Learner: Changing Gears Question
- Thread starter Watson
- Start date
Don
I'm a block change man myself.
Slowing down by gears alone can be very dangerous as your break lights won't light, and thus reduces the warning to anybody behind you whose not paying as much atention as they should be. Hence if you are slowing down use brakes.
Jokester
Slowing down by gears alone can be very dangerous as your break lights won't light, and thus reduces the warning to anybody behind you whose not paying as much atention as they should be. Hence if you are slowing down use brakes.
Jokester
Soldato
Im amazed that no-one has said the reason that (at least I was told it was one) that using brakes instead of engine breaking is safer!
When you use your brakes to slow down -> Brake lights come on, alerting traffic behind you that you are slowing down.
Using your engine to break -> No brake lights, so if someone behind you isnt paying attention to your speed they might end up in the back of you (their fault, but brake lights might have alerted them).
Also I cant believe all this 'but sequential shifting takes your concentration off the road', do you really have to think when changing gears??
, maybe its just me, but when driving, I never have to make a conscious decision to change gear, and think about what gear im going in to, i just do it on automatic without thinking.
*edit*
LOL bloody typical
When you use your brakes to slow down -> Brake lights come on, alerting traffic behind you that you are slowing down.
Using your engine to break -> No brake lights, so if someone behind you isnt paying attention to your speed they might end up in the back of you (their fault, but brake lights might have alerted them).
Also I cant believe all this 'but sequential shifting takes your concentration off the road', do you really have to think when changing gears??
, maybe its just me, but when driving, I never have to make a conscious decision to change gear, and think about what gear im going in to, i just do it on automatic without thinking.*edit*
LOL bloody typical
I think this thread is split down the middle somewhat. Trying to discuss two different subjects.
The original poster was asking a question about road driving, whereas a lot of the replies have been more relevent to track racing.
Back on the original subject, I agree with many that 'block' changing is the best way. Using brakes to slow down, not going down through the gears.
Although engine braking is useful in many situations ( I drive diesels mostly nowadays, so I've loads of it! ), it shouldn't be used as a substitute for brakes.
As a few have mentioned, both Roadcraft and IAM support this method.
And for those of you who can't change down a few gears at a time without upsetting the balance of your car, I think you need to practice your technique.
The original poster was asking a question about road driving, whereas a lot of the replies have been more relevent to track racing.
Back on the original subject, I agree with many that 'block' changing is the best way. Using brakes to slow down, not going down through the gears.
Although engine braking is useful in many situations ( I drive diesels mostly nowadays, so I've loads of it! ), it shouldn't be used as a substitute for brakes.
As a few have mentioned, both Roadcraft and IAM support this method.
And for those of you who can't change down a few gears at a time without upsetting the balance of your car, I think you need to practice your technique.
Associate
Originally posted by Watson
LOL. yer
I also have my dads habit of keepin one hand on the gearknob and one hand on the stearing wheel, but i dont do this with the instructor
Two hands on the wheel at all times !
Plus you lazy git ! Resting you hand / arm on the gear lever will very quickly strain the linkage mechanism, causing the gear shift to be very sloppy and the gearbox selector shaft bearings to wear out soon.
So , hands on wheel, use the brakes to slow down the car, change down gear only when it safe to do so , as it is a distraction, and the car will quite happily manage to continue forward motion .
Good luck , enjoy your motoring.
Man of Honour
I'm glad somebody else agrees with me on this!
I think driving in general demands for both block changes and sequential - there is absolute rule - it is whatever the situation calls for...
I (as I haev mentioned many times sorry to repeat myself) have done my IAM test and they do favour block changing - BUT - not exclusively!!! They teach you to assess the speed, the road, the conditions blah blah blah and change gears accordingly. When using engine braking you're not slowing down THAT much or that quick to cause a genuinely obvious hazard - if the person is tailgaiting you then of course that's something else, but whether or not you engine brake or foot brake he/she is still too close... Sometimes you only need to drop a gear to get the adequate power/range for the specific corner - TBH I use a combination of braking, sequential/block changing when I drive depending on the situation - even if I am block changing I still dab the brakes as required to keep the drive smooth and safe - so really whether you are block changing or sequentially changing, you still ought to be braking with your foot pedal aswell!! Why else do you reckon heel and toe came around? Brakes and engines work as a partnership not against each other - you have to learn to blend them into one process.
Too right!!
When driving normally, I will use a combination of both - often 4th to 2nd when turning off into a side road from a main road, sometimes 4th-2nd, then pull up to stp at a junction, then slot into 1st (no syncro means it's a pain to engage on the move).
But, other times, I will downchange 4th-3rd-2nd at a junction, maybe if the approach road is on a downward slope or whatever - just as the mood takes me tbh!!
I do have the bad habit of doing block upchanges though!! If I'm driving in a village or whatever, and there's a safe space to accelerate away from the juntion, I'll do 1st-2nd (revving quite hard), then slot straight into 4th to cruise @ 30mph....dunno whether this is a habit I need to get out of or not!!!
When driving normally, I will use a combination of both - often 4th to 2nd when turning off into a side road from a main road, sometimes 4th-2nd, then pull up to stp at a junction, then slot into 1st (no syncro means it's a pain to engage on the move).
But, other times, I will downchange 4th-3rd-2nd at a junction, maybe if the approach road is on a downward slope or whatever - just as the mood takes me tbh!!
I do have the bad habit of doing block upchanges though!! If I'm driving in a village or whatever, and there's a safe space to accelerate away from the juntion, I'll do 1st-2nd (revving quite hard), then slot straight into 4th to cruise @ 30mph....dunno whether this is a habit I need to get out of or not!!!
