Skipping Gears With a Manual Transmission

[@jared1212]

Can you guys do a video on setting up a budget friendly car like this WRX? Covering all the basics i.e suspension and alignment, wheel/tire, etc.

[@graysonsamuel521]

This helps so much I have never driven a 5 speed or manual and I learned in the video to drive a manual

[@Teamoneilrally]

Thank you for sharing your experience, we are happy that we could help!

[@arellano408]

When I enter the freeway on my 2017 Ford RS I redline 1,2 then clutch in wait for the rpm to drop to about 3k then 6 gear and set cruise control

[@andreguilhermediasarraiano9287]

nice video! can u do one about awd vs 4x4 about handling differences? I saw ur video about the structutal differences and got curious :)

[@SamnissArandeen]

I have two sets of shift points, one for street and one for highway acceleration and climbing hills. Lo and behold, there's this one hill in my town just after a stoplight that's steep enough to warrant my hillclimb shifts, but I always reach the top right as I approach my 3-4 shift. That flat section means I just rev out that little bit more and go direct fifth.

[@magnushallegardh]

In Sweden the driver instructors are actually teaching you that you should skip gears and engine break (take your foot of the throttle) and slow down and try to not stop and downshift before 1500 rpm's. Upshifting before 300 rpm's from 2-4 if you are going to drive about 50 km/h or 3-5 th gear it all depends on your car and the road. Make sure your revs are not too high or low.

[@emissarygw2264]

Depends on the car... in mine, anything below 2500 rpm is basically lugging the engine lol.

[@allanlai_]

Skipping when downshift does that increase synchro wear since it needs to work harder to match the speeds? Is this when double declutch becomes useful?

[@piciu256]

Technically it does make them work a bit harder, but that's what they are for really, unless your oil is very old and dirty, or there is no oil in the transmission, there is no issue really. The synchros last a very long time (not counting some notable exceptions, most cars are fine) unless you slam the gears in really hard.

[@Nice-Y]

Synchros wear unless gears are matched perfectly, which is usually a hit/miss for humans. Rev-matching and/or double-clutching is a good for the drivetrain and comfort. The minimum amount of force that's required for shifting can be felt by shifting while the engine is not running; any stronger force than this is putting wears on synchros. Tip 1: Don't force gears in unless you really need to; shift firmly and wait for the machine (let the synchros do their jobs). They're designed to be used this way. Tip 2: If at low speed and it won't go into 1st, put the gear in neutral with the clutch engaged (pedal up), then blip the throttle a little, disengage the clutch (pedal down) and shift into 1st. It should go in smoothly.

[@timwintersoncntr]

Allan Lai et al. I don't know when everyone stopped double-clutching on down shifts. "Rev matching" without double clutching (rev while lever pauses in neutral with the clutch up) does *not* spare the synchros even a little since they are still forced to speed up the next gear (which is done by revving with the clutch up in a neutral). Matching revs while the clutch is let up in a lower gear only saves wear on the clutch and post-transmission drivetrain since the synchros have already been abused and are locked at this point.

[@allanlai_]

Tim Winters I try to double clutch on 3-2 and 2-1 because I find otherwise these two are hardest to shift. Others I feel the ratio is very close and harder to get the match just right (very easy to give too much rev) and also the benefit is not as great. I also find in performance driving I can feel the difference the most. Eg if I go 3-2 at 5k rpm I can match more easily and the shifter would glide right in with minimal effort. But if I try to do it at 2 or 3k rpm then I almost never get that same feel. Maybe because I’m just not doing it right?

[@timwintersoncntr]

@@allanlai_ The minimal effort glide into the lower gear (after your clutch-up rev) you experience is how all your double-clutched downshifts should feel. Only lots and lots of doing it gets you to the point where most of your downshifts feel just right. Remember, less rev is needed when the step is smaller. There is a perfect combination of blip and speed of executing the double clutch for each unique downshift; your brain eventually does all the math to hit that combination after much trial and error. When I was learning to drive it was unacceptable to downshift without double clutching, and to do so most often (since usually done at corner entry) while heel-and-toeing, so I never allowed myself a lazy downshift. Strict adherence to proper technique fairly quickly makes performing it a nearly trivial, thoughtless process. You're doing it right; practice will get the math done automatically.

[@shngsam8777]

good information. one thing though, from my experience i think most car not have synchromesh on first gear, so even we at slow speed is kinda hard to put into first gear, unless i perform a double declutch then can shift to first without problem

[@nundashamanu]

near the limiter in first, about 30ish used to be perfect speed for start of fifth in my old vauxhall cavalier. Just shift slow and let the revs drop back down all good. Mystified a few passengers but mucho fun. Didn't use excessive fuel as you skipped all that mucking about and were only flat to the floor for about 3 seconds then into cruise. The slow shift also let the momentum from hauling first to near the limiter add a few more mph when you bang the clutch down. Oh actually hitting the limiter wasn't a good idea cause it acts like a momentum brake, kinda ruins the warp to cruise effect.

