Need some stick shift driving tips

[MorBid]

When I brought my Audi A4 1.8 6MT last september I hadn't drove a stick since getting out of the Marines and that was years ago.



When I got the car home that night and every night after for about a week I went out driving late at night, when no one was around. That parking lot thing is good but sooner or later you'll need to get out on the road. Drive with the stereo off so you can listen to how the engine sounds in different gears and how it's revving.



There's not that many steep inclines here in Rochester but when I went home to Staten Island I got schooled and stalled at every light on a hill I stopped at. But I kept practicing.



Once you get used to it, you'll know when the clutch is starting to grab and the key is to get your foot of the brake and on the gas quickly so you don't roll or stall.



Try to watch the lights in the other direction to see when your's is going to go green, I usually start letting the clutch out when the other light is going yellow.



What really pissed me off was that people would pull up dead on my *** so your all paraniod about rolling backwards and hitting them or they rear end you cause they expected you to be gone as soon as the light changed.



Driving a stick can be fustrating to learn but once you get it you'll never want to drive a automatic again.

 

[Richt]

Auto gear box cars are very rare over here in the UK, we nearly all drive manuals. This is how my instructor taught me:



When taught to drive over here, the way I was taught is to "set" the rev's/gas.



In this, lightly put your foot on the gas pedal, so the idle speed increases slightly, by ear, (no real set rpm I learnt to drive in many cars without rev counters), no need to race the engine. At a guess 1000 -1500 rpm ( Id say 2000 rpm max) for a normal start. Like others say this depends on the power of the car.



I will have a look at the revs, as I really havent got a clue! all done by ear.



With the revs set bring up the clutch slowly and smoothly and the car will pull away nice and smoothly to, when the clutch pedal is fully up, apply more gas.



On hill starts. Put the hand brake/parking brake on set the gas a little higher, bring the cluch up slowly, "as it bites" - ie the car sarts to want to move slowly release the hand brake, let the clutch out fully ( still slow and smooth) and apply some more gas.



The more practice you get you will balance the car on the biting point point ( you will get used to the point at how far the clutch needs to come out before the car moves), when you have mastered this you will be able to hold the car on a uphill slope using the gas and clutch on the biting point.



In driving there should be no need to slip the clutch.

 

[jchetty]

wow 2000 rpm start..to me thats high as i generally shift at 2500 rpm but each car is different. When i first learned stick, i had the benefit of being experienced on a motorcylce. i think the following are very important



1) imho learn the process 1st then the technique. I apply this to everything i do, theory first then hands on experience. Like buffing a car, i wouldnt use a rotary before fully understanding how it works. If you havent already, learn why a car stalls and what downshifting is, when a car is in gear and when it is not ......etc......



2) the gas pedal is more sensitive, so dont be afraid to push it. When I was first learning, I was impressed by how fast it reacted that I actually didn't push it enough and that was causing the car to stall



3)part of #3, ask you helper if your stalling because the clutch is letting out to slow or your not giving it enough gas...if it is because not enough gas, practice reving the car slowly to 2000rpm



4)no matter how much theory you get, you must practice. find an empty parking lot, dont worry about looking at the tachometer(rpm gauge) because frankly you will be to busy. Learn to get out of 1st gear, once you have that you will be able to look at rpms.....and trust me when i say in one day you can learn, and one week you will be confident, and in 1 year you will have mastered it...enjoy:xyxthumbs

 

[raymond_ho2002]

As someone who learned to drive manual in san francisco, the handbrake method was essential for the reason morbid stated: other drivers will mindlessly accelerate forward when they see a green light, even on an incline.



You'll never gain the confidence needed to drive in the streets until you actually do it, because you can never simulate the pressure of needing to drive without stalling.



A year or so after I got used to getting into first gear on an incline without the handbrake, i get rear ended by a careless driver as the light turned green. this was on a hill that was steep enough to cause even automatics to roll back a significant degree. Since then, i've reverted back to handbraking. Don't view it as a crutch; it's a valuable tool. It sure beats wearing the clutch or getting rear ended.

 

[butchdave]

Yeah, while its a useful skill to be able to hold the car on an incline by slipping the clutch, don't make a habit of it unless you really like changing the clutch more than you need to.

 

[jchetty]

degree. Since then, i've reverted back to handbraking. Don't view it as a crutch; it's a valuable tool. It sure beats wearing the clutch or getting rear ended.

