Teaching myself how to drive a manual transmission

[Migroo]

Oh, just FYI

Some european cars have gearboxes like this:

R 1 3 5
__2 4

Edit: Grr spaces arent working - it now appears as it should. The Reverse gear is on a dog-leg to the rest. Just like this but without the 6th gear.

 

[thawolfman]

Originally posted by: Migroo
Oh, just FYI

Some european cars have gearboxes like this:

R 1 3 5
2 4

 

[Migroo]

Originally posted by: Woodie
When slowing down, you're supposed to downshift through each gears. I think you can skip 1st, since you should be going pretty slow by then. The justification was two-fold: 1. Save on brake-wear by using the engine to slow the car. 2. In case the brakes fail, you can continue to slow/control the car because you're in gear.

No thats wrong apart from your second reason. In my country you will fail your driving test if you downshift like that. You SHOULD use the brakes to stop. It makes far more sence as doing otherwise is not just engine wear it is clutch wear. Changing brake components is far easier and cheaper than changing a clutch.

You should brake and when you get to 1000 rpm or so, just push the clutch in and move to neutral and select the correct gear for moving off again (first).

The only time when you should downshift like you describe is when going down hills as this means you will have more control over the car (the car will be unable to accelerate even if you have your foot off the brakes as it will be forced to rev the engine higher (ie: second gear is good for this.)

 

[Thegonagle]

Migroo, while you are correct that the clutch does not technically need to be on the floor to start the engine, most cars that I've encountered made in the late eighties and nineties have a clutch-starter safety switch, which requires the clutch to be on the floor before the starter will engage. Maybe it?s a US/liability thing, and such a feature is not so common in the UK yet.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: thawolfman

Originally posted by: Migroo
Oh, just FYI

Some european cars have gearboxes like this:

R 1 3 5
2 4

LMAO!!!!

 

[Migroo]

Originally posted by: Garfang
Migroo, while you are correct that the clutch does not technically need to be on the floor to start the engine, most cars that I've encountered made in the late eighties and nineties have a clutch-starter safety switch, which requires the clutch to be on the floor before the starter will engage. Maybe it?s a US/liability thing, and such a feature is not so common in the UK yet.

Good point Garfang. Ofcourse I am speaking with my limited experience of driving cars from the late 90s. It doesnt look like that clutch safety thing will ever be implemented here as AFAIK every new car here with a manual does not have that feature. I may be completely wrong of course

 

[xospec1alk]

regarding hills...how to prevent yourself from rolling back once the light turns green, or if you are a stop sign?

 

[Thegonagle]

And yes, you should use the brakes to stop! That's what they're there for. If you habitually downshift to slow down, particularly the way most people shift and use the clutch (not rev-matching, and not double-clutching), it puts extra wear on the synchros and the clutch. Brakes are very cheap. There is no need to "save wear" on the brakes when it is at the expense of the clutch and transmission.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
regarding hills...how to prevent yourself from rolling back once the light turns green, or if you are a stop sign?

The newb way is to use the hand brake. The middle-of-the-road way just comes with experience. You?re coordinated enough so that you can get the clutch engaged and the car moving while only rolling back an inch or two. The pro way is heel-and-toeing. Heel-and-toeing is the act of positioning your right foot in such a way that you can control both the gas and the brake at the same time. Heel-and-toeing can be helpful in a lot of different situations and maneuvers, not just moving off on a hill.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Here's what to do:

Push in the clutch, start the car, put it in 1st, floor the accelerator, drop the clutch.


It's a great way to show off when you leave the dealer.

LOL, I'd break the clutch in first... unless you like a glazed slipping clutch, wheel hop, and broken axles

Also, there is a time when you can downshift while braking... it's mostly for circuit/road racing but I use it on the street for fun. Heel-toe downshifting, it requires rev matching thus to not unsettle the car (less wear on the tranny & no engine braking either). In fact, truckers for the most part is that many of them double clutch when accelerating normally. I do it too, just to save wear and tear on my crappy @$$ synchros.

I personally don't use heel-toe method for hills... it's like brake torquing in an auto. Not very useful if you're good enough with your clutch and throttle plus it stresses your driveline components. I still generally shift to neutral during normal traffic driving.

Like everyone else has said, it's mostly in correct use of the clutch. Get a feel for where your clutch grabs and then you should be able to get the car in motion fairly well. Next would be getting to the point where you can shift 1-2 and sometimes 3-4 (if your gearing is short) without bucking the car. Hills & shifting during a turn should come naturally as you get more and more used to modulating the clutch pedal.