Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Topic: Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques? (Read 1512 times) previous topic - next topic

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

May 22, 2006, 12:24:21 AM

My Stepdad has been telling me I'm a hard shifter when I'm shifting gears in the TC. Any tips on how to make smoother shifts?!!? I've only been driving stick for about 3-4 months, be easy on me!

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #1 – May 22, 2006, 12:39:13 AM

I've been driving for a lot longer than that and I still don't usually shift smoothly when I drive my neon. What I do to make it smoother is let the rpms drop with it still in gear and sort of slow down before you go to the next gear... if that makes sense.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #2 – May 22, 2006, 12:43:34 AM

ah who cares it just beats up on the syncros.lol um i have found that. you just need to find you own groveother people telling me how to shift messes me up and gets me nervous.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #3 – May 22, 2006, 01:19:44 AM

Yeah, I've been driving without a shoe on my left foot lately, to kinda get a smoother feel for the clutch. I've been told that doing that can help with telling when the engaging takes place and such. I still think I need to smooth it out some.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #4 – May 22, 2006, 01:24:50 AM

If your really givin 'er when upshifting give it a bit of gas so the car doesnt jerk when you release the clutch. Other than that if you cant find 'em grind 'em :D

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #5 – May 22, 2006, 01:26:41 AM

Yeah, it jerks some when I let out of the clutch. I'll try giving it more gas when I drive her again, which is everyday!!

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #6 – May 22, 2006, 09:49:33 AM

think of your feet at being attached to either end of a fulcrum (teeter-totter), one end goes up and the other goes down.

as you press the gas, the clutch come up, as you press the clutch the gas come up.. so as you are releasing the clutch, depress the gas pedal, with some practice you will find the feel for your car where your sift is smooth, and remember its okay to let up a bit slow on the clutch while you get the hang of it, just don't drive like that for ever, or you'll burn your clutch out.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #7 – May 22, 2006, 06:16:41 PM

Let off of the clutch slower.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #8 – May 23, 2006, 11:28:02 AM

also, what my mom did for me, she had me stop on a hill (we lived in the boonies.. so no traffic) and had my practice till I could let out the clutch and no move the car till it slowly started to roll foward WITHOUT ROLLING BACKWARD. this really taught me how much clutch was needed at a given point when applying the gas, and improved my driving. just remember your not at the indy 500, let it out slow and slowly apply the gas.. you'll find your "feel" with more practice.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #9 – May 23, 2006, 02:23:47 PM

Yeah, just practice alot. Get to the point that you can start it off without giving it any gas. That is what I used to do in my old truck. Never drove a t/c so I dunno how well that works, but I would think it would work fine.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #10 – May 23, 2006, 10:51:28 PM

I like quick short shifts with the clutch. Not tooooo jerky but you know its there. Remember the more you ride that clutch the faster it will ware down...

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #11 – May 26, 2006, 12:24:43 AM

I'm fine coming out of the clutch, it's when I push it in, he said I'm rough. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #12 – May 26, 2006, 01:59:30 AM

If you're just shifting gear-to-gear while driving, don't have the accellerator pressed at all when you go to disengage (push in) the clutch.

Anyone with some helpful shifting techniques?

Reply #13 – May 28, 2006, 12:38:04 PM

Tackled my first true steep hill. Didn't hit anyone or stall, but did smoke the tires in 1st gear

I didn't have the clutch out far enough and when the light turned green, I had to give it a good amount of gas so I didn't hit the old man behind me since he was up my azz. Next time I'll do better!