Changing down gears

VonLuck

I have been driving for a 2 or 3 months and I am getting on okay with it. However I do seem to be having a problem with changing down gears.

Whenever I am in 4th gear and I am coming to a sharp bend or a roundabout, I want to slow down and go into 3rd gear. So I normally gbrake to 40kph then change into 3rd. But everytime I do this the car chugs along as though I am going to fast.

I also tried going down to 30kph before changing into 3rd but then it sounds as though I am going to slow for 3rd!

I have no problems changing up gears, no jerking of the car or anything, its just changing down.

Am I missing something? Do I have to get precisely at 35kph to change down to 3rd (I know the speeds will vary with each car)? Am I changing down correctly - brake to slow down, while braking I clutch to change gear then change down and lift off the clutch?

Any insight?

Thanks.

punk_one82

Learner driver here with my test on Wednesday. Personally I think you're over-thinking this. I used to over-think a lot of minor issues like this and for me at least, they all just changed with practice. If you need to go down a gear for a corner, start slowing down well in advance so you're free to go around the corner without having to mess with gears too. Once you're comfortable enough driving you should be able to know when you can down change without the car chugging, but even then it will probably still happen sometimes. If you feel like the car is going to slow for the gear just accelerate a tiny bit before changing the gear. Hope this helps.

Overature

it only chuggs because your are going to slow in to high a gear, the engine wants the car to faster but you want to go to slow, really you should be in 2nd year when you go on to around about or turning off a road

Reloc8

VonLuck wrote: »

Whenever I am in 4th gear and I am coming to a sharp bend or a roundabout, I want to slow down and go into 3rd gear. So I normally gbrake to 40kph then change into 3rd. But everytime I do this the car chugs along as though I am going to fast.

I also tried going down to 30kph before changing into 3rd but then it sounds as though I am going to slow for 3rd!

Sounds like the solution is second gear.

You mention that this happens at sharp bends - I'd say you want to be in second for those.

At roundabouts in moderate or worse traffic I would be popping the car into second as well well before the white line while watching traffic to my right and seeing if I can time my arrival with a gap to avoid having to come to a full halt. In light traffic you quite possibly wouldn't need to go down to second at all.

I'm a fellow learner - so take me with a grain of salt on it - but I have certainly been taught that I should be in second for corners generally (as opposed to corners which are really more like bends in the road so to speak and can be taken in third). Roundabouts are more individual.

Overature

yeah its all about being in the right gear for the right spead, but it does differ with each car. the reason you should be in second for a sharp corner is that if you are in third then then you will want to take the corner to fast so that it does not chug, but doing that and you might be going to fast to react if there is another car coming around the corner and end up crashing.

VonLuck wrote: »

I have been driving for a 2 or 3 months and I am getting on okay with it. However I do seem to be having a problem with changing down gears.

Whenever I am in 4th gear and I am coming to a sharp bend or a roundabout, I want to slow down and go into 3rd gear. So I normally gbrake to 40kph then change into 3rd. But everytime I do this the car chugs along as though I am going to fast.

I also tried going down to 30kph before changing into 3rd but then it sounds as though I am going to slow for 3rd!

I have no problems changing up gears, no jerking of the car or anything, its just changing down.

Am I missing something? Do I have to get precisely at 35kph to change down to 3rd (I know the speeds will vary with each car)? Am I changing down correctly - brake to slow down, while braking I clutch to change gear then change down and lift off the clutch?

Any insight?

Thanks.

VonLuck

The problem isn't that I'm going too fast for the corner - I am going at a correct speed, its just that I cant change down gears, not just at corners.

I just gave corners as an example, but even on a straight and I slow down to change into 3rd it chugs. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

seanybiker

Dont leave the clutch out to fast, ease it out to make the transition from 4th to 3rd less (cant think of the word).

Devia

VonLuck wrote: »

The problem isn't that I'm going too fast for the corner - I am going at a correct speed, its just that I cant change down gears, not just at corners.

I just gave corners as an example, but even on a straight and I slow down to change into 3rd it chugs. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

As was said before - You're going too slow for 3rd gear. Moving down to 2nd gear instead of 3rd is the solution here.

VonLuck

Devia wrote: »

As was said before - You're going too slow for 3rd gear. Moving down to 2nd gear instead of 3rd is the solution here.

