Learning how to shift properly with a manual gearbox takes some training, but with the right effort, anyone can learn it. To shift smoothly you need some knowledge and finesse, especially when it comes to a heavy car. Large, manual transmission cars are a bit trickier because they have a bigger engine and heavier transmission. But fear not, with some training anyone can learn to shift smoothly, in any car.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Drive away
Step 1. Place the gear lever in the free, neutral position between the first and second gears (in neutral you can easily move the lever from left to right)
Step 2. Start the car
Step 3. Fully depress your clutch pedal
Step 4. Now move the gear lever to first gear
Step 5. Release the clutch slowly and give it a little throttle until you feel the gear engage
You get to a point where you see the front of the car rise slightly and the revs drop slightly. At this point, release the car from the parking brake, but don't fully release the clutch yet.
Step 6. Continue to release the clutch while depressing the accelerator slightly
Make sure the RPM is only slightly higher than idle: this is done with the accelerator pedal while slowly releasing the clutch with your left foot.
Step 7. Continue to accelerate and release the clutch slowly until the pedal is all the way up
Step 8. Carefully drive away
Method 2 of 5: Up a gear
Step 1. Determine when you need to shift based on the speed
If the RPM has risen outside the normal range (usually between 2500-3000rpm) it's time to shift into a higher gear.
Note: if you have to accelerate quickly or if you are going up a slope, you normally only shift up at a higher speed than when you are driving calmly on a flat road. If you shift gears too early in such a case, it can be bad for the engine and cause problems with the ignition timing
Step 2. Start shifting up by taking your foot off the accelerator and depressing the clutch
Make sure the clutch pedal is fully depressed before shifting, otherwise you could damage the gears.
Step 3. Move the gear lever to the next gear
Step 4. Release the clutch and give it some throttle
Just like when starting off, it is important that you feel the interaction between clutch and gas well to shift smoothly. It is true that you can release the clutch faster than when driving off.
Step 5. Place both hands on your handlebars again
- Why? Because you only keep control of the car when you turn the corner.
- When you change gears you push a shift fork against a rotating ring and you push that ring against the desired gear. If you hold the gear lever, the shift fork will wear earlier because it is held against the rotating ring with pressure.
Method 3 of 5: Downshift
Step 1. Determine again based on the speed when you need to downshift
If the revs get too low you feel that the engine has to work a lot, and the throttle becomes more inaccurate.
- Normally you downshift after braking and before turning a corner. In most cases, you brake with your brake pedal before taking a turn.
- As soon as you slow down you can downshift, you use the engine to smoothly turn the corner. Never go around the bend in free, because then you will lose control more quickly.
Step 2. Begin downshifting by taking your foot off the accelerator and depressing the clutch
You take your foot off the gas a little earlier than you depress the clutch, otherwise the engine will rev a lot more when you depress the clutch.
Step 3. Press the clutch pedal all the way down and then move the gear lever to the lower gear
Step 4. Release the clutch slowly
Now the speed goes up. Use the accelerator pedal to match the RPM to the gear you're in.
Step 5. Release the clutch all the way
Method 4 of 5: Braking to a stop
Step 1. Leave the car in the same gear and start braking
Step 2. Slow down until the RPM is just above idle
Step 3. Depress the clutch pedal and shift the gear lever to a lower gear
When you arrive at an intersection where you must yield, shift into second gear and release the clutch (to rest your foot and prevent wear on the clutch plates).
Step 4. Keep slowing down until you almost come to a stop
Step 5. Press the clutch in just before you come to a stop (now you're only driving a few kilometers per hour) to prevent the engine from stalling
When you are on a slope, apply the parking brake and release your brake pedal.
Method 5 of 5: The slope test
Step 1. Brake as usual, until you are almost stationary, then use the parking brake to hold the car in place
This will prevent you from driving back down.
Step 2. Release the clutch slowly while giving it a little throttle
So when you're ready to drive away, just start with the step we discussed in the first method.
Step 3. As soon as you feel that the car wants to drive away, release the handbrake
Step 4. Now the car should move forward
You may need to practice this for a while. Carefully release the clutch and accelerate until the clutch is all the way up.
The faster you release the clutch, the less wear and tear there will be, so the goal is to release the clutch as quickly as possible while still allowing the car to move forward smoothly
Tips
- Don't be too distracted by the revs, but focus on the balance between engagement of the clutch and depressing the accelerator pedal. Imagine they are each other's opposites when driving off. For example, you can think of an engine with two cylinders: when one piston moves down, the other comes up, in opposite motion. Try to mimic this movement with your clutch and accelerator pedal.
- Never roll out of the bend in free. This can be very dangerous, because if you have to accelerate a little you will have to put the car in gear first, and that takes time.
- In many cases, such as when approaching a zebra crossing or intersection, it is smart to slow down and downshift to second gear.
- If you're going to go faster or softer, try to pick the gear shift at points where there are potholes or bumps in the road. These kinds of irregularities can be transferred to the engine and make driving less smooth. In general, if you let go of the accelerator pedal, you will ride smoother over irregular terrain.
- The transition between accelerating and slowing down is much rougher with a manual gearbox than with an automatic. The gears transmit pressure in one direction (go slower), this pressure must be reversed as you go faster. An automatic gearbox does this much more smoothly by using a so-called viscous coupling.
- Smooth driving is done almost entirely with your clutch pedal. If you release the clutch slowly, you can shift much smoother.
- In smaller cars, it is much easier to shift smoothly than in large cars, because the flywheels are much smaller and the clutches are less stiff.
- If you stand still for a long time, it is better to put the car in neutral and release the clutch. This prevents a tired leg and wear of your clutch.
Warnings
- Try the techniques in this article in a safe place away from other cars and pedestrians. An empty parking lot is a convenient place to practice.
- It is sometimes claimed that you can save fuel when you drive down a slope in neutral. This is a myth and can be very dangerous.
- Follow the traffic rules at all times.