Salamander

I have had many arguments with people at work about switching gears. It started when I was driving with a co worker and he saw me pushing the clutch all the way down. Now he said that any person regardless what car you don't have to push the clutch down all the way. His argument was how do race car drivers switch gears so fast, because they don't push the clutch all the way down. I said they slam down quickly cause they are trained professionals they have to be quick at it. My argument was you will burn your clutch if you don't push the clutch all the way down. I have been driving a manual car since I was 15, and I learned from my uncle in his Sentra. After that every single person that has taught me, said to push the clutch all the way down.

Now the messed up part was that every single person he asked to get another opnion said you don't have to push the clutch all the way down. We asked close to ten people. Do I work with all idiots who don't know what the fu@* they are talking about?

Reality350

iTrader: (25)

Interesting, I was taught to push the clutch all the way down for everyday driving. But he also explained to me that I should not push to far past the friction point (not all the way down) if I wanted to shift quickly in a race situation.

R350z

ra2289

iTrader: (3)

+1...I kinda switch between the two depending on how I feel like driving...but for the most part I just granny shift.

Sleeper01

iTrader: (6)

Regularly ur suppose to push it all the way down if ur learning how to drive manual for the first time, thats how i was taught. My friend told me to get used to it soo u wont grind or mess up the clutch cause its ur first time learning how to drive stick. But later on when u get used to it most people just push it up to the clutch point usually not all the way down and shift that way. I might be wrong on this one but when i race i floor my gas pedal down and i dont push my clutch all the way down i shift quickly doesnt mean im a professional, i dont let go of the gas pedal. feel it out, u'll understand what i mean.

rockinbboy

iTrader: (1)

Most of the time I push enough to disengage the engine and tranny. I do try to push the cluth all the way down whenever I start thinking of how I am shifting.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

When up or down shifting, completely disengage (peddle to the floor) the clutch.

If you are racing (autocross, open road or dragstrip), you can work on more advanced techniques.

rwalton1129

iTrader: (12)

I just push until the tranny is disengaged...

horse110

iTrader: (3)

I always push the clutch all the way to the floor.

joegengsta

iTrader: (5)

you don't have to push down the clutch all the way but most people don't know exactly when the clutch fully disengages (sometimes a couple inches from fully depressed)... but i rather push them down all the way, why risk unnecessairly harming the synchros for Vin Diesel style machoism? lol

josephchihweilu

iTrader: (10)

i press the clutch down almost all the way but not quite. ive heard that just as long as it disengages everything should be fine.

CaliTouring

iTrader: (5)

+1

moflow

hmmm i feel like if i'm really trying to go fast, i can stomp my foot to the ground on a clutch and realease it as quickly as my hand can shift. In other words when shifting, it's my hand that limits my speed not my feet. There really is no need for me to try and hasten my foot speed by only going halfway down.

Grinding gears is an awful sensation. I try to avoid it at all costs, erring on the side of safety when i have to.

The Mr Guinness

+1

dbpoet

It's called shifting, not switching.

Motormouth

iTrader: (44)

you can shift without touching the clutch.

HighwaySpeed

This forum needs a shift thread sticky for 6MT and how to use them.

How do I shift...

When do I shift...

Why does this/that happen...

Who knows why...

Do I need to...

What is this/that smell...

Buy a 5AT. Drive. No questions. Simple.

striker27

iTrader: (6)

U work with an idiot. You are driving it like you should be. He thinks you should drive it like Mario Andretti. Your co worker is a MORON!!!!!!!!!!!

bailey bill

1) No one reads stickies anyway

2) No one ever learned to drive a manual tranny reading a message board (or a book)




bill

Zmazing03

iTrader: (9)

In first gear, and second (at lower speeds) its clutch all the way to the floor. After that, there is no need to put it all the way to the floor, even with just regular driving.

Salamander

That's what I felt like. The guy also said that if your experienced enough you can shift through gears with out pushing the clutch at all. I've heard people do this before, but on vehicles that are over 50 years old.