Lets talk about shifting techniques.

[88 Fox GT]

I am looking to improve my shifting techniques on the street. First of all, I have a size 12 shoe and notice that it seems like any time I push one pedal, the other part of my foot is pushing another pedal. Anyone else have this problem? Maybe it's just my shoes. What kind of shoes do you find are best to be driving with?

How about downshifting? Do you use the heel and toe technique to downshift or what? Also, lets say you're on the highway and are coming to a stop, what gear do you usually stop downshifting at? How about around sharp corners?

Last, I want to improve shifting speed. I am not going to powershift the T5, because I'm afraid I will gernade it. I want to know your guys' ways of shifting the T5 without powershifting it, what's the best way to go about it? I would like ot take my GT to the strip this summer and want to be able to shift the most efficient way without hurting the tranny too much.

 

[Roland69]

I drive with work boots all the time but my skate shoes work fine aswell and I'm a 12.

 

[88 Fox GT]

I've owned a couple pairs of skate shoes as well, I found that they work pretty well at driving because you can feel the pedals a lot easier.

 

[poneypower89]

I never have a problem with pushing two pedals with one foot....

I dont powershift cuz that just equals smoke show

If coming to a stop I just put it in nuetral.. no downshifting...

I guess my driving skills are boring

 

[90bronconate]

If coming to a stop I just put it in nuetral.. no downshifting...

I guess my driving skills are boring

same here. no down shifting, just neutral

 

[88 Fox GT]

same here. no down shifting, just neutral

So what do you guys do when you have to slow to turn a corner?

 

[poneypower89]

So what do you guys do when you have to slow to turn a corner?

Push in clutch.. use break... roll through turn.... put it whatever gear is needed for the rpm/speed.... Again lame but downshifting is really the worst thing you can do for a tranny. Especially hard downshifting.

 

[5spd GT]

So what do you guys do when you have to slow to turn a corner?

I match rev it.

When going to a stop I put it in neutral.

I have a size 14-15 shoe

 

[Roland69]

I down shift but never hard

 

[Roland69]

I match rev it.

When going to a stop I put it in neutral.

I have a size 14-15 shoe

I bet your woman like's that

 

[88 Fox GT]

Push in clutch.. use break... roll through turn.... put it whatever gear is needed for the rpm/speed.... Again lame but downshifting is really the worst thing you can do for a tranny. Especially hard downshifting.

Downshifting...hard on a tranny?

 

[BOWTIEKILLR]

lets see...for shoes get some puma speedcats....pretty stylish, really comfortable, and awesome for driving, they are non-fireproof replica f1 shoes. as for downshifting i have pretty much mastered the art of matching revvs, which makes it easy on the tranny, rear end, etc. lets say you are at...2500rpm in 3rd. put in the clutch, quickly revv it to say 3100ish WHILE downshifting into 2nd, let the clutch out and whalah(sp) a tranny-friendly, smooth downshift that makes you not only look cool in front of your friends, but is nice to your tranny. it may take a bit to get good at, but i now find myself doing it and not thinking about it. as for upshifting without powershifting...make sure you have a good shifter(pro 50, steeda, mgw), a nice knob, a fast left foot/leg, and a accurate right hand. i begin my shift before my clutch is engaged(pushing/pulling out of gear) and make sure the clutch is fully engaged as it goes in, and is out as fast as i can move my foot and leg. just practice not a WOT and it will become much easier the more comfortable you become with it. sorry for the essay...im bored as hell

 

[88 Fox GT]

lets see...for shoes get some puma speedcats....pretty stylish, really comfortable, and awesome for driving, they are non-fireproof replica f1 shoes. as for downshifting i have pretty much mastered the art of matching revvs, which makes it easy on the tranny, rear end, etc. lets say you are at...2500rpm in 3rd. put in the clutch, quickly revv it to say 3100ish WHILE downshifting into 2nd, let the clutch out and whalah(sp) a tranny-friendly, smooth downshift that makes you not only look cool in front of your friends, but is nice to your tranny. it may take a bit to get good at, but i now find myself doing it and not thinking about it. as for upshifting without powershifting...make sure you have a good shifter(pro 50, steeda, mgw), a nice knob, a fast left foot/leg, and a accurate right hand. i begin my shift before my clutch is engaged(pushing/pulling out of gear) and make sure the clutch is fully engaged as it goes in, and is out as fast as i can move my foot and leg. just practice not a WOT and it will become much easier the more comfortable you become with it. sorry for the essay...im bored as hell

That's exactly how I downshift. I haven't really practiced heel and toe driving that much so I don't use it much.

As for upshifting, I've heard of other people doing like you do and "preloading" the shifter and getting it ready to bang into the next gear before pushing in the clutch.

I guess the biggest problem I'm having now is because 2nd gear is being a bitch. I have to push the clutch clear to the floor as far as it can go and then get it into 2nd gear. I will usually get a little grind from it when I'm really getting with it. If I don't completely push that damn pedal CLEAR to the floor, it doesn't want to go into 2nd gear and will just grind. lol

 

[BOWTIEKILLR]

yup. and only engage the clutch as much as it needs to...any more and you are just wasting time

 

[88 Fox GT]

yup. and only engage the clutch as much as it needs to...any more and you are just wasting time

Yeah, it usually needs to be clear to the floor. I guess I could get under the dash and see if the pedal can be adjusted any. I think it's tightened as far as the stock quadrant will go, though.

 

[poneypower89]

Downshifting...hard on a tranny?

Yes, if you are constantly downshifting hard you tranny will not like you so much.

Growing up, my father was (still is) a transmission tech... He will get on his soap box and preach all day about people who constantly downshift their tranny hard and then wonder why they are talking to him the next day

 

[88 Fox GT]

Yes, if you are constantly downshifting hard you tranny will not like you so much.

Growing up, my father was (still is) a transmission tech... He will get on his soap box and preach all day about people who constantly downshift their tranny hard and then wonder why they are talking to him the next day

What exactly do you consider a "hard" downshift? Anything over 3000-3500 RPMs?

I'm not usually wanting to downshift racing around corners or anything stupid like that anyway. I downshift when slowing to a stop from the highway or when going around a corner.

 

[Roland69]

I guess I match rev my downshifts and just never knew there was a term for it I thought that is how everyone did it. Now that I think of it that is how I always did it and wondered why other people didn't know how to downshift but all this time they were just downshifting hard. Maby growing up on dirtbikes taught me how to shift right I dunno

 

[poneypower89]

What exactly do you consider a "hard" downshift? Anything over 3000-3500 RPMs?

I'm not usually wanting to downshift racing around corners or anything stupid like that anyway. I downshift when slowing to a stop from the highway or when going around a corner.

A hard downshift is anything that makes the RPMS jump by 1800+ rpm...

IE.. Going from 1500 RMP in 5th to 3800 in 3rd and making the tranny do all the work as far as balancing everything out. Thats a hard down shift..

I had a friend back in HS when I lived at home who drove a 92 DSM, you can hear him slowing down to make the turn into our driveway.. vrooomm.. VRROoomom... VRROOOOOMMMmm Needless to say, he forked up $2,100 to my father after owning the car for 5 months with only 60,000 miles on it.

 

[88 Fox GT]

I guess I match rev my downshifts and just never knew there was a term for it I thought that is how everyone did it. Now that I think of it that is how I always did it and wondered why other people didn't know how to downshift but all this time they were just downshifting hard. Maby growing up on dirtbikes taught me how to shift right I dunno

That's the way I've always done it too. So downshifting "hard" is what they call it when people just let out the clutch with out RPM matching it? That would definitely put wear and tear on the clutch and tranny.