Rudel73

OK i really need to learn how to drive stick! I've been practicing on my brothers car and i just cant get the hang of it. I either get it goin with a peel out or a huge jolt before it goes! I just cant for the life of me get it into gear smoothly at all. Don't even ask about trying to do it on hills i'd rather just get out and try to push it up the hill its that bad! Anyone have any advice for a rookie tryin to drive stick?

Cynthetiq

while it's bad for the clutch.. at least you'll stop doing the herky jerky or the stalling...

release the clutch slowly.... as you press down on the accelerator.

I taught my wife on a Z3 we rented in Las Vegas...wasn't my clutch

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ScottKuma

I agree. Go slowly when engaging the clutch...at least at first!

You'll soon get the hang of the give/take exchange that happens when you take off using a manual tranny.

As far as WHEN to shift, I taught a music major to listen to the pitch of the engine. Her perfect pitch meant that she shifted damn near the same RPM each & every time.

Ruse

I had the same problem when I first started driving a stick, it seems like you just need to find the line between too much and too little gas. I remeber the first time I went to try and drive my dads old truck.. I only had a basic idea what I was doing but he was out at a baseball game so I had the night to go out and practice, if I could even get out of the driveway.. anyway I drove towards the best I could, at first I would stall out almost everytime I went to accelerate from a stop, which was "fun" considering the first stop I had to make when going into town was on top of a hill - long story short it took 5 tries to get up that little hill but I eventually got into town.

I remeber my dad telling me (later) to not be afraid to leave the clutch in a little when starting from a stop. Eventually I was able to gauge how much gas I needed in whatever situation and I could either let the clutch out quickly or slowly depending on the speed I needed to go. That was more than likely the best advice he gave me other to not try and be in a hurry and relax.. Im almost positive I wouldnt have stalled out as much on that hill had I just been a little more relaxed.

As for getting it into gear smoothly, take your time, push in the clutch, wait till its all the way in, shift, slowly let out the clutch while slowly accelerating at an equal pace. With time it will come to you. Trust me.

maleficent

Be very glad you aren't me. I took my driver's test in the state of Connecticut on a manual transmission. The manual test had an extra bit of fun thrown in. Stop on a hill, and start up again, no rolling. By the time I took my test, I could do it blindfolded.

Practicing in an empty parking lot is the best place to go, rather than on the roads, and practice is what will get you there. The car will tell you when it needs to be shifted into the next gear (or downshifted) pay attention to what she tells you.

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Ilow

I found it helpful to find a parking lot with a small hill and work on finding the friction point so that you "balance" on the hill without driving up or rolling back. Once you get the hang of the point at which the clutch engages it gets a lot easier. Oh yeah, and I love Cynthetiq's idea of the rent-a-clutch, saves a lot of wear and tear on your own car!

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irseg

Best thing I found was to start out on a flat area, and feather the clutch to get the car to move *without touching the gas*. That makes you get a good feel for the friction point. Then practice hitting the friction point while giving it a little gas. Then, try starting up gradually steeper hills.

Don't be surprised if you stall or make some bad launches a few times. I remember the first day I bought a stickshift car and was trying to start off up a hill. Tried once, stalled. Tried again, stalled. Fired it back up, said "Dammit I'm not gonna stall THIS time", dumped the clutch at 3000 rpm, and left about 20 feet of rubber. That car was tricky even after a good bit of experience. It was a Thunderbird with a turbo 4-banger. It had *no power whatsoever* until the turbo kicked in, then all of a sudden it would decide to wake up and take off like a bat out of hell. Lots of fun in inclement weather!

MSD

Give it more gas than you need to and let the clutch out more slowly than you think you need to. I have to drive cars short distances (~30 feet) and maneuver them into garages at work, often going from first to reverse and back at least three times. I never know how strong a clutch is going to be, so I rev to 1.5k over idle and do the rest with the clutch. If you can't get it moving without a stall at that RPM, you forgot to release the parking brake, not that I've done that ...(need a shifty eyes smiley)

matteo101

Let the clutch out incredibly slow, and just give it enough gas to get going. You can start rolling without stalling just by letting out the clutch slow. Then just give it gas.

Cynthetiq

we practiced in an empty parking lot where some builders were building a new mini mall thing... they watched as we drove this beautiful Z3 all about as she learned the ins and outs of depressing the clutch at just the right moment.

