How to Shift Gears in a Car

Shifting gears for beginners is quite a tough task. You need to practice a lot using the shift stick to get familiar with the manual shift gears. Shifting the gears on right time and properly needs a good know how of the transmission system and familiarity with the gear stick. In this article we will tell you how you can practice the gear shift for your manual transmission.

Acquaintance with Parts

Before getting started with the practice, you must need to acquaintance with parts, especially between manual and automatic transmission. On observing the two transmissions separately you will notice that the manual transmission has one extra pedal than the automatic transmission. The third pedal is clutch pedal used to shift gears and helps to increase or decrease the speed.

Besides the third pedal, you may also notice that the shift sticks on both the transmissions also have some differences. In manual transmission, the shift sticks has both reverse and drive function along with other gears for different speed ranges. It doesn’t have park function but hand brake. On the other hand automatic transmission shift sticks have very limited functions. They only contain the park, drive and reverse functions. The gear shifts automatically on attaining the required speed.

Manage the Gears

To move the car, you need to have your gear stick in first gear or reverse. Shifting gears is quite a tricky technique. You have to be proficient enough to balance the clutch with gas. If you want to move forward, depress the clutch and shift gear stick to 1st gear. Now slowly step on the gas and gradually release the clutch. This is the point on which you have to practice a lot. Letting the clutch go off too slow will end up in revving up the engine, and letting the clutch go off too fast will end up halting the car.

The manual transmission usually has four or sometimes five gears depending upon the vehicle. 1st gear is used to move the car from a stall position. It will take you to 10-15 mph. The second gear will allow you to speed up a little up to 25 mph. Similarly, the higher gears can be used according to the conditions you are driving in, like on highways or freeways you can shift up to 4th or 5th gear. While on busy roads and traffics where traffic is slow you may have to use the lower gears.

Observe the RPMs

Rotations per minute (RPMs) is usually appear next to speedometer. This will give you great assistance while shifting the gears. When the RPMs touch the range 3, shift up the gear by one level. To shift the gear, release the gas pedal and step on the clutch and shift the gear from its current level to one highest level. As soon as you shift the gear, release the clutch gradually and step back on the gas pedal. You have to practice a lot to become used to of this balancing act between clutch and gas pedal.

However, you feel that the RPMs are falling down and it become under range 2, this is the time to shift down the gear. Follow the same process that you use for shifting the gear up. You just need to shift down the gear this time; the rest process would be the same.

Practice makes the man perfect. You just need to practice this gear shift on the open places, empty streets and grounds to become proficient in this driving skill. Follow the key points given in this article and practice them for improved driving skills.