# Noob Question (Shifting) **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [February 14, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311 "2010-02-14T10:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xxxSTAxxx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xxxstaxxx/32/6570_2.png) [@xxxSTAxxx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xxxSTAxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/1 "2010-02-14T10:59:31Z")
Well I’m pretty much teaching myself how to drive a 5 speed, this is my second day, I drive in very light traffic but more than half of the time it’s a rough start getting out of 1st gear. I mean I can shift up into 2nd 3rd and so on… But my question is what is the proper way to shift up so that your car will not feel very rough when you do. Here’s the way I do it, again I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. 1. Let off the gas 2. Hit the clutch 3. Shift up, but very roughly. My car shakes when I do and that’s the real problem. You can make your remarks if you want lol, but thanks to anyone who helps. ---
**Author:** ![JClark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jclark/32/6309_2.png) [@JClark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JClark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/2 "2010-02-14T11:02:27Z")
Practice makes perfect, it’ll smooth out. Matching revs between the engine and transmission is how you get smooth shifts. You’ll get better at it as your feet gets more coordinated. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/3 "2010-02-14T11:02:47Z")
Time your shifts so that the engine is rotating at the same speed as the transmission when you release the clutch. ---
**Author:** ![underboosted](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/underboosted/32/6424_2.png) [@underboosted](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/underboosted)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/4 "2010-02-14T11:16:01Z")
Are you fully in decel when pressing the clutch in to shift? ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/5 "2010-02-14T11:24:23Z")
Really its all about getting the feel of doing it in the car and hard to explain. Once you do it for a while its like second nature. It took me about a week to learn it and I taught both of my brothers. One took a few days and I had the other trained in about 45 minutes. They each bought a 5 speed for their first car/truck. ---
**Author:** ![RocketPunch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rocketpunch/32/6429_2.png) [@RocketPunch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RocketPunch)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/6 "2010-02-14T11:32:35Z")
> [@5/20: Taffy's Meet #1 for '07](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/5-20-taffys-meet-1-for-07/29315/2): > > Well I’m pretty much teaching myself how to drive a 5 speed, this is my second day, I drive in very light traffic but more than half of the time it’s a rough start getting out of 1st gear. I mean I can shift up into 2nd 3rd and so on… > > But my question is what is the proper way to shift up so that your car will not feel very rough when you do. Here’s the way I do it, again I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. > > 1. Let off the gas > 2. Hit the clutch > 3. Shift up, but very roughly. My car shakes when I do and that’s the real problem. > > You can make your remarks if you want lol, but thanks to anyone who helps. Try this :lol: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk) Understand how manual transmission works, IMO, is the best way to learn to drive a manual car. This will give you an understanding to why you have to do what you have to do to drive the car: > **[How a Manual Transmission Works](https://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm)** > > What does that funny "H" pattern on my car's gear shift have to do with my transmission? How does it make the car change gears? And when I mess up and hear that horrible grinding sound, what is actually grinding? [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/a/7/a7a2188297a975f1baea22342caf06aeb8f312c7.jpeg "How Clutches Work") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg) Best way is to have someone show you how to drive, you will learn it in 10 mins. Where do you live? ---
**Author:** ![imported\_FULLBLOWN](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/imported_fullblown/32/6411_2.png) [@imported\_FULLBLOWN](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_FULLBLOWN)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/7 "2010-02-14T11:39:59Z")
I always push the clutch in, plant my heel on the floor then slide the pedal under my foot as i let it out. This way the clutch slips softly as it engages removing alot of the jerky-ness. ---
**Author:** ![Mafdark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mafdark/32/6322_2.png) [@Mafdark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mafdark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/8 "2010-02-14T11:43:03Z")
> [@Another FS thread](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/another-fs-thread/28157/61): > > Try this :lol: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk) > > **Understand how manual transmission works, IMO, is the best way to learn to drive a manual car.** This will give you an understanding to why you have have to do what you have to do to drive the car: > > [How Manual Transmissions Work | HowStuffWorks](http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg) bingo ---
**Author:** ![xxxSTAxxx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xxxstaxxx/32/6570_2.png) [@xxxSTAxxx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xxxSTAxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/9 "2010-02-14T11:53:49Z")
> [@Another FS thread](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/another-fs-thread/28157/61): > > Try this :lol: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqtctkznYjk) > > Understand how manual transmission works, IMO, is the best way to learn to drive a manual car. This will give you an understanding to why you have have to do what you have to do to drive the car: > > [How Manual Transmissions Work | HowStuffWorks](http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg) > > Best way is to have someone show you how to drive, you will learn it in 10 mins. Where do you live? I live in Cohoes, not for from Albany I drive there every weekday. Thanks everyone for clarifying, I’m gonna go practice now, if you see a black zx2, turn around haha. ---
