girl trying to learn basic stick shift

hey guys, i just found this cool forum. i've been driving stick shift now for about 2-3 weeks. i live with my uncle and he is teaching me, the only problem is that sometimes i can't understand his accent/english. he taught me pretty good, but i wanted to learn more and don't know where else to get help from. i can shift up pretty good and i am not afraid of hitting the cars behind me since i am pretty good knowing where the clutch engages. my only problem is downshifting and shifting into a gear from neutral. i always hear something wrong in my car and i know that i am not doing it right. i've tried googling and they suggest rev-match or whatever, i'm not so sure how to do it or if it even applies.

i wanted to ask you guys about what to do when approaching a light and it suddenly turns green. i leave it in neutral but then if i put it in a lower gear for that speed, it just doesn't go in smoothly, what should i do? this is how i am doing it right now: from neutral--> if i am slowing to about 20 mph, i push the clutch in and shift the lever to 2nd and let the clutch out without pressing the gas. my second question is turning into my neighborhood. i am driving at 45 mph in 4th and i try to slow down to make a left turn to get to my house. i slow down to about 20 mph and put it to second. this is what i am doing: slowing down, push clutch in and directly change from 4th to 2nd and let clutch out without pressing on the gas. i always hear something weird, not a smooth shift. i was wondering if you guys could help me out with these situations so i can become a better driver. thanks a lot guys!

 

First off all, manuals are NOT as smooth as automatics. You will always have some unsmooth shifts and as long as you arent hearing grinding, just engine RPM response, you are fine. You just have to learn the vehicle. By this I mean you will pick up on what gears match what speed, and when you need more power when to downshift. Just note when you are smoothly accelerating which speed ranges fit specific gears. Once you know that you can easily figure out what gear to shift into from neutral.

 

Oh and Welcome! With my 5 speed my approximate typical ranges are:

1st: 0-15mph
2nd: 10-30mph
3rd: 25-50mph
4th: 30-70mph
5th: 55- XX mph

 

Welcome to the forum

I hope he answered your question allright. I have a question about your truck. Is your truck a pre-runner? If it is i didnt know those came with manuals.

 

What kind of noise are you hearing exactly?

 

You doing it right, always be in gear while your turning. The sound you hear is becaus you are going to fast for 2nd gear, it's not a problem, it is just the compression of the engine basically you are downshifting. Try slowing down to about 20-25 mph before letting the clutch out in 2nd. Either way you are doing it correctly.

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to the board- Got anyone else around who drives stick?? It's good to get a few opinions and different techniques...and it's REALLY hard to give completely solid advice over the internet for something like driving stick.

 

yea, mine is a prerunner regular cab. thanks for the advice, i didn't know it was normal. it just sounds like a louder noise and i kinda jump forward or feel some sort of a drag. is there any way to get it perfectly smooth? do RPMS matter in these cases? every time i am in neutral and push the clutch all the way down, it is around 1 and when i switch it right into 2nd gear, it skids or lurches kinda. anyways, thanks for the help!

 

The clutch basically puts in neutral why depressed. The lurches are the power being given to the tires once the gear is engaged. Personally I rarley engine break so my driving is very smooth. Once you get better and have more practice it will be smoother. Post some pics of the truck!

 

If it skids that is an issue however I think you were just describing what it felt like

 

but seriously post some pics....

 

.....of the truck

 

*subscribed*

what you need to do is make a video of you driving and shifting, and, after further analysis, we can recommend you with changes in your style

 

rpm's matter... 1000 rpm's is too slow for 2nd gear at that speed... If you were to apply the gas smoothly to around 1500 rpm or so as you let the clutch out smoothly, you probably wouldn't even feel it...

There is usually about 750-1000 rpm's difference between gears...

When driving a manual trans, always have the truck in a gear... Only shift to neutral when you are stopped at a long light (if necessary)... It is much safer and easier on your clutch/trans then fishing for gears and/or making split-second decisions when your life depends on it... Upshift and downshift according to speed and engine load... If you are coasting in 3rd (arond 1500-2000 rpm's) and coming to a red light, use the brake lightly to slow down, push in the clutch downshift to 2nd, and smoothly (not too slow, not too fast) let the clutch back out while still using the brakes... It should smoothly slow you down, and if the light turns green, ease on the gas in 2nd... if not repeat process down to 1st...

It is very difficult to explain, but really easy to teach... My wife "technically" could drive a stick when we met, but after I taught her a few things, she can drive a stick about as smooth as any auto...

Practice doesn't make perfect... Perfect Practice makes perfect...

Also, don't push the cltch all the way to the floor...

 

^ what he said

It just takes practice. Dont just pop out the clutch when you're downshifting if you want it to be smooth.

 

someone was going to have to do it.

 

thats true, but if you always engine brake without rev-matching, it does wear down the clutch. Once you get used to selecting the correct gear for your speed, you can start rev-matching while down shifting.

For example, you are coasting in 3rd at around 2000 rpms, shift into 2nd gear, and with your foot still pressing on the clutch, give it a quick little gas so the rpms shoot to around 2500. then when you let off the clutch, there is no excess friction between the clutch and the flywheel, and the resistance of the engine will slow you down. When you get confident, you can try heel-toe, which is when you brake with your toe, and as you downshift, gas and rev-match with your heel. That is the most efficient way to downshift and that is how i drive my taco and wrx.

 

I think it's important for you to find some back roads and PRACTICE! It is really not safe for you or others to struggle with proper shifting. If you shift wrong or slow/stop suddenly, you can be dangerously rear-ended.

If you are rural, find a wal-mart or large parking lot and practice shifting, stopping and starting. It is most important to learn the 'feel' of the clutch. To ease in smoothly and sync both feet is everything.

I could probably shift just as smoothly as my automatic.

Good luck and welcome to TW