Who here drives an manual?
January 25th, 2020
Declutch – Brake – Neutral – Clutch.
You could use engine brake to slow down, but there is no brake lights and its jerky as hell if you don’t rev match.
Each time you shift up and down, the syncromesh has to slow the gear down so the sleeve can slide into the selected gear. So I wouldn’t slow the car down by downshifts, unless I’m going on a mountain roads which the brakes will get very hot. But brakes are pretty good these days and shouldn’t allocate you to rely on engine braking. Refer to road-code guidelines.
People tend to get lazy, its normal.
Minimise clutch wear and drive safely is the way to go.
Get a manual car and practice hill starts and creeping.
Foot on brake (not hard), car will start to slow, if you are in 4th downshift to 3 when revs go down a bit, then use engine braking plus slight brake pressure, than as you slow to a stop push the clutch in so the engine doesn’t stall. Once stopped put gear stick into neutral, apply hand brake. You don’t have to go through all the gears (3,2,1). When parked on a hill or incline I always put it into 1st gear when parked facing up or reverse when facing down, but that’s just because I never trust hand brakes. Basically you use the gears to suit the way you feel most comfortable with and without over revving the engine. For passing your driving test though you are expected to go through the accepted rules of use etc.
no matter what speed, hit the brake till it slows down to just the point before stalling, clutch, 1st gear, stop (add clutch, neutral if desired)
I rarely touch my brakes – nothing sickens me more when driving than to see the person in front using their brakes 30 odd times to my twice.
Bend in road… cow farts… birds fly overhead… car on opposite side of the road… someone opens a front door to a house behind a damn fence! All = brake lights go on. They’re morons who demonstrate a fear of driving and a dangerous insecurity.
I always use engine braking, slowing down and matching tacho to speed and gear. Braking at the close point to the junction or roundabout. Not always down to first gear (it’s a little too low on my car), but usually from 5 – 4 – 3 – 2, dab of brakes, look (not the first time) and then either keep going if clear or brake properly if not clear.
Just out of interest – doing this, I get between 65 and 85 miles per gallon and my brake pads last ages. One time, the mechanic asked if i;d had them replaced recently (after he did them last year) because the writing/coding was still on the pad surface.
By the way – It’s the responsibility of the person behind you to know if they’re getting too close (as you slow down on engine braking without brake lights) and to adjust their speed to suit… not yours!
I used to drive a 5-speed overdrive manual transmission with my old Jeep. When you come to a sudden stop you break and shift into neutral. But if you’re slowing down gradually you down shift little by little depending on how the engine responds. I now drive an automatic but the next auto I get will be a manual. I miss it.
I used to drive a 5-speed overdrive manual transmission with my old Jeep. When you come to a sudden stop you break and shift into neutral. But if you're slowing down gradually you down shift little by little depending on how the engine responds.
Yes, definitely – the driving style depends on what is happening around you.
In a crowded street, city centre, you can’t really engine brake – not enough time, too slow, you need more awareness for idiots, etc.
I use my brakes more in town areas, hardly eve in a country area.
I drove about 10 miles the other day – I used my brakes twice, the idiot in front of me was flashing their brake lights about 28 times for my two!
Bend in road, brake.
Tree in the wind, brake.
Horse farts, brake.
Sheep bleats, brake.
Car on the other side of the road (where it’s supposed to be!), brake
I swear, I sneezed… and they braked!
I think a lot of brake light flashing is caused by the dreaded left foot braking in an automatic car.
I swear I’ve seen some drivers that are actually accelerating and still flashing their wretched brake lights..
Probably using the brake pedal as a foot rest !
I think a lot of brake light flashing is caused by the dreaded left foot braking in an automatic car.
I swear I've seen some drivers that are actually accelerating and still flashing their wretched brake lights..
Probably using the brake pedal as a foot rest !
Nah not really, Sydney is crowded with nasty traffic.
Loads of jokers driving like a holligan, yes they have to brake more because they are going to fast.
Or we are just stuck in traffic.