[@fredygump5578]

Why is this a thing? Does the one gear get jealous if you skip over it? I almost never us 5th gear (out of 6)...not sure what it's for. And when accelerating to highway speeds, I accelerate up to ~70 in 3rd gear, and drop it into 6th once I'm up to speed. I wouldn't really notice if 4th and 5th weren't there...

[@TheNeYrox]

your wallet has to love you

[@fredygump5578]

@@TheNeYrox If you're referring to fuel economy....I get 35+ mpg consistently. And it's not a Prius. :)

[@yellowfintuna892]

If you drive like that then why not just get an auto?

[@fredygump5578]

@@yellowfintuna892 Only on KZbin is a comment like this possible!

[@emissarygw2264]

Highway traffic around here ranges from 50mph to 80mph and is relatively unpredictable with cars speeding up and slowing down around you at random. I tend to cruise around in 4th and 5th in these conditions, gives me enough power to maneuver if needed while being high enough gear to cruise without crazy engine braking or gas consumption. I only really go into 6th when I'm at least 70mph with an open highway in front of me.

[@johnnyboy2320]

Skipping gears while upshifting when daily driving is also good for fuel economy.

[@Eagle_Beak]

Trollolol

[@thatLongBeachguy]

For us 06-07 wrx owners.... How do we remove slop from the shifter? Mine feels like im churning butter even after my new f/r kartboy shift bushings. I also noticed it was rather gentle going into first as you downshifted. Is 1st gernerally a "harder" gear to slip? I know its smoother at lower speed (parking lots, ect.).

[@thevillagegravy]

Thank you for this series on driving manual! I took a friend out today and she noted that I often engage the clutch when taking sharp turns. For me, it's a long habit of engaging the clutch before breaking. Any thoughts on that? We decided that strategy of "engaging the clutch before the turn then accelerating out of the turn" made for good practice for smoothing out the first and last steps of shifting without actually shifting.

[@Beatsbasteln]

i would have expected to learn something about if skipping gears is a technique that is used in rallying. for example when you slow down really hard before a corner, so you have to go from 4th to 2nd, would you be in 3rd shortly? or when you have to get up to speed in 2nd or so and then notice you won't get any faster at some point because the corners aren't cool with it, would you go in 3rd or in 4th?

[@Teamoneilrally]

Most of the time, drivers use all of the gears shifting up for the best acceleration, but skip gears sometimes going down. If you're in 4th gear braking hard into a 2nd gear corner, there's not much point going into 3rd at all... some drivers do it just out of habit and so they don't risk blowing a 4th-2nd shift, but if you practice it's pretty easy.

[@MrCthur]

A lot of cars these days will suggest skipping 4-6 for fuel economy anyway. Actually have to wait a while for the revs to drop these days...yay emissions. If you have a granny/crawler 1st, sometimes it's worth it to start out in 2nd in street driving, or if you desire low torque in a snow or something. Manuals are so much fun.

[@MegaMetinMetin]

MrCthur 2nd gear starts to get that clutch nice and warm

[@Blast-Forward]

Skip 4-6 for fuel economy? Is that why automatic transmissions sometimes even have 8 gears, just to skip some of them?

[@MrCthur]

@@Blast-Forward a case where you are entering a free way and use 3rd/4th to accelerate quickly, leaving you in high revs and high speed, may be a case where you go straight to 6th to begin cruising. no need to go through 5. A passing situation may be similar, assuming you won't over-rev, you can drop 6th to 3rd, execute the pass, then resume 6th after you let the revs settle. I think the 8~10spd autos these days are to have a wide variety of gears over a wide spacing so you can be in a fuel-conscious cruise gear or a high-torque gear that keeps the engine in an optimal operating zone/range. Some of them shift so bloody quick there's really no downside other than complexity. Depending on programmed and what your right foot demands - I wouldn't be surprised if those autos hunt around and skip a lot.

[@swayingGrass]

Can you talk about racing seat belts in terms of why they are needed or why you wouldn't one over the other? 4 and 5 point harnesses and also regular 3 point.

[@Teamoneilrally]

A normal 3-point belt is really just for the street, daily driving. In the rally school cars, we use 4 point belts because they're a big improvement. They hold you in position for better control of the car when you're going fast, spread the load much better if you get into crash, and hold you in place in a rollover. 5 and 6 point belts are really the best if you're racing and could get in a very serious crash. The "submarine" belt is the crotch belt that the 4 point does not have. Sometimes there are two sub belts and that makes it a 6 point. The sub belts keep you from sliding out from under the normal 4 point belts in a really bad crash where maybe the seat breaks or comes disconnected, the chassis deforms, etc.

