If i dont feel like hitting the brakes, or sometimes when i have a trailer i downshift. most of the time i just put her in neutral and use the brakes.


I used to drive my mustang like it was a racecar, i was always in the right gear to mash the pedal and take off. i would heal toe constantly, i had a lot of fun. not with the truck though...i seem to favor the brakes.

in the limited amount ive done it, no problems have arisen

 

I down shift with a trailer unless it has brakes on it, then i just push the pedal enough to make the trailer do all the work...I just put it in nuetral for everyday driving and use the brakes.

 

I rarely ever touch the brakes, let the engine do all the work for me!

Besides, I like that turbine whistle while engine braking

 

Why would you not downshift? Thats how you drive a manual....automatics down shift.....18 wheelers downshift plus it saves on brake pads....also if you get in a jam it slows you down alot faster with brakes and engine braking. I mean i don't go from 5th to 4th with out bringin the wheel speed to engine speed. Thats how you tear a clutch up downshifting!

 

i agree and disagree with what are say.....why would anyone compair a 18 wheeler to a pickup truck...:confused013: we don't have a jake brake, so NO downshift'n a pickup is nothing like downshifting a 18 wheeler, i will agree it's dang close if you have a good exhaust brake....

but yeah, you better match those RPM's before you go down shift'n...

and i can't stand people that hold the clutch in when slow'n down....can you say "bye bye throwout bearing"...

it's bad though, when i can downshift and old chevy gasser with a load and it slows me down better then downshift'n my truck, but YES i do down shift my truck alot, but by god i match my RPM's, a clutch is wayyy to rich for my blood right now...

 

i was taught to down shift for a stop to save on brake pads, but never have. now occasionally if i'm going down a steep enough hill i'll use a mix of down shifting and brakes to keep my at the speed limit.

 

I down shift sometimes because i like the way it sounds and when im towing other than that i usually just put it it N and hit the brakes.

 

i downshift quite a bit. if im in grandpaw mode and driving
slow sometimes i just put it in neutral and coast.

 

i always downshift...very very rarely do i ever use the brakes (only to hold still at a red light) but other than that its ALL downshifting....much easier and it sounds cool....

 

I always downshift, specially if I'm towing a trailer. If I am going slow enough I bump the throttle and kick it out of gear without using the clutch. I have 140,000 and I am still on my original brakepads, downshifting and letting the engine do the work is probably why they have lasted so long, original clutch too. Also about 85% of my miles are towing pretty heavy.

 

I always downshift, and always use the exhaust brake, empty, or loaded to the max. 104k miles, original brakes still on the truck, fronts at about 50%, rears at about 40% life remaining.

 

i'm a cheap a** lol. reason i don't down shift is it bumps up the rpms, which means more fuel sucked down. any chance i can i coast. even my buddies drive way. the way it is, its sloped down to his house, and there is a little off shoot, well thats sloped to. so when i leave i take off the break, but it in neutral, and let the truck roll backwards till i can pull straight up the driveway

 

Wrong

In a diesel, It doesn't matter if you are turning 3000 rpm or 800 rpm, If your foots NOT in the throttle you are using the same amount of fuel.

 

I down shift and don't rely to heavily on the trailer brakes. I also forget some times that I have a brake pedal.

 

ok i was wrong.

 

Depends. Loaded always. If I think the light is about to change I will down shift and creep along so I don't have to stop.

 

If I think the light is about to change I will down shift and creep along so I don't have to stop.

im the same way, ill slow down waaaaay before the light
just so i can catch it when it turns green then eelout

 

I always down shift no matter what i'm doing, pulling, or headed it saves brake pads, slows you quicker and safer imo because in wet and icy weather it keeps traction better between the road and tires instead of the brakes potentially locking the tires in slick conditions also brings you to a slower stop rather than getting destracted or not paying attention and slammin on the brakes at the last second imo just my .02

 

I've had many people nearly rear-end me, especially in the dually, that exhaust brake will stop you about as fast as the service brakes, especially downshifting when it hits 2000rpm. I've also had numerous people stop and tell me my brake lights don't work. I then proceed to get in the truck, press the brakes and ask "they work now?". That instantly pisses them off

 

Only sissies use their brakes. lol. we down shift in our 06 TDI Jetta, no problems this far...

 

My grandpa drove truck for years and he taught me to drive a manual and downshift on decel. Worked for him for 30 somethin years.

 

kinda a combo of the two, i friggin LOVE to match it just right, so, it just glides into gear...arty018:

 

it wears out the clutch faster i'm pretty sure

 

Not if your a floater!

But yes, if you just slam it down a gear and slip the clutch you are definately not doing the clutch any favours

 

matching revs by blipping the throttle is much easier on your synchros if you use the clutch...

floating gears is hard on synchros in a tranny designed to be shifted w/ the clutch

 

floating gears is hard on synchros in a tranny designed to be shifted w/ the clutch

Not if you know what the hell your doing...

'trying' to float it and ramming and jamming it through gears is a real good way to destroy syncros.

Their are quite a few guys here, including myslef that have high milage trucks that have been floated all their life with no issues at all. My old beast shifts like a dream either floating it or using the clutch.

 

oooo.....idear time.....just put a ranger 10spd in the truck and be done with it.....like valleyoffroad did....YouTube - valleytruckoffroad's Channel

 

my old 83 6.2 chevy dump truck 3500 can hardly get out of its own way, but loaded down with material its a must for me to use the motor to slow down. I usually bring the motor up to speed and down shift like in a big rig.

If you cant find em, grind em!

 

i downshift when i come to a stop or when i'm slowing to a corner. But i never go below 3rd, i drive it the same way i drive our 18 speed eaton, except i skip a lot of gears in the International.

 

It all depends on what im doing. most of the time ill just brake until im almost at an idle then float it out of gear. i try to time the lights when i can and might come down a gear by rev matching. Going up though the gears i mostly use the clutch. ocassionally i float em all and sometimes ill float to 4th then clutch 5th and 6th. sometimes you just have to mix it up a little.