In New York City everybody rides the brakes because of the heavy stop and go traffic. It’s a habit that’s hard to break (ha ha unexpected pun) even after you move to a less crowded area. You still keep doing it by instinct.
Of course the answer to all this is get yourself a donkey and dangle a carrot on a stick in front of it’s nose. No gears, no brakes, no problems.
Heehaw! Heehaw! :laugh:
when you come to a stop and your going like oh say 45 do you downshift to neutral or do you just downshift 3 2 1 or can you just stop at 3rd gear and downshift to 1 when you stop.
Any of the above is fine, depends on what the situation calls for…
Been driving manual shift since 1972…
If you are going to stop, for example there’s a stop sign ahead, no need to cycle through all gears. Just wait until you are stopped and shift to first.
Downshifting is only necessary if you don’t come to a full stop, for example you’re approaching a red light that changes to green, if your speed is too low for the gear you were driving in you would need to shift to the appropriate gear for that speed to continue without stopping.
imo… brakes are relatively cheap and easy to replace compared to the possible extra wear it places on the clutch/tranny.
Ive learned the best way to slow down is to put the clutch in and hit the brake.. From my teachings and logic this is because slowing down using lower gears, is pretty much riding the clutch which more or less shouldnt be done unless hill starting, because it puts a lot more wear and tear on the engine (specifically the clutch and the gear box), as well as uses more fuel then putting the clutch in and using the break to slow a little or a lot. Sure you may have to replace the brake twice as often (which would cost me like 60$ each 4-6 years), but due to the wear and tear on the engine, if you owned the car say 10 years you may have to replace the clutch system as well as the gear box twice, which would cost 1000$’s but save a few dollars on replacing the brake pads a little less often.. As well as that, as I mentioned logically you should be able to determine it will also use more fuel, which at this point of time I pay a heap for….
So best way to stop is applying brakes before you get to a stop right? The reason I ask is because I might get a manual car as my next car. Right now I drive an automatic car.
As I said, using the gears to slow = more fuel usage, and more wear and tear on the engine (particularly the clutch and gear box), each of these = big money in usage and repairs. Using the breaks means each 4 years you have to replace the brake pads, other then parts of engine, which is relatively cheap.
So yes applying the brakes is correct! (Its possible im wrong, for some reason? but even then, I presume what ive described is the best practice, and cheapest method of driving?)
(Id say people using gears to slow to state why they do so? and how it makes sense to do so?)
no matter what speed, hit the brake till it slows down to just the point before stalling, clutch, 1st gear, stop (add clutch, neutral if desired)
That is the best way to do it. Except wait until a full stop to put it into 1st and push in the clutch before it starts to stall the engine or you’re just adding extra wear to the clutch disc. Eventually you’ll get feel for it. Some older manual transmissions may not have a 1st gear synchro. Most newer vehicles do have a 1st gear synchro but they are often not as strong as it’s not really needed because in theory you should be stopped when down shifting to 1st.
You do not need to down shift into each gear. If you’re in 4th gear and coming to a stop. Just start applying the brakes. The brakes will slow down the car and so will the natural engine braking. It is NOT any extra wear and tear on the trans and engine provided you’re not down shifting into each gear along the way. The only wear comes from each time you push in the clutch to the clutch disc but that’s unavoidable and simply how a clutch works.
Src = Me and 17 years working as a mechanic with the majority of them in a dealership
Nicely said … even though you live in the country, you should learn to drive properly lol.. (hope my comments are correct, but pretty sure they are…..)
I would take everyone’s advice with a grain of salt. Transmissions today are a bit different than they were 15 years ago. Any car you get with a manual transmission is going to have factory recommend gear shifting practices in the owners manual. Driving a car with a manual transmission becomes a subtle dance that’s different with every car. Once you get your car out on the dance road you’ll quickly find out much clutch and throttle you need, and how to balance the two, to keep both you and your car happy.
Okay, the real minimal drivetrain wear.
1. Brake for stopping.
2. Shift into neutral and release clutch pedal when at a stop. 3. Shift clutch pedal down and shift into 1st as soon as lights turn green. 4. Light throttle 1200-1500 rpm depending on road gradient.
