Who here downshifts?

[Ranger44]

I blew a caliper seal out of town two years ago, continued to drive about 40 miles to the parts store and another 20 to my grandfathers garage. a 300 I-6 makes a very good brake.

I remember that! lol

Caliper seals tend not to fair well against a spinning rotor.



When I owned a manual I just downshifted when I felt it necessary. Don't know why or how. It was subconscience almost.

There were a few times I did it to scare the shit out of people who were new to driving with me. Like popping the clutch with the selector in 1st doing 30.....tends to make people shit themselves.....

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

while it's not necessary it does prolong the life of the synchros

They do last darn near forever without it though.

It sounds freaking sweet with a loaded down truck and a louder exhaust though...

 

[CHKNFKR]

i must be past forever then. my full size his 350,000 and change on it and #2 sync is gone. not really a big deal though, i use it as first and as such don't try to downshift into it all too often.

 

[pontiacfieroguy]

Well......... Your an RBV owner! Your a HUGE step above the normal brain dead automatic driving public! LOL!

2x rbv owner and thank you

 

[Snafu]

I learned how to downshift on my own, it seemed easier both on the brakes and on my legs somehow, i like it more that way

 

[shane96ranger]

Automatic transmissions are the ruin of the brain dead driving public. If you didn't learn to drive on a stick, you probably don't know how to drive. Period.

There is no other way to learn in my opinion. I've mostly driven vehicles with a manual trans for 19 years now. My Ranger is an auto, but I sure wish it wasn't. Every Ranger I test drove with a manual was beat to hell. I really miss the M5OD in my Explorer. At least I still get to drive a 5 speed in the summer.

I do downshift. I feel no shame in it whatsoever. I was always taught to downshift, I don't really know why other than you slow down much quicker. Mostly I started doing it because my Dad did. I believe both sides of the "transmission wear" topics are merely theories.

 

[dmassey]

Been downshifting to break mainly on hills evers since I started "swapping cogs" in school busses about 35 years ago. Still do it on my Ranger and also on the Harley. Just careful not to "drop" the clutch cause that would be abusing the tranny.

 

[naford]

What I have noticed is that on my car when you push in the clutch to downshift the RPM increase slightly. This I thought was for emissions to keep the mtor from dumping unburned fuel into the exhaust.

 

[--weezl--]

They do last darn near forever without it though.

It sounds freaking sweet with a loaded down truck and a louder exhaust though...

i wouldn't say that, i just had my 1-2 syncro replaced at 90 000km

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

i must be past forever then. my full size his 350,000 and change on it and #2 sync is gone. not really a big deal though, i use it as first and as such don't try to downshift into it all too often.

350,000 miles is quite awhile, you can't really complain about something breaking at that point.

Dads one ton has close to 300k on it, is on the market for its third motor and needs the body redone for the second time. Been worked hard its whole life, and just about everybody that has worked for him learned (or made something of an attempt to learn) how to drive a manual in it. Tranny has never been touched.

i wouldn't say that, i just had my 1-2 syncro replaced at 90 000km

There are always exceptions, but usually they last quite awhile.

If 90k KM was the norm, manual lovers wouldn't have much of a arguement over an automatic for durabiltiy.

 

[--weezl--]

350,000 miles is quite awhile, you can't really complain about something breaking at that point.

Dads one ton has close to 300k on it, is on the market for its third motor and needs the body redone for the second time. Been worked hard its whole life, and just about everybody that has worked for him learned (or made something of an attempt to learn) how to drive a manual in it. Tranny has never been touched.



There are always exceptions, but usually they last quite awhile.

If 90k KM was the norm, manual lovers wouldn't have much of a arguement over an automatic for durabiltiy.

no, your absolutely right... though it was covered by the 5 year 100 000km warranty...