How to change gears smoothly?

[v.j]

Get a auto

 

[OGroteKoning]

Nigga please, you need basic driving lessons.

Bwahahaha... Yeah this!

 

[stoymigo]

• You learn to listen to the motor to time it right.
• Comes with feel, pedal control & listening to the engine as mentioned.
• Also, don't release the clutch too suddenly. Do it slowly and feel when it engages, then light on the throttle.
• Allow the revs to drop to what they will be in the new gear before you release the clutch. Don't let them drop too far, you'll get the opposite effect.
• You could be jumping on and off the clutch, take it easy. Easy on it, change, release (not fully), feel it "bite" which should be like a tenth of a second or so which you will get from experience and completely release. Practise clutch control, you'll need it when you sit in traffic.
• When you depress the clutch to change gears let it out slowly as if you were pulling away, i think what you are doing is popping the clutch when you select your gears.
• PS, at higher RPM's your car won't jerk as much

Thanks for that, I will keep these pointers in mind, I know I will get it right after some practice.

 

[Naks]

Check your seating position, e.g., http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving

 

[rrh]

Check your seating position, e.g., http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving

And make sure that you are seated in a position where you can fully depress the clutch: you will find that in some cars the clutch takes at the top, whilst in others the clutch takes at the bottom i.e. close to the floorboard.

 

[IzZzy]

I've always found it helps to be in the driver's seat while changing gears.

That could be your problem.

 

[Fazda]

A double pump on the clutch smooths things out, first pump move to neautral, second pump into the gear you want, it forces you to drive smoothly.

 

[MickZA]

A double pump on the clutch smooths things out, first pump move to neautral, second pump into the gear you want, it forces you to drive smoothly.

... and tomorrows lesson is the art of left foot braking

 

[Naks]

A double pump on the clutch smooths things out, first pump move to neautral, second pump into the gear you want, it forces you to drive smoothly.

I doubt he's driving something with a non-synchro gearbox

 

[The_Ogre]

Comes with feel, pedal control & listening to the engine as mentioned.

I still, to this day, do it this way

 

[Stefanmuller]

Get a auto

And then he will be like the Yanks who can't drive "stick".

 

[DTBA]

Drove a 10 ton truck, old one with non-synchro gearbox. Now that will learn u to drive with clutch, double clutch and later with no clutch.A while back had a clutch master cylinder on a bakkie brake.Drove it like that till I got home... down geared and up without any problems. If u match the engen revs with the next/lower gear speed it will slide in smooth

 

[ponder]

... and tomorrows lesson is the art of left foot braking

Nah, I suspect it will be simultaneously operating the brake & accelerator pedals with your right foot when cornering ala race car driver so you keep the revs up while braking for a quicker exit of the corner/bend. Works really well once mastered

 

[Fazda]

... and tomorrows lesson is the art of left foot braking

Of course!

I doubt he's driving something with a non-synchro gearbox

Good grief, have they extended synchromesh to all cars now?

 

[froot]

Hi guys, I started driving last week friday, I have problem where when I change the gears
the car jerks slightly or there is a sudden increase/decrease of speed when changing gears.

Basically it's not smooth ride, like other drivers.
Will this go away naturally or can you give me tips on how to improve it?
Thx

Changing gears consists of this, and it's actually really simple:
Leave (depress) the accelerator completely
Push down the clutch pedal until the gear is disengaged (you will learn where that is with whatever car you drive).
Press down on the accelerator.

When you do this, the engine loses power, so the quicker you do the gear change, the smoother the power curve will be, and the less "jerk" you will get. Obviously it takes practise.

Some cars however... yeah, good luck getting good shifts with those. My uncle's RS4 was impossible to shift smoothly... way too much power to be handled just like that.

 

[MickZA]

Nah, I suspect it will be simultaneously operating the brake & accelerator pedals with your right foot when cornering ala race car driver so you keep the revs up while braking for a quicker exit of the corner/bend. Works really well once mastered

Aaah, heel & toeing - something I could never master (mind you I was only a wannabe rally driver with no real skill )

 

[ponder]

Aaah, heel & toeing - something I could never master (mind you I was only a wannabe rally driver with no real skill )

They showed Stigg's feet once on the pedals for quite some time and boy can he operate!

 

[MickZA]

They showed Stigg's feet once on the pedals for quite some time and boy can he operate!

Here's Gary Sheehan showing how it's done - something for the OP to aspire to maybe

[video=youtube;5iXu5_ty3Zs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5iXu5_ty3Zs[/video]

 

[ponder]

Another one with Ayrton Senna in loafers

[video=youtube;8By2AEsGAhU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU[/video]

I wish Honda would make another decent NSX.

 

[w1z4rd]

Clutch control comes with practice.