Downshifting

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

I always downshift, and it has nothing to do with street cred, cars and coffee or tampon runs.
I always have downshifted cars and motorcycles when slowing down and I always will. I like to keep car or bike in the power.
Never killed a clutch or transmission.

You dumbass, go downshift your car as you go buy tampons. You have a vagina and i have a penis.

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[Pistol_91]

You can still downshift and slip the clutch out without revving it lol. Rev matching is mainly for racing and higher rpm down shifting. I don't see a point of rev matching revving the car up every time you come to a stop light. Kind of silly and the rev match function to me is a gimmick unless you're on the track.

 

[SheepDog]

The brakes are for stopping, the clutch is for gear changes-not for slowing the car.

 

[VoR]

The brakes are for stopping, the clutch is for gear changes-not for stopping the car.

Gear changes, as in downshifting.
Nobody said they are stopping the car with clutch only.

 

[SheepDog]

Gear changes, as in downshifting.
Nobody said they are stopping the car with clutch only.

I fixed my post for you. The only time you should be downshifting, is to then be applying throttle to accelerate, not to aid the brakes in slowing the vehicle.

 

[robvas]

lol if you let your tach go under 5k

 

[VoR]

I fixed my post for you. The only time you should be downshifting, is to then be applying throttle to accelerate, not to aid the brakes in slowing the vehicle.

It's all good, I was just bustin yer chops for making fun of my tampon runs.
I don't actually downshift for the purpose of SLOWING the car down, I do it to be ready for the light to change, i.e. keep it in the power. I'm not racing around or revving to impress.
I am also not exclusively using the brakes in an attempt to SAVE my clutch from wear and tear, just not concerned that regular downshifting is hurting anything. More wear, probably....just not concerned.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

^ Yep, i downshift regularly as i come down to speed-keeping the engine at 2000 rpm or above if i want to accelerate or be ready to accelerate. In other cars in the past that could be 3k rpm or more but this one packs a bit more punch. If im coming up to a stop sign am i dropping from 4th or 5th all the way down to 2nd? No, but as long as you do it properly there's no excess wear.

 

[SheepDog]

 

[CrackedHorn]

Wear to the clutch, when shifting properly, only occurs for that fraction of a second as the disc engages.

Assuming you aren't money shifting, downshifting is perfectly fine for a transmission.

It's the people that put a manual in neutral to come a stop that I have a bone to pick with. Lol

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Any downshift is adding wear. The faster the engine is spinning, the more wear you introduce. You said "In all scenarios" it is better. But is it really better when you are simply rolling to a stop at a light? Nope, just throw it in neutral and slow the car down with, you know, the brakes. Rev matching isn't even necessary unless you are pushing the car with the intent/need to match the engine speed to the drivetrain, for the reasons I already mentioned. It is not for slowing the car down.

Since you seem to be the one confused about how to actually drive a manual, and what different techiques are for, give these guys a call and talk with one of the instructors about this topic.
https://www.fordperformanceracingschool.com/

I was there just last week, and several of the "I've been driving manuals for decades" people attending made the same comment, and the instructors quickly pointed out to them that they had been doing it wrong.

I think you you misunderstood me, i asked how a rev matched downshift increases wear over regular downshifting? Ok, the engine RPMs go up, when that is happening it's in neutral with basically no load on the engine. A "regular" downshift is a downshift with no rev match and is just making the clutch do all the hard work which is obviously going to result in excessive wear.

You also stated that you dont downshift unless you're on a track or a twisty road which makes no sense to me-what happens when you need more power than your current gear allows? Maybe OP needs to clarify his question because there's regular downshifting as in keeping the engine in its powerband so you can accelerate if you need to and there are the guys who are downshifting to 1st gear at 30 mph on their tampon runs to make sure everyone can hear them a mile away

 

[_zOmbIE_]

The brakes are for stopping, the clutch is for gear changes-not for slowing the car.

Engine braking is totally a thing.

 

[SheepDog]

I think you you misunderstood me, i asked how a rev matched downshift increases wear over regular downshifting? Ok, the engine RPMs go up, when that is happening it's in neutral with basically no load on the engine. A "regular" downshift is a downshift with no rev match and is just making the clutch do all the hard work which is obviously going to result in excessive wear.

You also stated that you dont downshift unless you're on a track or a twisty road which makes no sense to me-what happens when you need more power than your current gear allows? Maybe OP needs to clarify his question because there's regular downshifting as in keeping the engine in its powerband so you can accelerate if you need to and there are the guys who are downshifting to 1st gear at 30 mph on their tampon runs to make sure everyone can hear them a mile away

Like i said earlier, the only time you should be downshifting is to then be applying power, I took OP's original post to mean that he was one of those that was rolling to a stop, and 5,4,3,2,1,ing it.

I drive my Tesla for tampon runs, I don't want anyone seeing me get into my Mustang with a box of plugs.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Fair enough. OP, good job on all the shit stirring. It's been fun!

 

[ralph7]

My pleasure...

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