Ok, so let me start off by saying I now have owned 3 cobras but sadly I would say I have no more than 2 full years (at best) of seat time. I learned on a cobra and Im sure I have picked up bad driving habbits. I consider myself OK at driving a manual. With that being said, I feel like there is clunkyness because im not managing my RPM's properly. Ive driven with guys who have experience and the car drives WAY smoother, less surge in between shifts. Im assuming its just good mangement between the gas/clutch/rpm's but any ideas on how to become a better driver/tips anything. And I know some people are just going to say more seat time, which I know, but I think I just have bad habbits and any feedback to help me become a better driver would be greatly appreciated. I understand without seeing me drive, its hard to help, but what works for people?
Need advise on driving
- Thread starter spincobra03
- Start date
sounds like your letting out on the cluth to fast when ur just crusing
Some cars you have to be perfect with your footwork just because of the clutch setup (type of clutch, flywheel, etc.). So it could be that you just have a grabby clutch.
Other than that I'd say to try to drive around without any music sometimes and shift by feel and sound alone. Really helps when you know how to feel out your car. After awhile it just comes natural and you don't even think about it. Every car feels different, but you shouldn't have any trouble with your own car if you drive enough.
Other than that I'd say to try to drive around without any music sometimes and shift by feel and sound alone. Really helps when you know how to feel out your car. After awhile it just comes natural and you don't even think about it. Every car feels different, but you shouldn't have any trouble with your own car if you drive enough.
^^well put!
The funny part is I really ONLY go by sound, I shift right around 2800 to 3000 rpm's, sometimes its nice and smooth going into the next gear and sometimes its clunky. Also if your in 4th doing 45 mph lets say, and your turn is coming up are you guys down shifting all gears or throwing it in neutral and putting it into 2nd lets say. Does it matter? Is downshifting too much a bad thing? I kind of like it, I know not to do it if my rpm's will be too high going into the next lower gear.
I guess maybe its just a balance but there has to be some things I can do to improve
Sounds like you shift kind of late. I try to save gas when I'm driving around normal to make up for all the time I spend having fun so I don't know if I can really compare. I'll have to check when 3 feet of snow melts and I can drive again, but I'm pretty sure I shift anywhere from 2000 to 2500 (maybe 2750 at the latest). 2500 to 2750 is probably the easiest to shift smooth. Less or more and you need to be more exact with the pedals. I've noticed that the T56 doesn't like it when you try to shift at mid-range rpm. Low speed or WOT runs seem a lot easier.
You could be trying too hard to match the sound with your shifts. On a four wheeler going by sound works perfect, but on cars you need a balance of sound and the feel of the car when you shift. Kind of hard to explain, but you should be able to feel out where the car wants to shift and where you can execute the footwork without trying too hard to get it right.
The only time I downshift through each gear coming up to a turn is if I can't judge how fast I'll be going through it. Usually I just guess based on experience what gear will work best. I shift into the lower gear and wait until a quarter way through the turn to let the clutch out.
If all else fails just stop trying so hard. If you think about it too much it just complicates something that should come naturally to you after you really get a feel for the car.
Cool, ill try shifting in that rpm range, it may help. Also with regaurds to downshifting. So if your doing 40 and your right hand 90 degree angle turn is coming up, are you putting it into neutral and coasting with the break and then putting it into 2nd or 1st depending on RPM's?? I guess I just want to know if downshifting is the wrong thing to do that often?
I usually downshift into gear right away during the braking coming up to the turn. I just keep the clutch disengaged until I'm up to the turn and then, depending on RPM, let the clutch out completely or slip it a little while I get back on the gas.
It depends if you're downshifting into each gear and letting the clutch out each time or just downshifting with the clutch pedal held down. I don't know if it's necessarily a bad thing, but I do know that the extra shifting just increases the wear on the clutch if you're engaging/disengaging each time.
I almost always downshift, and if you do it right, it shouldn't cause any real extra wear, and actually saves on brakes as you use the engine to slow down the car (I got 84K out of my GT brakes and still had 15% pads when I replaced them). You just need to blip the throttle to match revs then quickly let out the clutch, sounds cool too. :coolman: The higher the revs, the harder you have to blip it. It doesn't matter how high your revs are as long as you don't over rev. If you don't rev enough the tires will squeal when you let out the clutch (not good on the whole drivetrain). If you rev too much the car will jump forward. It takes practice to get it right but you get very smooth quick downshifts when done right. If you are not blipping the throttle on downshifts and just easing out the clutch then you are putting extra wear on the clutch as it slips to match revs with your tires. Hope this helps!
flat shift every gear..:shrug:
I almost always downshift, and if you do it right, it shouldn't cause any real extra wear, and actually saves on brakes as you use the engine to slow down the car (I got 84K out of my GT brakes and still had 15% pads when I replaced them). You just need to blip the throttle to match revs then quickly let out the clutch, sounds cool too. :coolman: The higher the revs, the harder you have to blip it. It doesn't matter how high your revs are as long as you don't over rev. If you don't rev enough the tires will squeal when you let out the clutch (not good on the whole drivetrain). If you rev too much the car will jump forward. It takes practice to get it right but you get very smooth quick downshifts when done right. If you are not blipping the throttle on downshifts and just easing out the clutch then you are putting extra wear on the clutch as it slips to match revs with your tires. Hope this helps!
I used to engine brake a lot more, but there are too many retards out there that won't hit the brakes unless you are full on the brakes in front of them. Really does help if you let the vacuum slow you down and then ease on to the brakes. Just gotta be careful that the people behind you know you're slowing down.
VERY good point! I often ride the brake just enough to let the guy behind me know I'm slowing down if need be. Usually, though, there isn't any one able to stay that close behind me! ;-)
+1
You may be pushing the clutch in too far which may be adding to your shift time. Find out what point your clutch dis-engages and dont push any further. In the cobras it isn't much.
There is no reason at all to be shifting that high in the rpm if you're just cruzin. Like someone else said shift every 2 to 2500rpm.
Borderline lugging(w/light throttle) is going to give you smooth. Use the low end torque.
Sounds like all you need is more trial and error shift methods (clutch release, RPMs). The more practice you get the better and more optimal your shifting should be.
Every once in a while Ill get the 1st to 2nd clunk and Ive figured out its because I let the clutch out too fast
As far as turns I almost always rev match/downshift to 2nd gear if Ill be taking the turn anywhere from 10mph to about 30mph. If Im doing 45 Ill be around 2k rpm in 4th so I throw it in 2nd gear, blip the throttle up to about 3krpm and let the motor slow the car down to turning speed. Ive heard rev matching can help the clutch last longer but careful to not rev it too much over and too far under the RPMs you need to match your speed
When not having fun, I shift around 2k-2200rpms and I skip shifts. So 1-3-5 or 2-4-6. Gas mileage has gone up at least 1mpg since I started doing this.
As far as turns I almost always rev match/downshift to 2nd gear if Ill be taking the turn anywhere from 10mph to about 30mph. If Im doing 45 Ill be around 2k rpm in 4th so I throw it in 2nd gear, blip the throttle up to about 3krpm and let the motor slow the car down to turning speed. Ive heard rev matching can help the clutch last longer but careful to not rev it too much over and too far under the RPMs you need to match your speed
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