Is it bad to down shift my auto VT?

[Heffer_Slayer]

Well guys as the title says, Is it bad for my trans if i down shift the vt? Upon down shifting rev's don't get over 3,000 so they are not huge down shifts but i figured i better ask up before i get into a habit of doing it all the time.

Cheers!
Oh and if it isn't good for my car (note car is stock standard, see sig) is there a way to make it safe for me to do? Maybe ditch the button to 2nd but leave it for first?

[edals]

I dont think it is bad, Might just put a bit more wear on the transmission thats all. But I dont like doing it cause its jerky. I will up shift from take off just to hold the revs a bit more.

[STEALTHY™]

People will tell you it damages it, but they are full of crap.

It will only shift down when its ready to, even if you physically put the shifter into a lower gear....

[Heffer_Slayer]

People will tell you it damages it, but they are full of crap.

It will only shift down when its ready to, even if you physically put the shifter into a lower gear....

Yer a mate of mine told me that its really bad for my car and it will wreck my trans

I only do it when im coming to a stop anyway, just helps with the braking, and mine isn't jerky at all its really smooth. Only thing that annoys me is the stupid button, with it was just like from 4th to 3rd.

So im 100% doing no harm to my car?

[STEALTHY™]

I've never heard of someone blowing a trans from downshifting.

Rev - 1st yes, but any forward gears and down no.

[Heffer_Slayer]

Anyway to remove the need to press the button from 3rd to 2nd? But keep it for 1st, rev, park and Net?

[TVR-190]

Anyway to remove the need to press the button from 3rd to 2nd? But keep it for 1st, rev, park and Net?

Police spec commos had it so they could downshift to 2nd without pressing the button. just a spring removal or something i think

[And_ROOS]

I do it down steep hills so i dont need to use brakes, never had an issue with mine on my S1 VT and been doing it ages. Meanwhile my mates VS auto sh*t itself, he blamed downshifting but he 1. seldom did it and 2. flogged his car to the shitter.

[STEALTHY™]

I do it down steep hills so i dont need to use brakes, never had an issue with mine on my S1 VT and been doing it ages. Meanwhile my mates VS auto sh*t itself, he blamed downshifting but he 1. seldom did it and 2. flogged his car to the shitter.

And 3, probably never checked the fluid (the main cause of killing a trans)

[Corbs1234]

i used to do the 'downshift' in my first car, a s1 VT, never had a problem.
Although, something to add, i found that downshifting whilst going around a corner on a dirt road caused the back wheels to instantly lose traction (almost like ripping up the E brake) and it made for some awesome drifting action lol. Downshift and then plant the foot.
However this was when i was 16, young ignorant and stupid, in a car which i didnt pay for myself.
even if it doesnt hurt the trans, its best to use the brakes to slow the car down, its what they're there for.

[leigh 7005]

it will premuturly wear the clutches in the trans thats about all and it can damage the trans if you do compression lock ups after awhile

[andypantz69]

i've never had a problem downshifting in my vx, and i do it every now and then. the car won't downshift until the revs are low enough anyway. so i wouldn't be stressing that it'll do any harm to the box.
chrres. andy

[Brail]

I used to live on a real steep hill and used down shift going on it simply because I kept getting that feeling that if anyone pulled out on me the breaks would probably lock up if I was going to quick. So that was once a day every day for a few years and I never had any transmission problems. Other than real steep hills I don't see any need for it personally.

[Tsunamix]

Couple of pointers here.

Brakes are made for slowing. gearboxes are made to change output ratios in line with speed. using the gearbox as a brake is not it's primary function.

The design parametrs usedo n gearboxes don't include 'using it as a brake'. You will get increased wear on the gearbox if you do this.

That being said, I hade mine manualised (when not in drive) so I had more control, and I too downshift to brake. I expect greater wear.

Note that racing drivers don't use engine braking - straight cut gears don't engage so well on the downshift.

[BOGANV8]

Yer a mate of mine told me that its really bad for my car and it will wreck my trans

I only do it when im coming to a stop anyway, just helps with the braking, and mine isn't jerky at all its really smooth. Only thing that annoys me is the stupid button, with it was just like from 4th to 3rd.

So im 100% doing no harm to my car?

I fix mine by modifying the shifter while to car was apart i just filed the plastic gate between 3rd & 2nd so that it goes into 2nd with out using the button but i still need the button for 1st.. Its real easy to do..

