Why is that when not driving at slow speeds it is very difficult shift into first gear?

Question

I've driven over three cars so far in my lifetime and it is usually the case.

Think someone misunderstood my question. Nothing is wrong with my car! Imagine you are driving at 30mph then suddenly you wanted to shift into first gear (not that I really want to), don't you feel that there's some sort of blocking force preventing you from doing that?

Answer 1

Let me put it simply. The engine works harder to spin faster. That means that when you downshift and make it spin faster, it will require extra work. The car "wants" to stay in the gears easiest to turn, so unless you give it some more gas, it will not "want" to downshift and once there it will cause decelleration (engine braking).

Answer 2

Actually Obby it's a popular question. If you knew the gear ratios of your manual transmission we could mathematically figure it out in a minute. Basically as you shift down while slowing down each time you step on the clutch and shift down, the synchronizeor rings have to mesh and speed up the next gear cluster before sliding into gear. Every things working fairly well until we shift from second to first gear. When this takes place the overall gear ratio between first and second gear is numerically the highest gear split. The syncronizers need more time to speed up the low gear cluster because of the wider ratio between first and second gear. If you have the opportunity to shift a close ratio Muncy 4 speed M21 gear box in an older Corvette do it. It shifts like so much butter because the gear ratio splits are very small. The syncro. rings barely need to slow down or speed up when the clutch is in and rapidly shift gears.

Answer 3

Whenever you downshift you should double-clutch. This is a technique for matching the revs of the motor to the transmission.
Shift out of the higher gear and into neutral and release the clutch.
Blip the gas pedal to raise the RPMs to near where they should be for the lower gear.
Step on the clutch and engage the lower gear. You will find that it goes in much easier. It is easier on your synchros and on your clutch. Using rev matching, you can even shift without using the clutch at all.

The next level of driving proficiency is called heel-and-toe. It is not really heel and toe but actually uses the right side of your foot to blip the gas for a downshift while you are braking. This is used by all race drivers (with appropriate cars) as it keeps excess wear from your clutch and tranny.


Also, do not downshift when you are going to stop. This wears the clutch and synchros. Brakes are for stopping, not trannys.

Answer 4

First gear is usually only used for taking off from a start. Because the gear ratio is so high numerically compared to the other gears that to shift into it at any speed above a crawl would require the engine RPMs to be extremely high.

Answer 5

Either you weren't going slow enough for the synchros to mesh the gears properly or you transmissions were not ''fully synchro''. I'm going to say you have to slow down because most transmissions in the last ten or fifteen years have been fully synchronized, even most trucks.

Answer 6

dont want to do that, it will tear up your tranny. reason why it is difficult to shift to first gear is because of torque.

Answer 7

Your tranny is going out due to ware and tear and/or not being serviced when it should.