Saturday, January 11, 2025

"Shifting Gears: The Right Way to Match Your Speed"

Mastering smooth gear changes is one of the three essential driving skills, along with steering and clutch control.

Gears can be shifted up or down, which refers to moving to a higher gear (e.g., 4 or 5) or a lower gear (e.g., 1 or 2), regardless of the gear lever's direction.

The basic principle is to shift up as the car’s speed increases and shift down when more engine power is needed, such as when climbing a hill or starting at low speeds.

Gears control the amount of power delivered by the engine.

First gear offers maximum pulling power but limits speed, while fifth gear provides the highest speed range with minimal pulling power. The table below outlines typical speeds and engine revs for shifting gears up or down.

Manual transmission change speeds

- UP -

Gear Change

Approx.

Speed

Tachometer

(Revs)

1st – 2nd

2nd – 3rd

3rd – 4th

4th – 5th

25 km/h

40 km/h

60 km/h

80 km/h

2,000 – 3,000 rpm

2,500 – 3,500 rpm

2,500 – 3,500 rpm

2,500 – 3,500 rpm

Manual transmission change speeds

DOWN -

Gear Change

Approx.

Speed

Tachometer

(Revs)

5th – 4th

4th – 3rd

3rd – 2nd

2nd – 1st

65 km/h

45 km/h

35 km/h

15 km/h

2,000 rpm

2,000 rpm

2,000 rpm

1,500 rpm

The fundamental rule for changing gears is "brakes to slow, gears to go." Shift up through the gears as the car gains speed. Use the foot brake to slow down, and only shift to a lower gear when you need the accelerator to drive again.

Reference:

https://rightwaydriving.com.au/Gear-Changing-Techniques

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