How to drive with a manual transmission. Howto post # 4

Today, i am going to post about something that most people in my generation, here in the United States, don't know how to do. That is how to drive a car with a manual transmission or a "stick shift". While manual transmissions are popular in other countries, here in the US, they are actualy starting to disappear, in fact most US car manufacturers don't put manual transmissions in their cars anymore unless it is a special order. With that out of the way, lets get started.

The first thing you need to do is gind out the set-up and number of gears the transmission has. The most common ones here in the US is a 4, 5, or 6 speed with a "ladder H" pattern with reverse either after the last gear, or in the first position with a modifier on the shifter. A few high end cars have 7 gears and a few heavier vehicles (tow trucks andother heavy vehicles used to haul things) may have as few as three "true" gears. These are simply modified 4 speeds with the first gear being a "low" gear used for pulling heavu objects up hill (often refered to as a "granddaddy low" gear because in this gear you crawl allong at no more than 5 miles an hour) and going after that into first, second, and so on.

Common shift pattern

After this you need to familiarize youself with the pettals. While automatic vehicles have two pettaks, manuaks have three, the accelerator and brake are the same, however the pettal to the far left is the clutch pettal. The clutch is what dissengages the transmission from the engine when the clutch pettal is depressed, thus preventing the engine from stalling.

Pettals in a manual vehicle

Next is the actual driving part. Before you drive, it is important to remenber to keep the clutch depressed while stopped and to depress rhe clutch while shifting. While you can "float the gears " (shifting while not depressin the clutch but instead using RPM matching), there is a high chance of damaging the transmission this way.

First, depress the clutch and start the vehicle. Most manual vehicles have a safty switch connected to the clutch to prevent starting while the clutch is not depressed. Ensure the vehicle is in neutral before letting off the clutch (gear selector should be in the center).

Next, depress the clutch and select a gear (first or reverse). Never take off from a stop in anything but first or reverse as it could damage the transmission and the clutch. Once in the selected gear, apply slight pressure to the accelerator and slowly let off the clutch. As you let off the clutch, apply more and more pressure to the accelerator until your foot is completely off of the clutch. Never "dump the clutch" ( completely let off the clutch in an instant) as this could damage the transmission, clutch, flywheel or stall the engine.

Once you start moving and your RMPs start to rise, its time to start shifting. To shift, apply pressure to the clutch and as you do let off the accelerator. Mone the gear selector into the next gear position. Now slowly let off the clutch and as you do apply pressure to the accelerator once more.

Now that you are moving, you will have to stop eventually. To stop, completely depress the clutch, and apply the brakes. If you are going to be stoped for a long period of time, put the vehicle into neutral and let off the clutch untill you are ready to move again.

You now know haw to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission. If you liked this post or found it helpfull, please upvote.