Man of Honour
i do it too - block change up - it doesn't do any damage really - and i have so much torque that it sits at 1300rpm from 2nd to 4th quite happily pottering along at 30mph - changed to sixth once - that started a judder i have to say lol!!
Man of Honour
well even with a fiesta 1.1 crusing at 30mph in 4th shouldn't be an issue... you just won't be able to pull away that sharply! anyway I drive a non smoke generating smoke generator! 
anyway I drive a non smoke generating smoke generator! Engine breaking comes from iirc the old ford model t. The physical brakes werent very good so the gears were used to slow it down.
I use the brakes rather than engine, pads for 20 quid are cheaper than gearbox/ckutch/engine.
Fast/performance drving can be different, but talking about everyday driving here. Although approaching a roundabout in fifth, dropping to third is always a good one
I use the brakes rather than engine, pads for 20 quid are cheaper than gearbox/ckutch/engine.
Fast/performance drving can be different, but talking about everyday driving here. Although approaching a roundabout in fifth, dropping to third is always a good one
Man of Honour
feels good doesn't it?! 
My PD150 - chipped to 178 - now has a whopping 350Nm - compared to the original 320! Big smiles all the way!!
WRT to wear on the clutch and gear box, as long as you don't ill treat your car engine braking shouldn't cause any more/less wear and tear than accelerating.... but once again how you change and when to what gear is all dependent on the situation - I often change from 6th to 4th to 3rd when coming to a roundabout on a motorway... but other's would do something else - as long as you do it in the style you're comfortable with and it is done smoothly I see no problem with it - and as previously said and supported, it doesn't cause imbalances and doesn't put overly high strain on the components. If you have any questions about technique or you think you are doing something wrong I seriously reccomend IMA courses or at least get an advanced police driver to evaluate your driving - there are plenty of these available to the public.
My PD150 - chipped to 178 - now has a whopping 350Nm - compared to the original 320! Big smiles all the way!! WRT to wear on the clutch and gear box, as long as you don't ill treat your car engine braking shouldn't cause any more/less wear and tear than accelerating.... but once again how you change and when to what gear is all dependent on the situation - I often change from 6th to 4th to 3rd when coming to a roundabout on a motorway... but other's would do something else - as long as you do it in the style you're comfortable with and it is done smoothly I see no problem with it - and as previously said and supported, it doesn't cause imbalances and doesn't put overly high strain on the components. If you have any questions about technique or you think you are doing something wrong I seriously reccomend IMA courses or at least get an advanced police driver to evaluate your driving - there are plenty of these available to the public.
Woah there
I don't think anyone slows down exclusively by using engine breaking. When coming to a junction/corner etc I always use the brake with the right foot & change down the gears as per normal. Just because you change down gears doesn't mean you cannot brake at the same time, meaning they are as 'safe' as each other, though again I say I feel in better control of the car when dropping down the gears when braking.
Man of Honour
exactly it is a balance of both - I agree with you that it does make the ride smoother, more in control and TBH safer IMO.
dexteruk
D
dexteruk
Originally posted by Cemetery
To be honest I would probably have been reading the road ahead & not needing to 'break hard' for the corner
ROFL
well if you can read a road ahead sufficiently well that you never need to slow down for a corner then i guess you must go very slowly on straights
but since we were talking about *making progress* i defy you (in an identical vehicle) to make progress as quickly without braking hard for corners as i can while braking hard for corners.
Im not even too sure what I do.
I think it depends on the mood of the driver, car and road.
On a high revving car with a driving enjoying some lane driving squential changes are usually used, this kepts the car nice and balance and the revs nice and high ready to 'attack' the corners.
If you driving to work in comuter traffic in your derv there is no point engine braking as dervs dont have as good engine braking as petrols. (no throttle body). So you will just block changes.
I use block changes when i come up to a red light and will stop in third or fourth. then put it into 1st and maybe coming up to an island whilst slow driving i will go from 4th to 2nd.
Squential braking isnt really for the braking effect i dont think, it does certainly help the car slow down smoothly though aswell as keeping yout wheels cleaner and not relying on the brakes. Your also always in the power band if you ever need to accelerate quickly out of danger. I think squential just gives you that extra bit of control.
Gearboxs wont be damaged either. If the gears can take over 200bhp whilst under power im sure they can cope with the loads on the otherside of the teeth from slowing down.
If your driving normally you won't need to break hard for a corner
Si
I think it depends on the mood of the driver, car and road.
On a high revving car with a driving enjoying some lane driving squential changes are usually used, this kepts the car nice and balance and the revs nice and high ready to 'attack' the corners.
If you driving to work in comuter traffic in your derv there is no point engine braking as dervs dont have as good engine braking as petrols. (no throttle body). So you will just block changes.
I use block changes when i come up to a red light and will stop in third or fourth. then put it into 1st and maybe coming up to an island whilst slow driving i will go from 4th to 2nd.
Squential braking isnt really for the braking effect i dont think, it does certainly help the car slow down smoothly though aswell as keeping yout wheels cleaner and not relying on the brakes. Your also always in the power band if you ever need to accelerate quickly out of danger. I think squential just gives you that extra bit of control.
Gearboxs wont be damaged either. If the gears can take over 200bhp whilst under power im sure they can cope with the loads on the otherside of the teeth from slowing down.
If your driving normally you won't need to break hard for a corner
Si
dexteruk
D
dexteruk
1, If you are making progress you do need to.
2, How do you know how i drive normally?
3, it's you're not your.
Man of Honour
I do both. Engine and foot. Handbrake for the really tight corners (well in the snow)
(well in the snow)