you will learn it. the key is being smooth.

if your on a hill and just begginning to learn, just rev it alot like to 2.5-3k, you might squeel very little but you wont roll back lots

 

[Time2Kill]

<< the most important aspect of learning stick is when the clutch engages (or the sweet spot) once you learn this, driving is a piece of cake

to try this put the car in first gear. without even touching the gas press the clutch all the way down with your left foot. let your foot off very slowly but not all the way
when you hear the car start shaking it means your near the (sweet spot). very slowly let your foot off more and boom your out of first gear without even pressing the gas.

do this numerous times and by no time you will learn it. the key is being smooth.

if your on a hill and just begginning to learn, just rev it alot like to 2.5-3k, you might squeel very little but you wont roll back lots >>



How are you suppossed to rev when your foot is on the brake?

When I'm on a hill, I let the clutch out and as soon as the rpms drop about 100 I let go of the brake and give it gas while letting off the clutch.

 

[axelfox]

If you can't find it, grind it!

 

[Zenmervolt]

<<How are you suppossed to rev when your foot is on the brake?>>

You put half your foot on the brake, and press the gas with the other half of your foot. But don't bother with this, your current method is arguably the best, it just needs a little bit of refinement that can only come with time. What I do to start out is just let the clutch out until it starts to engage, then start feeding in gas, which is what you seem to be doing. Just give it some more time. It took me about 2 weeks to get really smooth with my motorcycle, and about the same time to get smooth with my car. Just drive it, and the skill will come.

ZV

 

[bigshot]

let it get close to engaging and before it does let your foot off the brake and press the gas. rev it higher if your not smooth with engaging it.

the key is getting used to the clutch when it engages. just practice engaging and disengaging the clutch without using the gas and geting out of first without using the gas

 

[Time2Kill]

So if it shifts rough, I just need to feed it more gas? And if I want to take of quicker, I just let the clutch out quicker and give it more gas than usual right?

I can't drive it on the road yet because of some issues with the title, but that will all be fixed early this week, but I am sure once I start driving on the road I will get much better

Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[jlarsson]

<< Practice, practice, practice. >>



Couldn't agree more. When my parents were looking into buying me a car, I asked for a standard. So, they bought one, and I just started going out on roads and practicing. Instead of just driving on your driveway, try going out on some roads. I know the traffic forced me to concentrate. After about a week of driving, I had it mastered, and driving stick is now second nature to me.

 

[Thegonagle]

I agree that you should practice modulating the clutch by repeatedly starting off (and not stalling, duh) without touching the gas pedal at all. You will get a good feel for the pedal this way. Plus, of course, practice, practice, practice.

 

[Brutuskend]

Last time I taught some one to drive a stick, I had her drive up her drive way (which was semi steep) then roll back down. Up and down till she got the feel of it.

If it's not going into 1st while moving CHECK THAT THE TRANNY IS FULLY synchronized! Not all tranny's are, and if you force it into first while moving, you will TEAR UP YOUR TRANNY!!!

(this I know from personal experience!!!)

 

[FrustratedUser]

Driving stick is really a piece of cake.
To get started from first gear just give a little gas and slowly release the clutch untill you get moving once there release it fully. The trick is to get to know your car and find the sweetspot of your clutch.
When it comes to smooth shifting the only way to learn is to drive!! You will get the feeling sooner than you think.
Each car has its own caracteristics. I mean you get to know the engine and at what rpm it is strong and how high to rev.

Once you learn you'll never go back to automatic.

 

[Time2Kill]

I think I'm finally getting the hang of the stick, took the car out for my second drive today (besides all the practice in the driveway )

I don't even have to think about where the clutch is at anymore, I just let it go while givin gas and off I go Never though learning a clutch could be so easy.

So far I've put about 25 miles on it

 

[Murphyrulez]

<< You put half your foot on the brake, and press the gas with the other half of your foot >>




I would advise against this process. Could lead to an unwanted action, such as your foot slipping off the brake and the full force hitting the gas and launching you into a building or something.

On a hill, just let the clutch out, with your foot still on the brake, until you feel the transmission grab and try to pull you forward. let off the brake, hit the gas.

Paul

 

[FrustratedUser]

If you have more Time2Kill then go for another drive. More = better.
Next thing to learn is to start off from a hill. Make sure your hand-brake is engaged.

1. Go to first gear
2. Apply some gas and release the clutch a tiny bit until you feel it engages.
3. Release handbrake and apply more rpm and release clutch at the same time.
4. Off you go.

To make it even harder do it with a car parked in front of you and one behind you. Make sure you have coverage for property damage LOL.

 

[JonnyDuke]

Lots of practice... but when it comes to hills, the method most are refereing to is called heel-toe. While keeping the brake applied with your
toe, move your heel over to the gas and apply pressure to get the rpms up enough for take-off. You should learn this technique because
there are times when you will have to sit at a traffic light for an extended time or similar situation and you don't want to prematurly wear out
your clutch by holding it at the friction point. It also allows you to relax your left foot when on a hill. Understand that you won't be a pro but that
practice helps out tremendously until experience catches up with you. Good luck.