5. Release clutch to bite point and marginally slower (most people tend to release far to quick in the last few pedal travel). 6. Hill starts, park brake up. Shift into 1st, click and hold park brake, bite point and once rear axle dips release park brake slowly. More revs are required than normal.
Depending on where you will get your clutch serviced.
Take BMW for instance, they will charge $450 for a set of front brake pads only including labour.
Clutch, they will charge $8000. Any baulkring replacement = gearbox replacement (They won’t waste time rebuilding trannys).
Where as a small average workshop will charge $130 tops for pads and install. Brake pads last at least 30000km, so I’d say that is cheap.
If you use the clutch to do silly things or just a ~love~ manual driver, you’d be looking at 30000km clutch replacements.
I’d say that is bad value.
Plus you have to understand that some clutches have free-play adjustment, an average workshop will do a ~love~ job at it.
That will also kill the clutch rather quick if not done properly.
i usually just go from whatever gear im in straight to neutral then to a complete stop. If im taking a turn, 95% of the time i’ll drop from a gear and go straight into 2nd.
best practice is to obviously down shift, but i guess in the end its personal preference.
When coming to a stop, there is no need to go into neutral unless you’re going to be stopped for a while. Stop by using the engine compression or breaks, clutch pedal in and into first gear, ready to go. Nothing worse than being behind someone that waits for the light to turn green then hunts for first gear.
So say I come to a red light. I shift to neutral by pressing the clutch and let go off the clutch when I am stopped in neutral and clutch shift back to gear 1 or 2?
Just depress the clutch come to a stop and shift to 1 to be ready when the light changes.
Unless you just really like pumping you’re left foot up and down. 
I think of it as shifting through neutral (your gear shift can’t move to another gear without passing by). The only time you need to release the clutch in neutral, is if you want to see how far you can coast or park for a while with it running.
When coming to a stop, there is no need to go into neutral unless you're going to be stopped for a while. Stop by using the engine compression or breaks, clutch pedal in and into first gear, ready to go. Nothing worse than being behind someone that waits for the light to turn green then hunts for first gear.
You can do that, but you will ~love~ the spigot bearing eventually. You do not want the input shaft to constantly turn with the engine.
So say I come to a red light. I shift to neutral by pressing the clutch and let go off the clutch when I am stopped in neutral and clutch shift back to gear 1 or 2?
You only shift into gear if you plan to move or still in momentum and want to navigate through a corner. Otherwise once you get into gear and let go of the clutch pedal while still in momentum, engine brake kicks in, which will give a nasty jolt and gives the drivetrain a slight wear.
Just get a car with a manual tranny and get on with it.
When coming to a stop, there is no need to go into neutral unless you're going to be stopped for a while. Stop by using the engine compression or breaks, clutch pedal in and into first gear, ready to go. Nothing worse than being behind someone that waits for the light to turn green then hunts for first gear.
You can do that, but you will ~ censored ~ the spigot bearing eventually. You do not want the input shaft to constantly turn with the engine.
So say I come to a red light. I shift to neutral by pressing the clutch and let go off the clutch when I am stopped in neutral and clutch shift back to gear 1 or 2?
You only shift into gear if you plan to move or still in momentum and want to navigate through a corner. Otherwise once you get into gear and let go of the clutch pedal while still in momentum, engine brake kicks in, which will give a nasty jolt and gives the drivetrain a slight wear.
Just get a car with a manual tranny and get on with it.
I’ve owned 4 cars with manual transmissions, sports car to truck and drove over 500,000 miles in them. Commuting in bumper to bumper and driving across the country and never had an issue with clutch bearings from driving as I’ve posted.
Frankly, going to neutral at a stop probably puts more work on the clutch because you engage and disengage it twice, once when you stop and go into neutral and again when you shift into first gear. As apposed to coming to a stop, disengaging the clutch and shift into first and engage the clutch to go.
The problem being stopped in traffic and having your car in neutral is you no longer have control of your car until you’re back in gear.