:xyxthumbs i agree, i been driving stick for 3+ years, i use the hand brake all the time, i dont see anything wrong...anything to save the clutch

 

[stevet]

I wouldn't rev match though, except maybe at first when still leaning. Or maybe on a track when things are happening fast, but most of the time (and always on the street) I'll double-clutch to save the synchros. Too many used manuals have worn out 2nd gear synchros, and double-clutching is becoming a lost art Heel & toe double clutching is *driving*



Heh heh, I know some old-timers who think that having to double-clutch *up* shifts is no big deal

What is double clutching? Been driving standard for a few years and have heard double clutching mentioned before but I don't really know what it means.

 

[stevet]

The more practice you get you will balance the car on the biting point point ( you will get used to the point at how far the clutch needs to come out before the car moves), when you have mastered this you will be able to hold the car on a uphill slope using the gas and clutch on the biting point.

Yeah I rarely use the brake now on hills. I control the car with the clutch and gas.

 

[imported_garyo]

My daily driver for the last 14 years has been manual and I have taught many people to drive a manual. Practice is the key. The motions become second nature with time.



Reading and hearing someone talk about driving a manual is one thing but applying the techniques in real world driving is another. One technique that I have found to really help someone to learn how to apply the techniquest discussed here in real world situation is to take that person on a drive and give them a play by play of what your feet are doing. Get a friend or relative to take you on a drive and have them give a play by play. You will get a feel when to depress the clutch, how long it is suppose to take to let it out, when the gas should be applied, when to shift etc. It is not a substitution for practice but it gives you an idea of what and when the mechanics of the actions are applied.

 

[Accumulator]

What is double clutching? Been driving standard for a few years and have heard double clutching mentioned before but I don't really know what it means.

Wish I'd saved the PM I sent about this yesterday as I just can't type the whole explanation in again at present Half-baked explanation follows:



In brief, double-clutching is when you stop for a moment in neutral while changing gears (instead of 2-3 you'd do 2-N-3). You let the clutch out in N and blip the gas to a) bring the engine up to the correct speed for the next gear and b) let the transmission's innards get their speeds more equalized (sorry about the technical explanation I know that's very oversimplified). This second point does the job that the synchronizers usually have to do and is the main point behind double-clutching. Saves the synchros and makes for a much smoother shift than just relying on the synchros alone (as when just "matching the revs").



Doing this used to be mandatory back in the days before "synchromesh" transmissions. Back then you'd "grind the gears" if you didn't match the speeds just right, and double-clutching made that perfect matching *much* more likely. If you ever drive a car with worn out synchros, you'll *have* to double clutch. Also, there are plenty of older, but still "modern", sportscars (e.g., '58 Alfa I once had) with "non-synchro first gear". If you don't get it just right you'll *really* tear things up going from 2-1 and you can even grind it going from N-1.



Heh heh, BTW, note that there are the highly skilled drivers who can actually change gears rather smoothly without using a clutch. Incredible, you have to see it to believe it. It's always *all* about matching the speeds of all those little spinning parts. If your passengers feel the shift, you didn't do it smoothly enough.

 

[imported_GDA4]

First thing, you should get a feel for when the clutch is about to engage. I have a 99 Audi A4 and the first half of letting the clutch out is basically nothing. When I get to teh halfway point, thats when its tarts to grab. Practice on a level surface to get the hang of it. You shouldn't even need to give it gas, but make sure you let out slow. Once you get the hang of it, start applying the gas and you will get into gear a lot quicker. As for the incline, practice on a slight incline without anybody behind you.

I taught a couple of people how to drive stick and they all say the samething, "Driving is much better with a stick than automatic"

They key is to be confident and agressive. You have to control the car, not the car controlling you. Practice makes perfect.

 

[stevet]

Wish I'd saved the PM I sent about this yesterday as I just can't type the whole explanation in again at present Half-baked explanation follows:



In brief, double-clutching is when you stop for a moment in neutral while changing gears (instead of 2-3 you'd do 2-N-3). You let the clutch out in N and blip the gas to a) bring the engine up to the correct speed for the next gear and b) let the transmission's innards get their speeds more equalized (sorry about the technical explanation I know that's very oversimplified). This second point does the job that the synchronizers usually have to do and is the main point behind double-clutching. Saves the synchros and makes for a much smoother shift than just relying on the synchros alone (as when just "matching the revs").