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cyrnel

Rudel, where is your left foot? Try shifting it, maybe moving your seat forward so you can rest your heel and rock your foot comfortably. If you can't easily slide your hand between the seat and the back of your leg then you should move forward.

The other posts are right about RPMs. Start high & gradually rock your foot out of the clutch. It won't be like an automatic but as you get better you'll work the RPMs down.

Cycler

Open parking lot as others have said and just be prepared to stall it a few times. It is frustrating but the more you drive stop and go in a standard the easier it will be just don't get too worked up when you do the hurky-jerky or kill it everyone who has ever learned to drive a standard has done it. At least you are trying some refuse even to learn.

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TexanAvenger

One of the coolest things I've heard today.

Here's what worked for me: drive nothing but a stick for about a week. Yes, you'll screw up. And yes, you might look stupid a few times. But if that's all you let yourself work with, you'll find that you get better a helluva lot faster than if you just do it when you feel like it. Necessity has a funny way of making people better.

laconic1

I actually learned to drive a stick working at a car dealership. That spread the wear out over about a dozen other peoples transmissions and clutches. First stick I drove was a TransAm with a LT-1 v8.

krwlz

I learned to drive on a stick... I don't know what advice to give you that hasnt already been stated. I had a good number of years on a tractor to teach me the ins and outs of a clutch. Only a minor change to add a gas pedal.

merkerguitars

I drove a motorcycle many times before I actually drove a manual car. Yeah the easiest thing to do it just drive and drive more...practice makes perfect. I'm a tall person and usually on an automatic. When I drive a stick I have to move the seat really really close so I can properly disenage the clutch and have better control of the clutch.

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bigd999

I think the bet thing to do when learning is just to accep that you are not going to be easy on the wear and tear of the clutch until you get the hang of it. After that basicaly give it a little gas and let clutch out slowly as you are giving it gas.

I would also recomend what some others have said. Let clutch out super slowly, im talking like 5 seconds to let the clutch pedal out like an inch. If you let it out this slowly you will start to feel the clutch "grab" and start to move, doing that a few times hopefully will help you get the feel of it.

good luck

kurty[B]

Here's my technique for teaching people to drive stick. It doesn't quite work on all cars, because they don't have enough power without giving it some gas to pull themselves forward when you let up on the clutch.

But, slowly let up on the clutch, you'll feel the it catch, and if the car is powerful enough it will start moving forward without putting any pressure on the gas. Do this till you get comfortable with that point that the clutch catches, and you start to move forward. Then practice applying some gas right as or before you get to that spot.

wakelagger

A good way to learn starts on an incline is to find a parking lot with speed bumps in it. Then, maneuver the drive wheels so they're on the upwards incline of the speed bump. Get them part way up, pull the parking brake, let the clutch out until it 'lugs' (rpm drop, in severe cases the headlights dim , slight vibration) ), then let go of the parking brake, and try to keep drive wheels on the incline.
Another variation is to drive onto the speed bump in the same manner, and to hold yourself there by using the clutch and gas only, no brakes. you really get a feel for the clutch and the point of 'friction'.

Eventually, you'll get to a point where you don't even have to think about it, and things'll just flow from your limbs in a magical union of clutch plate and fly wheel.
I think..?

Rudel73

thanks for all the advice! I cant go practice right now we just got about a foot of snow crap! BUT the good side is I can take my car and go do mad donuts

impulse03

i just have a quick question.

ive been driving stick ever since i started driving.
how far does your leg extend when depressing the clutch? i basically straighten my leg all the way out. i dont know if this is a good method or not, its just a habit i developed early on. I seem to be much smoother this way rather than sitting a little closer.

JStrider

ive driven manual a few times... not enough to be good at it... i do enjoy it tho... getting a rental car to do it on is a good idea...

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viper11885

I would go with whatever feels most comfortable

irseg

Every car is a little different. Different clutches have varying amounts of travel, resistance, etc. Some have a wide friction zone where you can slip it quite a bit, others are almost like an on/off switch. So it's really whatever feels most comfortable for your particular car.

