Changing down gears smoothly is far more challenging than changing up gears. In this video I explain why and demonstrate a method which is smooth in every manual car.
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This video is a guide intended to help people who are learning to drive with a driving instructor in Great Britain, it is by no means a replacement for driving lessons with an appropriately qualified driving instructor.
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00:00 Why is it easier to go up gears smoothly?
01:18 What you need to do
02:49 The jerky way
04:30 How I teach this
07:26 Engine sound
08:20 More challenging car
10:36 Using the clutch as a brake
12:26 Clutch wear
13:33 Rev matching with the gas
24 Comments
Big rig drivers usually almost never use clutch to change gears (except picking up and stopping). City bus drivers of my city also do the same.
0:30 Sorry but the reason it's much easier to upshift is because you don't need to use the gas to rev match. Some modern cars like modern Fords even hold the revs at what the the next gear should be, to give you a very relaxed time upshifting. But if you're quick enough, you can upshift without touching the gas pedal in any car. Downshifting requires MORE revs and not LESS revs, which is why it's way harder to do.
As a matter of fact, some cars have what you call a terrible 'rev hang' which means that for some reason, it takes too long for the revs to go down again, making upshifts jerkier due to not always being dropped enough to rev match. This is different from the 'rev hold' as it won't hold the revs at what it should be, but at what it is when you press down the clutch and start shifting. This is very undesirable if you like quick shifts without jerkiness.
I have my driving test coming up & I'm using my own car, do I need another rearview mirror inside for the instructor?
I learned rev matching from an older video of yours last year. Now it’s become a daily practice. I occasionally don’t get it perfect when dropping to the 2nd gear, but overall my driving has become much smoother without having to unnecessarily lose speed. It comes in really handy when dropping off gears when preparing for overtakes or approaching corners. I wanted to say Thank You!
Drifting next?
Where is this guy located honestly I need a tutor for a manual..he looks like a calm teacher 😊am in London
Didnt know this mate made new videos but definetly learned how to downshift smoothly due to his videos about heel toe and rev mstching etc. cant wait to learn more
I love rev matching that's why i switch to manual and thank you for explaining really appreciate it
If I pass my test next month, I'm building an altar with your image.
I know you already did. But I would appreciate if you also made a video for upshifting smoothly with this new car. 😅
I'm learning to drive I'm started to get better at changing gears
I admittedly have at times been using the clutch to help me slow down (albeit only when already braking usually from 60 to 30 zones). It then occurred to me last night that it might cause extra wear on the clutch.
That's why even after having passed my test 18 years back I find it helpful to watch videos like these to find ways I can still improve my driving and hopefully address any bad habits I may have developed!
5 and a half years of license here!
For my gas and brake pedal sensitivity (or, realistically, just skill isue) I find just impossible to heel&toe, so I tend to downshift and give a bump on the throttle before braking, for example approaching a roundabout or an highway exit. I don't always get the right rpms, but guess it's still better than just letting the clutch do all the work 🙂
(May my method cause safety issues?)
please help im confused. what happens if your light is green so you proceed as normal but you realise u cant even go any further because the car in front has not set off yet! (as the driver in front is waiting for the ambulance to go past). So whilst youre waiting for the car in front to move you realise that your light has now turned red and white line is in the middle of your car…. can you proceed when its safe to do so, or do you have to wait on the line until the light goes green again, even though youre already half way passed it?
I don't think I was ever told about rev-matching during normal driving, I'll have to go out for a drive and see, it must be something that I just instinctively do now to make the drive as smooth as possible (which I prefer). As for rev-matching, heel and toe, well that just something you seek out and learn when you like to drive.
Your videos have helped me a lot and today I passed my driving test on the first time. I only had 2 minors. I was so excited and nervous for the exam.
This video came at the right time having just bought my first car and its manual – and only struggling with downshifts. THEN I SEE IBXTOYC- uh i mean Andrew -BACK ON THE CHANNEL LETS GOO!!! such a bizzare combo of some of my fav youtubers haha
Great video. I do have a question though. To leave town, I have to go down a relatively steep hill with a roundabout at the bottom. I generally go down the whole hill in third gear as it allows me to maintain 25-30mph with little gas. However, at the approach to the roundabout, I want to go slower, so I drop to second gear. The act of depressing the clutch causes coasting, which causes the car to speed up – this can be quite daunting so I tend to release the clutch faster. This is not smooth.
How would I smoothly gear down while going down a hill? I have had success rev matching with gas, while still slowing down, but I am sure there is a better way of achieving this.
just passed my driving test first time earlier today , spent last night watching ur vids thanks for ur clear explanatory videos
Ahh I thought I was getting a heal toe tutorial.
I blip the gas off the brake pedal and back onto brakes. People develop their own way. Some not so mechanically sympathetic
Real skill in clutch less changes via feel and rev matches
I haven't even passed my test yet and I still do this just because I hate the jolt it does if you don't
Otherwise known as 'give 'er a little blip' as you down shift 🙂
i really needed this thank you 🙂
Haven't been driving long and I'm already rev matching using the gas on downshifts. Not especially well, admittedly, and it helps that I drive the most forgiving car ever made (its bite point is about half the travel of the clutch), so that helps, but I figure having the technique down will help for future.