[@No.Shutter]

If you're hauling and need to slow down quick the way ,I generally go about it on pavement say Im at the top of etiher 4th or 5th, I'll skip a gear on the downshift, and heel toe brake and blip the throttle, then Ill ride that gear till the bottom and let the brakes bring me to a stop in neutral.

[@rallybucca]

Question: If I am stopped on a steep incline going downhill, when I put it in first and let the clutch out its pretty jerky. Instead I put it in second, let it roll to like 8-10mph and slightly touch the throttle to rev match it from neutral into second. Is this okay to start in second, or would it cause any damage? Doing this feels much more smooth then starting in first in this scenario.

[@christopherjohnston6343]

It will be super gentle on the transmission as long as you're smooth. Logically it would be equivalent to going from first to second normally. Revs at idle is pretty much matched to second gear at 5 mph or so for many transmissions.

[@Nice-Y]

Tip: If at low speed and it won't go into 1st, put the gear in neutral with the clutch engaged (pedal up), then blip the throttle a little, disengage the clutch (pedal down) and shift into 1st. It should go in smoothly.

[@emissarygw2264]

a.k.a. double clutching ;)

[@ciaranocallaghan8080]

Great vid. Should you skip gears in racing/rally. Eg 5 to 3

[@Teamoneilrally]

Yes absolutely, same rules apply. No need to go 5-4-3 just go 5-3 and match the revs if you need to.

[@MegaEssin]

You can if you know what Rpms you're gonna have in 3rd at that speed. I tend to not skip gears when downshifting as it's difficult to revmatch precisely when the difference in rpm is that great.

[@ZZH1986]

Go do your first RallyCross event, you'll spend the whole race in 2nd gear!

[@TurboLag92]

Great video! What wheels and setup are in that WRX?

[@transporter002]

Hello, I got a question - I drive my Ford Explorer (Ecosport in India) like a rally driver though I don't drift I reach 100 km/h in my third gear and such, I straight away move to 5th gear. Hope that is fine for the engine. My question is, if I remap the engine to increase the BHP from stock 100 to 140 which is just an ECU tune and other things remaining the same as stock, will my riding style of high revving and reaching 100 in third gear itself over heat the engine or affect any internal parts?

[@pranavp386]

Since when did explorer become ecosport🤣

[@dominicwadkins8639]

1 gear good to 30, 2 gear good from 10 to 45? I'm confused are these wrxs geared different from most cars? I get the concept though.

[@mckayspure]

Dominic Wadkins, yeah wrx’s are geared pretty interesting. Depending on how hard you want to drive starting speeds for 2nd in a WRX range from 10 if you’re just relaxing to about 30, and in my 2016 2nd gear redlines at 60 miles per hour. If I’m really revving it out I take first to 25 or 30 then second to 60. It just depends how aggressively you are driving.

[@jarekpszuk6944]

My second gear ends at 50 mph and fifth is happily starting at 40, so when slowing down I sometimes rev match from 5th to 2nd or when I'm accelerating I floor it (flexing with my 0.9 liter 4 banger) and go straight from 2nd to 5th. I thought this kind of trickery was obvious and needless to explain.

[@jordanbell4420]

0.9 litre 4 cylinder? What do you drive?

[@jarekpszuk6944]

@@jordanbell4420 fiat seicento, polish made car. It weights only 700kg/1550 pounds so the little 35hp engine does make it move but boy is it slow af. I find myself flooring it a lot.

[@jordanbell4420]

@@jarekpszuk6944 They're pretty cool. I always thought they had at least 50bhp though.

[@georgiohenderson5998]

The only excuse i could think of are synchros, but synchros, nor any other part of the transmission, has nothing to do with skipping gears. Now that i'm thinking about transmissions, what's your opinion on double clutching from both a daily driving and racing perspective? I don't, i daily a '13 FRS, has 150k miles, no problems.

[@emissarygw2264]

Synchros are related to skipping gears, but mostly when downshifting. When upshifting, as soon as you clutch out the transmission starts to slow down just due to friction so by the time you actually move the lever to the higher gear, the transmission has already slowed to nearly the correct speed and the synchro doesn't need to do much. But when downshifting, the synchro needs to work hard to bring the transmission up to speed, and if you skip gears then it needs to compensate for a larger speed difference. Of course if you double clutch your downshifts, then that is a non issue because you are manually doing the synchros' job using the clutch and engine.

[@robertbowers8481]

So what is D.V.D.A.?