**Author:** ![Mark355](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mark355/32/6528_2.png) [@Mark355](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mark355)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/10 "2010-02-14T12:14:38Z")
Revmatching comes into play more with downshifting, but upshifting also needs proper timing. The goal is to release the clutch when the rpm of the flywheel is as close to what the ratios of your gearbox wants for the next gear. For example, if you’re in 2nd gear and shift at 3k rpm into 3rd gear and 3rd gear for your car wants 2200 rpm at your current wheel speed, that’s where you want to release the clutch and “catch” the falling revs. Catch it just right and you don’t even need to apply throttle as you’re moving through the clutch’s engagement point. The clutch isn’t an on/off switch so don’t pop it–be swift but smooth. If you speed shift or let the revs drop too much, you will feel your synchros making up the difference and the car will buck. However, this is more pronounced in lower gears at city speeds. With more seat time, your timing will improve and revmatching your upshifts will happen almost subconsciously. This is easier than revmatching a downshift because you need to apply throttle when the clutch is disengaged to bring the engine speed _up_. When upshifting, the revs begin falling as soon as you depress the clutch pedal. You just need to worry about when to release the clutch and at what rate. ---
**Author:** ![kramerbuccs24](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/kramerbuccs24/32/6397_2.png) [@kramerbuccs24](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/kramerbuccs24)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/11 "2010-02-14T12:54:54Z")
Practice makes perfect. The first week I had my first car I was burning the SHIT out of the clutch, the whole car smelled like ass. About 3 months later I beat Car & Driver’s time for my car at LVD and raced it at an auto X in the same weekend, and then 2 months after that I got a street racing ticket :rofl You’ll be just fine, just keep driving!! ---
**Author:** ![ReDevil](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redevil/32/6385_2.png) [@ReDevil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ReDevil)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/12 "2010-02-14T13:02:49Z")
Its just a balance, as you push the clutch, smoothly let off the gas. As you start to let the clutch out, smoothly get back into the gas. Its so much easier to show than it is to type out. :lol You will get it man. Once you do, its like riding a bike. ---
**Author:** ![xxxSTAxxx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xxxstaxxx/32/6570_2.png) [@xxxSTAxxx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xxxSTAxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/13 "2010-02-14T13:23:35Z")
You guys are all really are a lot of help, I’m shifting very smooth now, no rough shifting really at all, I was just driving very aggressively. Kramerbucks that’s a pretty good story haha. Now I need to work on coming to a complete stop and going afterwards, still having somewhat of a rough time taking off when stopped completely. ---
**Author:** ![kramerbuccs24](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/kramerbuccs24/32/6397_2.png) [@kramerbuccs24](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/kramerbuccs24)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/14 "2010-02-14T13:37:09Z")
> [@Hey! I'm new and clueless!!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hey-im-new-and-clueless/29302/55): > > You guys are all really are a lot of help, I’m shifting very smooth now, no rough shifting really at all, I was just driving very aggressively. Kramerbucks that’s a pretty good story haha. Now I need to work on coming to a complete stop and going afterwards, still having somewhat of a rough time taking off when stopped completely. What my dad told me to do which was very helpful was to go to a completely flat parking lot and slowlyyyyy let out the clutch with no gas and get the car moving that way. Doing that gives you a feel for exactly where on the pedal travel the clutch engages and how much travel it takes to go from 100% disengaged to slightly engaged to 100% engaged. Then, depending on what kind of hill you’re on, how much room you have to “roll back” and how much a rush you’re in, change the speed of the clutch engagement and add more gas the faster you engage the clutch. Like everyone else said, its real hard to explain. But try out that thing in the parking lot with no gas, I think that helps. ---
**Author:** ![xxxSTAxxx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/xxxstaxxx/32/6570_2.png) [@xxxSTAxxx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xxxSTAxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/15 "2010-02-14T13:53:13Z")
> [@Hey! I'm new and clueless!!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hey-im-new-and-clueless/29302/56): > > What my dad told me to do which was very helpful was to go to a completely flat parking lot and slowlyyyyy let out the clutch with no gas and get the car moving that way. Doing that gives you a feel for exactly where on the pedal travel the clutch engages and how much travel it takes to go from 100% disengaged to slightly engaged to 100% engaged. Then, depending on what kind of hill you’re on, how much room you have to “roll back” and how much a rush you’re in, change the speed of the clutch engagement and add more gas the faster you engage the clutch. > > Like everyone else said, its real hard to explain. But try out that thing in the parking lot with no gas, I think that helps. There’s really no flat streets in my city, it’s a shithole filled with slopes and potholes so I am somewhat used to going up a hill, but like I said I just need improvement which I’ll get down eventually. ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/16 "2010-02-14T14:17:22Z")
go on a good hill and stop halfway up ,then try goin again do this a few times and you will get the jist of the rest ---
**Author:** ![JClark](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jclark/32/6309_2.png) [@JClark](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JClark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/17 "2010-02-14T14:28:04Z")
> [@R32 Skyline winter build-up](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/r32-skyline-winter-build-up/24030/153): > > go on a good hill and stop halfway up ,then try goin again do this a few times and you will be ordering a new clutch. Fixed that fer ya. ---
**Author:** ![cazwrx187](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cazwrx187/32/6388_2.png) [@cazwrx187](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cazwrx187)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/18 "2010-02-14T15:07:17Z")
> [@Attn: Skunk](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/attn-skunk/29292/21): > > Fixed that fer ya. I can smell the putrid organic scent from here ---
**Author:** ![GermanPSI](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/germanpsi/32/6353_2.png) [@GermanPSI](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GermanPSI)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/19 "2010-02-14T15:52:29Z")
Put throttle to floor, wait for revlimiter, side step clutch ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311/20 "2010-02-14T16:06:08Z")
> [@Attn: Skunk](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/attn-skunk/29292/21): > > Fixed that fer ya. it was meant to be a joke :lol , drivin stick is suttin ya learn by drivin not listening [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/noob-question-shifting/250311.md?page=2)