Hello I'm Chris. This video is for new drivers learning how to drive a manual car. Today,
keeping it simple, I'm going to demonstrate how low gears provide more power or more torque.
At the moment I'm in third gear which is okay for the speed I'm driving. There's a slight uphill. If
I change up to fourth gear at this speed, uphill, then the car will struggle, but let's try it.
Well the gas pedal really isn't doing much, but as soon as I change down to second it provides
much more acceleration and at this speed I can change straight to fourth. Off gas a little and
let the hill slow the car, third gear, slow down and change down if necessary before the bend.
Third is best for my speed and the hill.
I can now see further ahead, so I'll accelerate and then change
up to fourth. The speed limit is 60 miles per hour but it's too tight and unsafe to
do that. Slow down for the horse and move as left as I can, third gear.
It's slightly uphill. If it's safe,
build up speed and momentum in the lower gears and then change up.
Can't see far ahead, off gas, braking gently.
And second gear for this tight bend.
Second provides a lot of acceleration power that I can use out of the bend, up the third.
And now slow down for the junction.
First gear provides the greatest force, the most pulling power or torque to get you going,
but you won't get much speed out of it. Build up speed with the low gears and then on this
60 mile per hour national speed limit road, I've got enough speed to change from third to fifth.
And now sixth, which provides the fastest speed but the least pulling power.
If the car jerks when you change down,
then try pressing lightly on the gas before gently raising the clutch fully.
To make it really smooth, raise the clutch slower where the biting point is. I'll show you it again.
And again in slow motion.
This sign warns me of a steep downhill and to keep in a low gear
but what happens if you change to a higher gear down a steep hill? I'm in fourth. At the moment,
the hill isn't too steep, so I'm not having to brake too much.
It's definitely getting steeper and I'm having to brake a lot more. If I kept braking for long
periods of time downhill then it could cause brake fade. Which is where there's a loss of
braking power caused by the heat generated by continuous use of the brakes. Not good.
Let's try the hill again, this time I'm in third gear.
Gravity is trying to make the car go faster but because I'm in third I can
feel the affects of engine braking. At the moment I don't need to brake at all.
It's getting steeper and I'm having to brake more. Let's try second. This will give me even
more engine braking. I'll hold the clutch at the biting point until the revs go back up,
this will make for a smooth gear change. It feels like the engine is trying to keep the car slow.
I still need to brake, but not as much as when I was in a fourth.
The engine is able to provide more power or torque in low gears. First gear providing the most power.
Low gears are not only best for when you drive down steep hills but also up. But let's try
changing up to higher gears on this steep hill and see what happens. At the moment I'm in fourth,
now fifth, I'm pressing the gas but not much is happening. Down to fourth. Not much better,
still can't accelerate. Third is a bit better but still struggling. But second gear to the rescue
and now it's really picking up. Make sure you accelerate and get more speed out of the low gears
before changing up, otherwise as you're changing gear, the hill will slow the car down and you
won't need that higher gear. I'm in fifth gear. Bad choice! Accelerator pedal is to the floor.
Third is a bit better but still struggling. But second really helps to accelerate, then change up.
Change
to a lower gear whenever you need acceleration.
It's not safe to overtake here but if I was going to and tried to accelerate in fifth, I've got my
foot on the floor and it accelerates just not very quickly. At the speed I'm driving third
gives you a bit more of a boost to accelerate and overtake if it was safe, legal and necessary.
If you want to know how to move off quickly in a manual car then watch this video next.
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thumbs up if you found it at all helpful. In the meantime, keep safe on the road and bye for now.