Any tips on driving a stick?

[mauve66]

To get a feel for where the clutch catches, put the ranger in 4-low.  You should be able to let the clutch out and not have to hit the gas.  When you get the hang of that take it out of 4-low.  Thats how I learned to drive my 94 Jeep Cherokee in my back yard.

your avatars' not a pic of your backyard is it??

[green69rt]

  A real simple way to get a feel for engaging the clutch is to adjust the engine idle up on the carb to something like 1300 RPM, then on level ground push in the clutch pedal, put the trans in first gear then just practice letting the clutch out slowly and smoothly until the vehicle is underway (Without touching the accelerator pedal), then push the clutch in and apply the brakes to come to a stop then start all over again.

exactly how i would teach, (even if you don't have a carb equipped vehicle to practice on, the principle is still the same) you have to get used to hearing/feeling the moment of engagment (keep the stereo off) let the clutch out slowly until you hear/feel it then push it back in, REPEAT it until you get comfortable with the angle of your leg doing this than move to the next step, adding the accelerator pedal as you let COMPLETELY off the clutch pedal then push it back in and come to a stop then REPEAT until its smooth. don't be in a rush to get to 5th gear, 2-5th gear changes are easy once you get the feel down in 1st gear

This is the way I learned and it works ok.  It took a while but it works!  I had a brother that tried to teach me on a hill and all that happened it that I ended up stalling out when I panicked and popped the clutch.  Keep woking at it, it takes practice so practice whenever you can.  soon it will become automatic and you will wonder why people make a big deal of it.

[Old Moparz]

It's always best to learn how to drive stick on someone else's car.   

[Brightyellow69rtse]

If it helps I could loan you my father and he could holler at you for even the slightest error.  It didn't seem like much help at the time when he did it to me but I seemed to figure it out anyway so it must not have hurt. 

lol maybe we got the same dad. i thought he was gonna stroke out on me. the first time i took it out i went from 4th to first lmao. the cars got 4.10s so i wasnt going too fast. but i tell ya she her ass was hoping all over the road after that one.

after a while youll be drinking a coffee, playing with your i pod while texting on your cell phone, and bangin through the gears and not even realize your shifitng. its a natural thing after a while.

[Ghoste]

Until you get caught in stop and go traffic and your left leg turns to rubber, then you will curse the day you ever learned to drive a stick.

[aussiemuscle]

Just rev 'er up to about 2800 rpm and let the clutch pedal go   That should get ya moving

when i taught other people to drive stick shift, i've had to repeat over and over "go slow with the clutch"...

[suntech]

Aaah yes, to be 15 again.  I had a bodacious blonde teach me how to drive her /6 '70, 3 speed Camaro when I was that age.
I was to eventually own it so she was "teaching" me.

Sounds like good old days..............beeing 15, and have a blonde to teach you how to use the stick!! 

[472 R/T SE]

Aaah yes, to be 15 again.  I had a bodacious blonde teach me how to drive her /6 '70, 3 speed Camaro when I was that age.
I was to eventually own it so she was "teaching" me.

Sounds like good old days..............beeing 15, and have a blonde to teach you how to use the stick!! 

She worked for my Mom, seems my Mom always had lookers for friends or co workers.

I remember being taken to Ellis, the next town over to stay with my grandma so my Mom & the girls could go out on the town.
Jean, (the stacked blond) was in back with me.  We barely got out of town and Jean was buttoning up her blouse.  The things I did to her with my eyes...

[Skinypete]

To get a feel for where the clutch catches, put the ranger in 4-low.  You should be able to let the clutch out and not have to hit the gas.  When you get the hang of that take it out of 4-low.  Thats how I learned to drive my 94 Jeep Cherokee in my back yard.

your avatars' not a pic of your backyard is it??

No thats not my backyard...That was a mistake taking a stock jeep into a puddle (correction lake) that i didn't know how deep it was.

[NHCharger]

I learned on a "three on the tree". It's just a matter of practice. Starting on a hill can be tricky for a beginner since it involves heel/toe work between the brake and gas.