Doing this used to be mandatory back in the days before "synchromesh" transmissions. Back then you'd "grind the gears" if you didn't match the speeds just right, and double-clutching made that perfect matching *much* more likely. If you ever drive a car with worn out synchros, you'll *have* to double clutch. Also, there are plenty of older, but still "modern", sportscars (e.g., '58 Alfa I once had) with "non-synchro first gear". If you don't get it just right you'll *really* tear things up going from 2-1 and you can even grind it going from N-1.



Heh heh, BTW, note that there are the highly skilled drivers who can actually change gears rather smoothly without using a clutch. Incredible, you have to see it to believe it. It's always *all* about matching the speeds of all those little spinning parts. If your passengers feel the shift, you didn't do it smoothly enough.

Thanks.

 

[ScubaStevo]

I never drive a stick shift, and I've only stalled starting off a incline once. Thats only because it was in a viper, and I wasn't expecting the clutch to grab that fast.

 

[spotpad]

I used to drive a manual 1.6 litre gas-powered car.



I normally use 800rpms to get going on first gear from a full stop. On an incline, I normally use 1000rpm.



Practice. Practice. Practice.



I make it a personal challenge to use as little gas as possible to "hang" on an incline. Ditto for moving forward from a full stop on level road.

 

[thestingrayboys]

Since ALL cars and clutches are different... try starting the car with NO gas. Even if it stalls (some will some wont) you will get an idea of when that particular car will ENGAGE. Once you are comfortable anticipating the clutch engaging, you can add the GAS at that point. I am willing to bet that you will have this mastered in 10 or less tries in your local grocery store parking lot in 100 yards or so. After that, upshifting and downshifting will come very naturally with a coach beside you. This method works very EASILY!! On an incline, this works exactly the same with the HAND BRAKE ENGAGED. Just as the clutch is engaging and you are giving it some gas, lower the hand bake slowly (keep your hand on the brake... you can always pull it back up again if you start rolling back!). I PROMISE, once you can feel the point your clutch engages, you have won the battle. A few practice sessions and you will feel like the clutch is a natural extension of your foot/leg!!! GOOD LUCK!!

 

[mikebai1990]

Heh heh, BTW, note that there are the highly skilled drivers who can actually change gears rather smoothly without using a clutch. Incredible, you have to see it to believe it. It's always *all* about matching the speeds of all those little spinning parts. If your passengers feel the shift, you didn't do it smoothly enough.

Sorry for bringing up such an old thread, but I was curious as to how the highly skilled drivers change the gears smoothly without using a clutch. Do you mean they just shift without depressing the clutch?

 

[awahl63]

There must be more cars out there that will allow this than I would've expected. Do that in a Porsche, Audi, 'vette, Subie, or anything else I can think of, and you'll stall it dead as a doornail. But then I've pretty much only driven stick shift cars of a certain "personality". You *could* do it in my Kormann M3, but that thing idled at nearly 1,000 rpms. Ditto for one of my old MOPARS, but those two were race cars with license plates.

You won't stall it on my very very weak A4 clutch....Doesn't help that the clutch was meant for 166 stock TQ and I'm at around 260

 

[velobard]

Sorry for bringing up such an old thread, but I was curious as to how the highly skilled drivers change the gears smoothly without using a clutch. Do you mean they just shift without depressing the clutch?

I've had to do that before when my clutch gave out and a handful of other times I was just playing around. I sure won't claim I was a master of it by any means, but I managed to get home without tearing anything up. The trick is like Accumulator said, just match the engine speed with the speed it needs to be at for the speed you're going in the gear you want to be in. Shift to neutral, rev the engineif you're downshifting, or let it slow to the right speed if you're upshifting, and gently pull the shifter into gear. When you have the engine speed right, it will slide into gear as smooth as can be. Yes, it's a bit of an art.

 

[mikebai1990]

Thanks for the clarification, velobard. I get it now!

 

[Accumulator]

mikebai1990- Yeah, it's all a matter of matching the speeds of all those little spinning components...I seriously suggest that you *NOT* try it on a car you car about Like Velobard, I had to do it on a car whose clutch went out...it made some scary noises but I made it back to the shop and I didn't seem to do any real damage, which was probably pure luck.



awahl63- Heh heh, I'd suspect that a clutch upgrade will be in your future Hopefully before it makes the expensive smell and leaves you stranded somewhere