Faygo

Learn in a pick up with a diesel in it. All you have to do is slowly release the clutch and off you go. No need to touch the gas. You can do it with gassers too but they will stall easier. Once you can get moving without touching the gas then start to play with the gas. Practice practice practice

bigd999

I drove a manual for the last 5 years, my new truck is auto thank god, and I would say that whatever is the most comfortable for you is the best way to do it. Pushing in the clutch 300 times a day tends to get a bit tiring, especialy in traffic. IMO it all boils down to whatever youre most comfortable with.

GetRdone

i love manual tranny. Auto gets boring to me after a while. My new challenge is learning to drive stick on a right hand drive car (im in the US, so our cars are left drive)

1slOwCD8

Where are you getting this RHD car from? Do you know someone with like a skyline, or do you mean like in the future?

MSD

5 seconds per inch? On some cars I've driven, you'll brea your leg doing that. I'm guessing he's not learning on a sports car, but I've driven some that need over 40 pounds on the clutch to keep it down.

bigd999

just trying to relay that you want to try and let it out realy realy slowly so you can feel the clutch grabbing.

GetRdone

i know/have known a couple people with rhd cars, and im in the market for one myself (although i have shit for budget so it aint gonna happen). Im hoping this summer, when its nicer, i can get back together with some folks and see if theyll let me drive there cars.

Cynthetiq

oh... yeah.. driving right hand drive manual was weird... did that in Singapore... pedals were the same but the shifter with the left hand was a bit odd feeling.

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1slOwCD8

Sorry to get off subject, but what kinda cars are rhd from the people you know? You said your in the US so RHD cars are pretty rare, unless they did some sort of conversion which is really expensive. Or did they import some car straight from out of the country like japan? And another thing, you said your in the market for one, where do you plan on getting it? Sorry for all of questions, im just curious.

GetRdone

haha, thats ok. One guy used to have a conversion of a civic, wastn done perfect, just kinda a shitty project. Another guy (Who im not close with, thus i really hope i work out a chance to drive the car) has a r32 skyline he imported. As for where im gettin an rhd car........who knows. Im in the market for a car period, all that matters is if i like it. Im picky......... Anyway, ebay is my best bet for an rhd, that and checkin with my guys to see whats come up in auctions etc.

Rippley

Wow, learning to drive a stick... I think I learned when I was 12, so that makes it almost 13 years ago. I agree with most of whats been said already:
1: There are no two cars that have the same clutch.
2: Practice makes perfect - lots and lots of practice.
3: High revs - slow let out of the clutch.
4: Practice, practice, practice...

I have a question for the driveline-savvy among us: Is wear really that bad on modern, syncromesh transmissions? I mean, aren't they built for people who aren't imbued with the gift of perfect rev-matching skills? I'm just curious...

Merry xmas to all, and to all a happy New Year.

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cyrnel

Depends on composition & condition of the syncros, clutch material, throwout bearings, and what you consider "bad". You won't roast a good transmission with a few days of learning but a driving school certainly goes through parts more quickly.

If the learning process is extended or traumatic it wouldn't be a horrible idea to change out the lube after.

THGL

When I was 14 or 15 my father bought a car with a manual trans and I can remember sitting in the backseat while he taught my older brother how to drive it. When I was 16 (and only been driving a few months with an auto), my sister picked me up from work one night in the manual trans car. She was a little too drunk to drive and handed me the keys and told me to drive home. I have to pat myself on the back... with only what I heard my father tell my brother a year earlier, I drove that Datsun flawlessly (except twice I tried to put her back in 1st before coming to a full stop).

My advise to learning to drive a manual is to know what to do and practice, practice, practice.

GetRdone

rippley... the more modern (basically anything after the early 80's is syncro'd, but newer ones are more complex) syncro tranny's will not be damaged by a noob driver to stick. As with any transmission, u can bust em. I've known one guy who has a 2k2 wrx and already busted his tranny, but ive also seen cars with 280k on the odo, still running an original tranny. For those of us who CAN flawlessyl match rev's, its sure nice not having to use the clutch for anything other than 1st gear.

todd

This is exactly how I learned. Worked great.

GetRdone

i learned how to drive stick by basically being forced to do it. I had a couple lessons from my dad befor, but no real on road experience. We were in northern michigan and he hurt his rib when we went snowboarding and i had to drive home. 5 hour drive, roads i dont know, in a stick car. The freeway was easy but around the city i got alot of practice shifting. 2 years later, and now there isnt a car i cant drive, except a Semi, and thats only cuz i dont have a cdl.