[CharcoalCharger]

I first learned to drive stick on a really old Datsun pickup my uncle had on his farm when I was 13.  He told me to get it out from the barn.  It had dust/crap all over it from the chickens.  He told me to wash it and drive it up to the field he was in, we had loaded it with fertilizer.  I had no trouble getting it out of the barn, but where I parked it to wash it was a slight incline.  I never could get the truck going after I washed it.  I even drifted back pretty far.  After I didn't show up when I was supposed to, my uncle came back down.  In 5 minutes he taught me how to drive it and every car, except 2, that I have had since then have been stick.  I had to get autos, the wife can't drive stick.  It does just take practice.  Soon you'll be driving around and you won't have to "think" about what you are doing...and you'll love it. 

[LeadfootBob]

The really fun part is learning to drive a range/split box in a big rig... 6 gears, each with a split and a second pattern on top (1-6, 1-6/split, 7-12, 7-12/split). The first few weeks is all guesswork, especially while traversing intersections or going up hills with a load in the back. Thankfully my first real "rig" was a Scania with the 14.3 liter (880 cui or so), 500 horseys and over 1000nm's of torque. Started in fifth gear without the least hint of hesitation if I felt like beating up the driveshafts a bit 

[Road Dog]

Learn on gravel or dirt. Less apt to stall and abit easier on the vehicle too.

[RECHRGD]

When I was 13 my Dad had a new '61 corvette with a 4 speed.  We lived on a deadend street with a pretty good incline.  He would reward me when I cleaned and waxed it for him by letting drive it up and down the street.  With the seat as far front as it would go and a couple of pillows under my butt, I could just barely reach the pedals.  After a few stalls and a few black streaks on the road, I got the hang of it.  Needless to say that corvette was the cleanest in town.   Bob

[68X426]

Hey BIRD67: haven't you heard? It's the era of being green and enviro-conscious! Take public transit! 

[oldrock]

You have already received some great advice but I will just say bumping up the idle is one of the most helpful things you can do when starting out. Takes one of the harder things out of the equation when trying to learn how to let the clutch out slow so you don't bog the engine. The other thing I always tell people is to try to rollyour foot up using the heel of your left foot as a pivot. It gives you alot more control on letting the clutch out smoothly. I've taught several people how to drive a stick and with the heel roll trick plus the fast idle, it usually only takes a couple hours and they have the hang of it.
Good luck and enjoy! Driving a stick is alot of fun

[PocketThunder]

Needless to say that corvette was the cleanest in town.   Bob

I bet!      

[bigred68]

"Any tips on driving a stick?"
DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT

[chargergirl]

  A real simple way to get a feel for engaging the clutch is to adjust the engine idle up on the carb to something like 1300 RPM, then on level ground push in the clutch pedal, put the trans in first gear then just practice letting the clutch out slowly and smoothly until the vehicle is underway (Without touching the accelerator pedal), then push the clutch in and apply the brakes to come to a stop then start all over again.

exactly how i would teach, (even if you don't have a carb equipped vehicle to practice on, the principle is still the same) you have to get used to hearing/feeling the moment of engagment (keep the stereo off) let the clutch out slowly until you hear/feel it then push it back in, REPEAT it until you get comfortable with the angle of your leg doing this than move to the next step, adding the accelerator pedal as you let COMPLETELY off the clutch pedal then push it back in and come to a stop then REPEAT until its smooth. don't be in a rush to get to 5th gear, 2-5th gear changes are easy once you get the feel down in 1st gear

About to suggest the same you guys have it down. I, according to my mom, "cut my teeth on a stick". Up and down hills in Maui. Great turns. I'm getting my 5 speed back and looking forward to making her "chirp" in all five gears. Get used to the clutch first. Don't touch the gas...figure out where she starts to sputter...right before the head banging lurch. You'll find that you will get this relatively quickly. My moms final test was a hairpin turn at a 45 degree angle...she reached over and turned off the key in a VW Bug. I rarely had yelled at my mom...I hit the brakes and the clutch, pulled the emergency brake and restarted the car, while telling her she had lost her mind. She smiled and said your ready to take your test! You'll make it if you follow their instructions...easily!