Brake or Gear down

[TVR-190]

When you guys are driving down a hill do you throw it back a gear rather then riding the brakes, or is this bad for your transmission.

Idealy you just give short taps on the brakes but does gearing down do damage to your gearbox. Cheers.

[nicko]

im guessing you talking about an auto?

In my manual i use the gears to hold the car back down steed long hills. 4th gear holds 85kays fairly well and 3rd holds 70 on any slope without the brakes. Very handy and saves the old pads

[TVR-190]

yes auto mate

[nicko]

do it in the old mans ford (auto) when towing and going down hills. Nothing wrong with doing it unless you drop her back to 1st lol

[TVR-190]

i was doing it on the last JC cruise to keep the VP at 80 going down a big ass hill, who else does it and has it caused any problems?

[stocky]

ive heard bad things about doing it in an auto. theres too many mixed opinions on it

[immortality]

doing it in a auto should be fine. just don't drop it down a manner thats going to cause the engine to rev it's head off. i always down shift in an auto when running down a moderate slope to stop it accelerating.

[Tom_1569]

I do alot of country and high country driving, theres only one way ive even been taught to drive around there... GEARDOWN, save the brakes for a real emergancy, though I always drive manual around there anyway.
Though did take the VT auto up there a couple of weeks back, gearerdown, electronic shift, it wouldnt drop it to 3rd or 2nd until I had braked and slowed down, thus making the whole point, pointless. Just had to take it really easy and avoid building to much speed up and making sure the brakes wernt getting to hot.

[azkwazere]

This has been covered alot and it seems there is no real soloution as to whats better...

Saving breaks for an emergency is crap.. thats the hand brakes jobs. It should be a mix of breaking and transmissioning but in general, in an auto, id say no.

aZk.

[Morton]

I personally used to gear down quite a bit, but my auto box was built to take it. On a standard box I would try to avoid it. The T700s tend to grow weary of down-shifting over time.

[padrickz88]

I do it alot becuase i hate sitting behind someone going down a hil and there constantly on there brakes....
Everyday on my way to work i throw it in 3rd coming down the westgate and other hills just to keep a nice steady speed....

I dont know about other people but I've found my auto to be pretty good considering i manually shift up and down a fair amount and been doing it for over 2 years now.... 100% stock box...

I guess it all just depends on at what speed you throw it down a gear

[Philthy]

I usually keep it in 3rd up to about 80 anyway. At 80+ I keep it in 4th at all but the steepest hills

[greenacc]

I use 3rd coming down decent hills. I only use 2nd on real serious slopes with hair pins and stuff. I have been told to use 3rd around the suburbs below 80 to save the trany constantly shifting up and down 3rd -4th-3rd but rarely do it. depends how you drive too

[6 shooter]

This has been covered alot and it seems there is no real soloution as to whats better...

Saving breaks for an emergency is crap.. thats the hand brakes jobs. It should be a mix of breaking and transmissioning but in general, in an auto, id say no.

aZk.

Isnt the handbrakes job to help get around corners faster?

I know in a manual youd find you save gas slowing down with gears. aint to sure but id say an autos similar, and if its good for an auto or not i wouldnt have a clue

[burnsy150]

would driving around in 3rd all the time during city km's cause premature wear to the converter? as it's continually locking up and unlocking

[Haydz]

Troy it is fine to use the auto to do that when going down a hill etc. but if you do what i done with my auto and do it every shift. it will decrease the life of your box. considerably.

but if you slow down enough before you put it into gear it will be fine and definitely a lot better than riding the brakes. if anything get it serviced more regularly.

and upshifting is fine with an auto. it is actually better for the gearbox. but the clutches on the auto boxes dont like being down shifted..

hope that helps if you have any more questions just let me know.. you added me to msn so that will do

[hingo1983]

Down shift all the way! I change down gear in steep sections to keep a good speed. Nothing worse than hitting the brakes too much and finding a sharp corner near the end and having brake fade.