I didn't think I was. I usually go around 30kph to 50kph in 3rd so I don't see how changing at 40kph would cause this to happen.

Someone mentioned releasing the clutch slower. How slow should it be? I always thought it was supposed to be a quick manouvre?

LookBehindYou

Easing up the clutch will help. If you let the clutch out too quick, you will get a jerk. so practice letting clutch out slower.
As mentioned already, maybe 2nd gear would be the best option for corners.
On a Motorbike, if you let your clutch out quick changing down gear, it can make the back wheel kick out.(locks back wheel momentarily.

ankles

does the car have a rev counter, don't let revs drop below 1000 before changing down, and ease the clutch back in after the change, also brake easy, and keep steady pressure on the brake while down shifting. You may be braking too hard too fast.

daveharnett

VonLuck wrote: »

I have been driving for a 2 or 3 months and I am getting on okay with it. However I do seem to be having a problem with changing down gears.

Whenever I am in 4th gear and I am coming to a sharp bend or a roundabout, I want to slow down and go into 3rd gear. So I normally gbrake to 40kph then change into 3rd. But everytime I do this the car chugs along as though I am going to fast.

I also tried going down to 30kph before changing into 3rd but then it sounds as though I am going to slow for 3rd!

I have no problems changing up gears, no jerking of the car or anything, its just changing down.

Am I missing something? Do I have to get precisely at 35kph to change down to 3rd (I know the speeds will vary with each car)? Am I changing down correctly - brake to slow down, while braking I clutch to change gear then change down and lift off the clutch?

Any insight?

Thanks.

A couple of things.

You should usually be going to second for roundabouts. Unless your path through the roundabout is very straight, and you have clear lines of sight for a good distance on all the entrances, you will not safely be able to keep enough speed for third.

In situations where you want to change down a gear, but don't want to shed a lot of speed, useing a little throttle to 'rev match' will help to smooth out the change. It goes:
1: brake to the speed you want
2: depress the clutch
3: select the lower gear
4: move from brake to accelerator
5: gradually release the clutch, while gently pressing the accelerator.

With practice, you will be able to get the engine spinning at the correct revs for the current speed/gear before you release the clutch, making down shifts smoother.

Racers use a variation of this technique when braking into corners. Rather than step 4 above, they will blip the accelerator with the heel of the right foot, while still braking with the toe. Protip: Don't try heel and toe in your test

LadyMayBelle

Would you not be in second gear? I was always told to take corners in second...

DrivingTestTips: Brian

daveharnett wrote: »

A couple of things.

You should usually be going to second for roundabouts. Unless your path through the roundabout is very straight, and you have clear lines of sight for a good distance on all the entrances, you will not safely be able to keep enough speed for third.

In situations where you want to change down a gear, but don't want to shed a lot of speed, useing a little throttle to 'rev match' will help to smooth out the change. It goes:
1: brake to the speed you want
2: depress the clutch
3: select the lower gear
4: move from brake to accelerator
5: gradually release the clutch, while gently pressing the accelerator.

With practice, you will be able to get the engine spinning at the correct revs for the current speed/gear before you release the clutch, making down shifts smoother.

Racers use a variation of this technique when braking into corners. Rather than step 4 above, they will blip the accelerator with the heel of the right foot, while still braking with the toe. Protip: Don't try heel and toe in your test

On the learning to drive forum!!!!!! :eek:

Devia

VonLuck wrote: »

I didn't think I was. I usually go around 30kph to 50kph in 3rd so I don't see how changing at 40kph would cause this to happen.

Theres no particular speed at which you change gears, each car is different so its all about practice and learning what gear is appropriate in certain situations. My advice would be to just practice getting down to 2nd the next time you're in such a scenario and see how it goes, even if you have to slow down a little more.

Degag

Yes OP, it sounds like you are releasing your clutch too fast. When you change from 4th to 3rd gradually release the clutch and the transition will become alot smoother.

Also as Dave said, you should never enter a roundabout in 3rd gear or above.

brian076

Degag wrote: »

Also as Dave said, you should never enter a roundabout in 3rd gear or above.

That's not exactly what Dave said. It's incorrect to say that you should never enter a R/A in 3rd or above. There are many situations where 3rd would be appropriate, although more often than not 2nd or 1st would be the correct gear.
If you have clear line of sight on the approach, and especally if you're going left or straight ahead, 3rd gear could be your best option.