[08 GT]

Hey Guys, Ive been driving stickshift since I was 16, But only old work truck on weekend...sorry for my noobness, I now have a 08 Mustang Gt and, I can drive and downshift, I am assuming...., but what is the correct way to downshift to gain speed instead of bogging and waiting for momentum to build up?

For instance if i'm in 4th, traffic slows down, I get cutoff, and must jump to the next lane and match the speed. Would I drop it to neutral, hit the accelerator to rev up rpm, then drop it to 3rd? I know it depends on Mph, but assume I was going 5-60 in 4th

Just worried casue sometimes handling simple corners a little fast, I drop it to 2nd around 20mph and if i let off the clutch fast it makes a clunk, Ive looked it up and it appears most s197s make it,

[bthornton10]

Rev match.


http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&h...864d47f9f205c8

[king_Ahmet]

Rev match. That way your rear wheels doesn't lock up for that split second, you keep your traction, and you won't wear your clutch as much. It takes some practice and you need to learn where your RPMs will be at the gear you're going to select. Just start doing it, and you'll get better at it.

[Kadorja]

I dont see the need for double clutching. With the stock air box its nice since the car takes a while to actually respond to throttle inputs. I just push in the clutch and blip the throttle and as soon as you let off the gas pop it into a lower gear. It should slide right in and you wont feel it jerk or anything. It takes some time to get used to every vehicle was different. With my CAI its soooo much easier I cant tell you how bad the stock air box sucks.... well actually doesnt suck which is the problem.

[king_Ahmet]

^^ True. With a CAI and nice tune, the throttle response is near instant (Drive by wire takes a split second though) But, true, tune and CAI helps, even with the stock air box, you should rev match when necessary. If you're just slowing down with traffic, I don't really see the need to, but if you're trying to downshift and haul ass, i.e. downshift to 4000RPM or so, then rev match.

[08 GT]

Originally Posted by Kadorja I dont see the need for double clutching. With the stock air box its nice since the car takes a while to actually respond to throttle inputs. I just push in the clutch and blip the throttle and as soon as you let off the gas pop it into a lower gear. It should slide right in and you wont feel it jerk or anything. It takes some time to get used to every vehicle was different. With my CAI its soooo much easier I cant tell you how bad the stock air box sucks.... well actually doesnt suck which is the problem.

I see Ima try this , Thanks for the input, I mean I downshift to slow down in traffic, with listening and knowing where im at in the rpm range and speed with no problem, Downshifting to haul ass just has me a bit nervous since I dont want to break anything ha

[mustang_gtr_99]

Agreed. It just takes experiance to get the feel for how much throttle and what RPM you need to match. After a while you dont even think about it and it is all by feel and sound

[WindveilStangUT]

Originally Posted by mustang_gtr_99 Agreed. It just takes experiance to get the feel for how much throttle and what RPM you need to match. After a while you dont even think about it and it is all by feel and sound

That's how I do it. lol

[king_Ahmet]

Yeah dude. Really, just start doing it, unless you do something really off the wall, you're not gonna break it. It might be uncomfortable for a bit. But, that's about it. Just don't try to downshift into first while going anywhere above 10.

[Kadorja]

^ Agreed you will hear the transmission wine if you do that... you'll learn thats a bad sound. Most vehicles wont go in first unless you're almost at a complete stop.

My technique when the car was stock was to literally push the throttle all the way in and let out as fast as I could. By the time the air got sucked into the engine and revved it up I was already off the throttle and shifting into the next gear.

The new mods make throttle response almost instant so I find myself surging a little when I downshift because I over rev the engine. The downshift to haul ass is a fun one to try... you gotta be quick and pretty precise. Its mostly sound as other have stated... you will be able to tell exactly when to dump the clutch and mash on the go pedal soon enough.

[08 GT]

Sounds good, Yea Im always carefull not to downshift into 1s, for anything, well parking lots haha But yea the other day I was shifting without even thinking, while my girl showed me a nice new bra she picked up ...Ha but Yea Ive tried it a few times but it does take some getting used to, Sometimes if I let off the clutch to quick it makes a jolt and little clunk but in the rear, which im guessing is slack and not related to a trans problem, Well I'm hoping

[MikeD05GT]

you cant teach downshifting. when you get good at it..you shouldnt even be able to hear a rev match

[king_Ahmet]

The clunk you're hearing is the driveshaft bouncing off the rear pumpkin.

[NastyFX4]

Originally Posted by jlaw98gt you cant teach downshifting. when you get good at it..you shouldnt even be able to hear a rev match

I disagree on both points.

How can you not teach downshifting? It's something that can be easily taught and perfected with practice. Just like anything to do with driving. Using that same sort of logic no one should ever take any sort of performance driving school because you can't be taught those maneuvers.

How can you not hear a rev match downshift? I'm pretty anyone under the sun could tell the difference from a car turning 2,000 RPMs vs one turning 3,000 RPMs. Maybe it doesn't sound like the local Honda club downshifting from 5th into 3rd but you can hear it.

Originally Posted by king_Ahmet The clunk you're hearing is the driveshaft bouncing off the rear pumpkin.

It's actually the play in the two piece driveshaft. There is nothing about the driveshaft that can make it "bounce" off of the "rear pumpkin".

[08 GT]

Originally Posted by NastyStang113 I disagree on both points. How can you not teach downshifting? It's something that can be easily taught and perfected with practice. Just like anything to do with driving. Using that same sort of logic no one should ever take any sort of performance driving school because you can't be taught those maneuvers. How can you not hear a rev match downshift? I'm pretty anyone under the sun could tell the difference from a car turning 2,000 RPMs vs one turning 3,000 RPMs. Maybe it doesn't sound like the local Honda club downshifting from 5th into 3rd but you can hear it. It's actually the play in the two piece driveshaft. There is nothing about the driveshaft that can make it "bounce" off of the "rear pumpkin".

Alright cool thanks, the bouncing off the pumpkin had me scratchin my head lol

[Silverrider]

i downshift to slow down all the time, even into first rollin up to a stop sign, not going faster than 10 but it is also nice to hear that exhaust crackle while rollin up to a stop!

[92Notch]

Bang it down and hammer it.

















Just kidding don't do that.

[brianm]

thats a expensive brake pad your wearing out for nothing.

[MikeD05GT]

i totally dont think you can teach it. if you need pro driving schools then but im self taught and i know im better than alot of people i know who drive stick. not being cocky but i think we can all agree we all shake our heads watching people drive sometimes. I think it just takes practice but i really dont think you can teach it. and as far as not hearing it..its hard to explain..

[mustang_gtr_99]

Originally Posted by Silverrider i downshift to slow down all the time, even into first rollin up to a stop sign, not going faster than 10 but it is also nice to hear that exhaust crackle while rollin up to a stop!

That’s what your brakes are for. The reason for downshifting really is to keep yourself in your powerband when entering a corner so you don’t have to while executing it. I actually downshift and break at the same time which takes a lot of practice and is known as heel toe. I am also really curios to the other poster how you can rev match and not hear it? The higher the RPM the louder the noise. You cant rev match without raising the engine RPM so unless you have some stealth mufflers or something it isn’t going to be quiet. I can always tell just by the sound who knows how to drive a sports car when they are going into a corner and you hear that extra blip of the throttle.