Kids first truck

imo, driving stick isn't something that can be taught except for the sciences behind it. Leave your son in an empty parking lot close to home, big enough that he can do a full circle. That way he can get a hand of taking off in first and reverse. Have him practice that and then go around slow traffic streets and eventually the highway.

 

I'll speak for everyone lol, we would be happy to help if at all possible. Lots of great people on here.

 

Oh. And about the hill starts. the easiest way IMO is to teach him how to hold the truck with nothing but the clutch (clutch stand). I know it isn't good to do but once you learn your trucks biting point on a hill, it's gravy

 

If it works, why change!!!

 

^^^^^This^^^^^

 

On advise I have is better stall then burn. Learn to start rolling at idle or no more that 1200rpm (by ear if tach is not there). Starting with high rpm heats up the clutch and then it will start slipping, and then it is downhill road.

One time after some stick-shift lesson for my wifi, when I parked the truck on the sloped driveway, like I always do: on the 1st gear with no parking brake, the truck rolled down to the street. Hot clutch did not hold the truck on slight slope.

If you stall, you can always crank it , if you burn clutch, it's a tow truck and major job.

 

Not a big fan of the clutch stand on a hill even now as a seasoned manual driver. I much prefer holding the brake, once ready to go, load up the clutch to where it does the "stand", then switch from brake to gas and finish dropping the clutch. Truck won't roll anywhere on the transition, and you're not abusing the clutch either. You can feel it once you're doing this, or you can see the RPM needle drop down a hair, while still being on the brake. Obviously these are tips for him once he gets good at the basics. Telling him this now would be way too much technical information. However, this technique is doubly useful while on a motorcycle.

 

I don't buy cars for the boys.wanna car,gotta work.our youngest just got his first pay check. .he was crying about taxes..

 

Tell him to pick a 1st world country he thinks would be awesome to live in.

Then suggest he research wages, cost of living and tax rates for that country.

Odds are very high he'll feel better.

 

I just patted him on the shoulder and told him 52 more years and he can retire...

 

this is how I learned. My grandpa took me out into a big parking lot and I practiced taking off from idle about 300 times. Driving a stick is EZPZ now

 

I've taught people to drive manuals at school parking lots, like high schools, specifically - they're large and wide open.

In the evenings, especially over summer break, you're pretty much left to your own and there's not much to crash into outside of lighting. One local has gentle ups and downs and isn't perfectly level, so it teaches clutch control without risk of much rolling or any kind of panic situation.

Input to a driver is usually more stressful than helpful, so the best thing I've done is just sit there and let them feel it out. Teach the basics, then let them go.

As far as staying in first goes, that's a big part of it all, but a large, open parking lot can let them hit 3 gears and still be going slow.

Props for not buying your kid his car, and props to him for doing so, good luck!

 

Start learning driving a manual without touching the gas pedal. Push in the clutch to get it in first, then only play with the brake and the clutch. Flat ground like a parking lot works great. Get the feel of the clutch grabbing before the gas pedal is ever involved.

I've only ever driven manuals. This is how I figured it out. I bought my first car from my neighbor, dad helped me learn. He didn't really say anything and let me figure it out myself (although 4 wheelers and dirt bikes at a young age gave me the basic principles).