[normie666]

my mate blew a seal on his trans by doing this

[STEALTHY™]

my mate blew a seal on his trans by doing this

my mates cousins uncles sisters neighbour type thing ay

[drift-it]

my shifter is worn to the sh*t house so when i down shift i can go from D to 1 without touching the button...up shifting is a bit trikier as it goes straight to P if ya not careful...D to R results in engine stall to if ya didnt know:S
BTW i didnt do D to R intentionally.

[_R_J_K_]

Although, something to add, i found that downshifting whilst going around a corner on a dirt road caused the back wheels to instantly lose traction (almost like ripping up the E brake) and it made for some awesome drifting action lol. Downshift and then plant the foot.

This is called compression lock. You downshift and the wheels begin to spin slower because of the gear you're in and the speed you're going.

[qxluciferxp]

okay seriously people if you think you know what your talking about don't post it's so irratating if you know what your talking about then sure post. Downshifting is fine aslong as your not trying to gun it whilst doing it, it helps with slowing down because your car is trying to say be in 3rd gear whilst going at a 5th gear pace............ AND WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS THE IDIOT WHO HAS A VX S2 AND NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT GOING DOWN A HILL CAUSE HE THINKS HIS BRAKES WILL LOCK UP????!???? have you heard of ABS its not just 4 show ya know dude jesus.

now for the question if you have bad downshift check ya fluids have a major service if it still does it after that don't do it easy as right, you shouldnt need to downshift theres no point leaving it in drive is more efficient when braking so let the do it's job and if you thrash your car (i do in mine gotta love being a p plater) prepare to have engine hickups and things pop up that wern't there before

[Nobody Actually]

okay seriously peopleif you think you know what your talking about don't post it's so irratating if you know what your talking about then sure post. Downshifting is fine aslong as your not trying to gun it whilst doing it, it helps with slowing down because your car is trying to say be in 3rd gear whilst going at a 5th gear pace............ AND WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS THE IDIOT WHO HAS A VX S2 AND NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT GOING DOWN A HILL CAUSE HE THINKS HIS BRAKES WILL LOCK UP????!???? have you heard of ABS its not just 4 show ya know dude jesus.

now for the question if you have bad downshift check ya fluids have a major service if it still does it after that don't do it easy as right, you shouldnt need to downshift theres no point leaving it in drive is more efficient when braking so let the do it's job and if you thrash your car (i do in mine gotta love being a p plater) prepare to have engine hickups and things pop up that wern't there before

Is this the way you talk in normal conversations? The "idiot" in the vx was, I think meaning that on a steep down hill he's down shifting to keep at a more manageable speed for quick braking rather than riding the brakes all the way down.

Try some sentence structure. You sound retarded.

[lufkin]

well said slapnuts

[edals]

my shifter is worn to the sh*t house so when i down shift i can go from D to 1 without touching the button...up shifting is a bit trikier as it goes straight to P if ya not careful...D to R results in engine stall to if ya didnt know:S
BTW i didnt do D to R intentionally.

Oh Thats great to know. I have always been worried if i push up to hard ill hit reverse and watch my transmission explode lol Would that be the same in a VR?

[drift-it]

Oh Thats great to know. I have always been worried if i push up to hard ill hit reverse and watch my transmission explode lol Would that be the same in a VR?

not sure as VR is a hydraulic box (i think) but in my case i've done this twice and its just stalled twice..didnt lock up or anything. just rolled.

[Heffer_Slayer]

Try some sentence structure. You sound retarded.

+1

I only do it to slow down, down a hill a necessity i find it, as i experience the same troubles. My car doesn't have ABS and its generally down a dirt hill, otherwise its just a downshift to kick it down to 2nd and the revs gera round 2-2.5k 3 at most. I was thinking about it logically before, and the trans does the same thing while your going up a hill...

If your in the wrong gear it WILL shift down automatically to get you up the hill or if your loosing speed, i assume its basically the same thing when you manually do it.

I do NOT use it to "drift" or be a hoon on the roads, i just find it much easier to slow down. Coming from riding 4st dirt bikes its just something you do. You really get over all that silly stuff once you see the news.....friends of mine knew the people who died down mill park./childs road. Sad, but when you do stupid things, expect stupid things to happen.