[@sdrawkcabmodnar]

Hey Wyatt, I'm new to driving manual in real life, though I've logged roughly 10k-ish hours with my G25 on assetto corsa and various other sims/racing games including city car driving, forza, and project cars to name a few. I recently purchased a 2012 mazda 3 touring-i 6speed, I've driven it about 400ish miles now, I've only stalled a handful of times (mostly on the first day), I've gotten pretty comfortable with it for the most part, but my main issue is confidently downshifting. I've found double clutching to be most comfortable but I noticed when you downshift you aren't really using the throttle 1:00 or maybe I just cant see your foots movement? My ultimate goal is so I don't really feel the car shifting up or down if I can, still rough around the edges upshifting but downshiftings stressing me out. Do you have a video on this that I may've missed? If not, do you have any tips?

[@bmxscoot86]

modnaR double clutching is going to be the smoothest downshift.. aswell as the least wear on your car. If its still not smooth you are probably not accurately matching your rpms

[@sdrawkcabmodnar]

@@bmxscoot86 Typically I'm just off by like 100-300 rpm when I am off, though I surprised myself with a lot of smooth shifts today haha. I was told when I am off by that small of rpm its the synchros taking over, not the clutch, is that true? I'm just trying to avoid any and all unnecessary clutch wear first and foremost

[@bmxscoot86]

modnaR practice makes perfect.. and yes thats why the synchros are there. Your not gonna get every shift dead on.

[@sdrawkcabmodnar]

@@bmxscoot86 Roger. Thank you for the info :)

[@yurimolotov5886]

Hey great videos, well presented as well. Cheers

[@basithph8958]

Should I do this all the time or when is the right time to skip gears?

[@Teamoneilrally]

Any time you'd like, as long as the speed and RPM make sense you're good to go.

[@vasopel]

me: 1st,3rd,5th (with no traffic)

[@CouchMan88]

I think GM recommends it in the Corvette for fuel economy. Even my Ford has a shift light.

[@dmehd046]

Good and to the point. No bs 👍

[@ViewlessSquid]

People skip gears all day when down shifting, so what difference would it make upshifting and skipping gears? Makes no difference to the transmission.

[@hakkabi3447]

1:15 regarding switching from 6th to 1st doing 100mph... that's what I'm forced to do in Dirt Rally when my copilot calls extra late for a hairspin XD

[@azzurirodrinata7646]

Switch it to 4th and then 3th mid corner use 1st thats how i do it

[@wordreet]

As long as you know you cars capabilities it shouldn’t be a prob. Especially with 6 or more speed transmissions.

[@UgurAkdag]

I would suggest not to do it (especially hard downshifting) until figure it out how the engine and transmission work together and why the transmission is there in the first place. And the second thing what would be the consequences when the estimations don't match with real situation, i.e for rear wheel drive car for example, downshifting from 5 to 3 could lock rear wheels depending to the road surface, conditions and tires. For a front wheel drive car, when you are approaching a curve and downshifting 5 to 3 it could cause severe understeer and throw you out of the road, again depending on the road conditions, tire etc.. And finally, what is the motivation to do it? What you will gain by doing it? Is it worth to hurt the engine by over revving it abruptly in case of downshifting?

At about 1:00 i had to rewind 10 seconds because that rumble distracted me :D

[@cobeyoyo766]

awesome video

[@austinmars4294]

Could you make a video of how to drift a corner on gravel?

[@highspeedenthusiast6628]

Been doing this for decades

[@ZsomborZsombibi]

Double clutching may spare synchros, but wear the clutch system. I'd say as engineers design cars for "normal use", you should drive "normally" to achieve harmonious amortisation.

[@matteopisanello7787]

I do this every day 😅

[@neomeg2232]

Synchronized gears. They work better in order. But if there's no grind there's no problem

[@sirromnek]

Great vid. I almost always go 1st to 3rd in my 9-3

[@piecartbox]

Just don't "money shift" to first when u go for 3rd.

[@SavetheRepublic]

👍

[@zakiNBG]

knew this already but many of my friends and coworkers are stupid enough to belive the BS wannbe knowledge they heared "somewhere" that you shouldnt skip gears :) I always go like 1-2-3-5 (4th only rlly usefull for slow city traffic) and never had a issue with any of my cars

[@souilluminat9280]

It really depends on your transmission but skipping gears is harsh on your synchros. If you skip gears, you should consider double-clutching.

[@cwtim]

Just supply the engine what gear it needs!

[@lucaswolgast5312]

Is the avarage american dude really that bad at driving a manual? Why does this question even exist? In every Europe on country you actually learn to drive the car and kinda understand it.

[@austinmars4294]

Like 101👍

[@yeesenchai]

Second?

[@RoastFlea61]

Yee Sen Chai nah man you were first

[@saarekas8177]

First