70 Comments

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Roger Wheeler
Glen Saint Mary, FL 路 9 days ago

I have always down shifted.

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Samuel Walker
Owings Mills, MD 路 11 days ago

neutral. break. then walk it down

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Michael
Hillsboro, OR 路 16 days ago

Doll, professional driver Michael, and I drove doubles and triples, for 17 years, and drove and ran a crane for 8 years. my advice is... what cost more $$ "breaks pads at $70 (if you do it yourself) or a new or rebuilt transmission at $3000-$5000. I always placed it in neutral and then using brakes, unless going down a large decline, then always in gear for safety. but the 'driving manual and the DMV "professionals "NOT"" states 'downshift for safety! point being 'if you have to maneuver for an unexpected incident. Furthermore; replacing brake pads... front brake pads generally changing 2-3x to the rears 1x since all forward momentum puts 70% of the weight and on the fronts. 'And last point... oil changes unless it's a new motor every 5000-7000 miles if synthetic 10-15,000 馃槄馃槄馃槄馃槄miles. If a new car and motor your first 500 miles, 3-4 oil changes to remove metal shavings. m

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Joe
Richmond, IN 路 24 days ago

Downshift when you need to stop faster than usual. But other than that neutral is fine. Hope my input helps someone.

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Jordan Johnson
Charlotte, NC 路 2 months ago

Well to be honest. It鈥檚 whoever is driving. Some people rev match, some throw it in neutral, semis hit the jake, I just downshift myself

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Troy lynn
Dallas, TX 路 7 days ago

Still have a 93 Mustang Cobra. Started with a 65 ford f100 with 3 on the tree.

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Deecharlie
Jackson, MS 路 2 months ago

depends on how fast you're going because if you hear it down every time you will burn out the gears in your transmission. breaks are easy and cheap but a transmission takes a long time to change

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John Walker
Sandwich, MA 路 15 days ago

depends on rpms and braking distance

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Michael Fowler
Commercial Point, OH 路 2 months ago

Depends

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Richard Hallman
Strasburg, VA 路 11 days ago

I downshift everytime

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Thomas Cochran
Ashburn, VA 路 2 months ago

Drop into neutral until you know what speed you鈥檙e going to reduce your speed down to since speed determines the next gear you need to be in.

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Why Me
Chicago, IL 路 11 days ago

Downshift, then you're not using your brakes. You're using the car to stop its own momentum. How many people can take off on a hill without letting a car roll backwards a or a standard tractor-trailer.????

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Edwin
Fort Worth, TX 路 11 days ago

u down shift

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Scott Possin
Faribault, MN 路 a month ago

Put it in neutral.

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Jerry Harris
Buford, GA 路 a month ago

NEUTRAL馃槼

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Richard Crowley
Winnemucca, NV 路 12 days ago

Start down shifting to save on your brakes. Learn how to do it without using the clutch.

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Lynn Wiggins
Phoenix, AZ 路 12 days ago

use the trans for slowing to assist braking馃榿

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Kelly Harrison
Williamsburg, KS 路 13 days ago

I do both. depends on the situation.

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Eric Fleckenstein
Mesa, AZ 路 13 days ago

down shift!

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AMERICA 76
Independence, MO 路 a month ago

Downshift,never know when your brakes may fail

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chad g
Winfield, KS 路 a month ago

Downshift

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Tracy Stewart
Ames, IA 路 a month ago

depends on the situation. but down shifting wears out your transmission fast. clutch plate ect.

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Jesse Kneib
Troy, MO 路 2 months ago

Normally throw it in neutral and brake unless your pulling a heavy load down shift and let the motor and transmission do the work

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Koonz John
Santa Monica, CA 路 a month ago

Downshift

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Mark Hartz
Marrowstone, WA 路 2 months ago

Down shift. Match gear to speed going up as well as down.

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Babatunde
2 months ago

Depends on how fast I need to stop. Otherwise 5,3,1 with breaks

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Steven Johnston
Martinez, CA 路 2 months ago

Neither. Break until you get close to stalling, then clutch in to prevent the stall, finish the stop, and then shift to neutral.

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Robert
Conway, SC 路 22 days ago

I tend to do both at times. It's all according to the driving conditions.

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don norred
Ukiah, CA 路 2 months ago

If your slowing down , down shift馃槑

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Jeff Markin
Spokane, WA 路 2 months ago

down shift as gradually as possible depending on speed and conditions.

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Lester Twiner
Yazoo City, MS 路 2 months ago

Down shifting

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Kenny Sawyers
Aberdeen, MD 路 a month ago

I down shift

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Paul Ramsey
Mesa, AZ 路 2 months ago

Brake pads are cheaper than transmission parts.

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Farmer JakeBrake
Carthage, NC 路 2 months ago

Use you engine to help slow down and save you brakes

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David Andrade
Fall River, MA 路 2 months ago

down shift

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Michael Mohamed
Simsboro, LA 路 6 days ago

I always down shift.

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AAPrecision Tooling
Claremont, MN 路 2 days ago

I down shift

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Randy Carter
Baltimore, MD 路 2 months ago

neutral and break

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Juan
Chicago, IL 路 2 months ago

both

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Cathie Cadman
2 months ago

Neutral & brake

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Jon
Charlotte, NC 路 5 days ago

Never put it in neutral to slow down

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John Pruitt
Lansing, MI 路 a month ago

can I eat 2 times a day everyday

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pintree hunter
Elkhorn, WI 路 2 months ago

down shift through the gears..use the engine to assist braking...mho

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RollTideRoll_8
2 months ago

you don't have to go through all the gears while slowing down. you can go into neutral and then straight the gear you want to use. you don't even have to change gears while slowing down unless you slow down to much. It's not that hard. I learned how at 8 years old. My first 3 vehicles where a stick. Not really sure what your even trying to ask. But if your asking if you have to go into each gear on your way down while slowing down then the answer is no. You can go straight into the gear you need which you will Learn quickly depending on your vehicle and the power it has. Each vehicle is different. I use to drop mine down in a gear to make the exhaust real loud and let the lower gear slow me down. Like I said though each vehicle can be different.

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victor potter
Trussville, AL 路 5 days ago

I feel like this is a loaded question........ but for me it depends on if I have a load and time and distance of the stop.....

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Perry Dunkeson
Kansas City, MO 路 5 days ago

Down shift! It's really simple if you drive much. That truck driver isn't driving a srandard car!

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LandmanDog
Ray, OH 路 2 months ago

As for me I only down shift when I need to slow down in snow or ice so less chance of sliding but when driving any other time I just go in neutral and use my breaks because they are cheaper and easier to replace than a clutch or transmission. Less wear on something means it lasts longer.

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Liberal Tears
Florence, SC 路 2 months ago

Gearing down as only necessary if you鈥檙e on slippery surfaces and stuff like that. Most the time I slow down push in the clutch when I鈥檓 no still above stall RPM. Most of the time, I just put it in neutral and come to a stop because brake pads are a lot cheaper than getting a worn out transmission repaired.

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Chris Perry
Bremerton, WA 路 6 days ago

go to third and then second, I drove a manual for years, never had to replace the brakes when you downshift.

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RavenHQ
5 days ago

Really depends on how often you want to be changing brakes, if you want to make them last longer downshift first, if you like changing brakes or most likely don鈥檛 know how to change brakes I guess you throw it in neutral and brake gradually

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jarrell
Gordonsville, TN 路 5 days ago

you down shift depending on where and the train your driving ,if just flat straight away then you can pop it in neutral slowly hit brakes ,