How To Properly Shift A Car

Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#1
#1
I see many drivers that use a stickshift but lack basic shifting technique. They tend to claw the shifter and use their wrist to switch gears, and these are the drivers that will end up missing a shift during a race (3rd to 2nd shift + 80 m.p.h. = BOOM).

This is how I grip the shifter. Notice I put the force on the shifter knob at opposite of the gear I want to go into:

First Gear (lower-right part of knob):


Second Gear (upper-right part of knob):


Third Gear (very bottom of knob):


Fourth Gear (very top of knob):


Fifth Gear (lower-left part of knob):


Sixth Gear (upper-left part of knob):


By doing this technique, I guarantee you won't ever miss a shift. I have done this in everything I drive, from my Mustangs to my daily beaters, and I never miss a shift when I get rowdy using this technique.
 
stusmith

stusmith

New Member
#7
#7
Ya know....as I sat here and looked at your photos, I figured out I generally do the same thing. I never really thought about it, but you're right. The way you shift is the natural, normal way to shift.

About the only thing that is different for me in the '14 'Rolla is the Reverse gear. I'm used to a 5 speed with Reverse down and far right. I still haven't gotten the "muscle memory" down yet, and I still occasionally try and shift into 6th gear when I'm trying back up. :rolleyes::laughing:
 
stusmith

stusmith

New Member
#10
#10
Donabed Kopoian said:
The fun one is when you go to an automatic and hit the invisible clutch, which tends to be the excessively large brake pedal.
Click to expand...
:laughing: Yeah, I do that quite frequently when I drive my wife's Camry (which has those useless paddle shifters by the way). She'll see my left foot move and casually remark, "Hitting the clutch again, sweetie?"
 
C

Charisma

Master Detailer!
#12
#12
I don't agree with this method at all. I've been into autocrossing and drag racing for years and can say this is the method most have had cause a moneyshift...

Best explanation I can use is summed up by turnfast.com

To shift from the top of the H to the bottom, start by forming a cup with your palm and fingers. Place the palm of the hand over the top of the shift knob. Using the underside of your fingers and your palm against the knob, use a smooth straight-line motion to guide the lever to the next gear. Assuming the shift lever has a fairly short travel, the action involves your wrist for the majority of the movement. Do not attempt to slam it or force it faster than it wants to go. If you are locking your wrist and moving your whole arm at the shoulder, you are using too much force.
To shift from the bottom of the H to the top, again start by forming a cup with your palm and fingers. This time when you place the hand over the shift knob, the emphasis of contact is on the heel of the palm. Start with the wrist slightly bent up. Push the lever using the palm heel in a straight line using your wrist to extend the position of the palm heel while following through with a gentle push of the arm. This shift is more arm motion than wrist.
When shifting across the H such as between 2nd and 3rd gears, do not try to make a conscious jog in your hand movements. The linkage needs very little input to make the diagonal path across neutral. Your shift should almost look like a straight diagonal line. Making a distinctive zig zag through neutral is strong-arming the shifter and will slow the shift down.
Click to expand...
 
stusmith

stusmith

New Member
#13
#13
:rolleyes: yeah, but Donabed's post has pictures!

So I'm trying to visualize what you wrote. Would have to think about that one, but I don't think you guys are too far apart.

I shift "up" by putting the pressure on the knob with the heal of my hand.

Oh, went to the store with the wife tonight and I drove her Camry. Played around with the paddle shifters and (a) didn't get yelled at and (b) didn't hit the invisible clutch! (She hates it when I down shift in her car. Thinks I'm going to blow the engine or something...:laughing:)
 
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#14
#14
Charisma, go on YouTube and look up "Missed Shift Blows Engine"

Pretty much all videos show them clawing the shifter and using their wrist to shift. I have never missed a shift in my car and grenaded doing this method, but to each their own.

I used to claw when I was a nub. A missed shift stopped that.

EDIT:

I've also drag raced and rally raced, and that method from turnfast.com eerily sounds like clawing. I also fail to see exactly how my method can cause a missed shift unless the spring that holds Neutral to the 3-4 gate completely fails, in which case you're doomed regardless of the shifting method unless you drive a 4 speed.
 
Last edited:
Donabed Kopoian

Donabed Kopoian

6 Speed Master
#15
#15
stusmith said:
:rolleyes: yeah, but Donabed's post has pictures!

So I'm trying to visualize what you wrote. Would have to think about that one, but I don't think you guys are too far apart.

I shift "up" by putting the pressure on the knob with the heal of my hand.

Oh, went to the store with the wife tonight and I drove her Camry. Played around with the paddle shifters and (a) didn't get yelled at and (b) didn't hit the invisible clutch! (She hates it when I down shift in her car. Thinks I'm going to blow the engine or something...:laughing:)
Click to expand...
Last time I drove my girl's car I spun a bearing and it ran me $1100. Granted it was a Suzuki POS, but I think it'll be the last time I drive anybody else's car for quite some time, LOL!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top