shifting down while braking
- Thread starter BSok
- 16 comments
- 3,193 views
- 2,747
- Morgoth_666
Just don't shift down too fast. If you over-rev the engine by too much - such as if you shift straight from sixth to second as soon as you start braking - the game will engage the clutch on you(or something similar... the RPM will still go really high) and you won't gain any advantage. It almost feels like it takes even longer to decelerate when you do that, but that may just be because I always expect some help from the engine. This prevents a particular form of cheating common in some other games.
I'm sure sooner or later someone will come in and say that engine braking is useless and everything is solely determined by the grip of the tires. At some point you'll just have to decide what you believe. I find I get better results by shifting down as I decelerate, whether it just helps my timing in some way or it makes it somehow easier to maintain control while braking I don't know. I just know it seems to work for me.
I'm sure sooner or later someone will come in and say that engine braking is useless and everything is solely determined by the grip of the tires. At some point you'll just have to decide what you believe. I find I get better results by shifting down as I decelerate, whether it just helps my timing in some way or it makes it somehow easier to maintain control while braking I don't know. I just know it seems to work for me.
- 796
- Belgium
- ANNIHILATOR90
It does, try some of the license tests where you have to accelerate and then come to a stop again. If you downshift your time would most likely be better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV4TLN7gSnM#t=3m25s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV4TLN7gSnM#t=3m25s
fitftw
(Banned)
- 1,642
- Rave2Grave
It's called "heel-toe downshifting" in real life. The goal is to avoid shifting down before the revs drop to around 5,000rpm or else you'll bang off the rev limiter and in real life you'll blow up your engine.
It does help you stop faster than just braking in gear and putting it in whatever gear you need when you need to accelerate again.
It does help you stop faster than just braking in gear and putting it in whatever gear you need when you need to accelerate again.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
The video only proves that choosing a lower gear adds a braking effect to the transmission/engine, it does not mean you will stop any faster. Once you reach the limits of adhesion of the tires, you have reached maximum braking, whether it's from the brakes only or a combination of transmission and brakes. Just because there is a braking effect from the drivetrain, doesn't magically increase the adhesion of the tires.
- 7,765
- Yorkshire
- ScapeGoat4U
- WhippingBoy
It does, yes. However, in some cars with ABS set to off, it will cause the rear tyres to lock up if you down shift early for the purpose of engine braking, especially when shifting from 3rd to 2nd. In these cars it's best not to engine brake at all, for instance try the TVR RM on Sports Hard tyres at Fuji F with the Vehicle Tuning Prohibited box ticked in the lobby. That car doesn't like early down shifts for engine braking.
- 796
- Belgium
- ANNIHILATOR90
Yes true, perhaps that wasn't helpfull, although I posted more than just that video.
Anyway, I did some testing on Route X, and to be fairly honest... didn't notice a difference, always stopped on the same spot with and without downshifting.
I do notice downshifting can help when taking corners.
fitftw
(Banned)
- 1,642
- Rave2Grave
It helps you get on the power quicker. Let's say you're going 150mph and the corner coming up requires 50mph. If you slow down in 5th and have to downshift 3 times right WHEN you need to accelerate, you just lost a lot of time vs. downshifting while braking BEFORE accelerating.
- 128
- New York
- lik3theangel05
- 1,804
- Pennsylvania
- dayofwar2009
- PSN#2 Roob_OG
Heel toe is done to match the revs of the engine when you shift down through the gears. Reduces wear on the engine, doesn't upset the balance of the car.
Why would you not downshift during braking? Thats like driving 101, thats just regular street driving, not even considering racing.
Why would you not downshift during braking? Thats like driving 101, thats just regular street driving, not even considering racing.
- 640
- North East Engl
- byegad
With a manual gearbox and good ABS dipping the clutch and hitting the brakes will give you the shortest possible braking distance. As a wheel locks up the ABS will release it and re-apply it to get maximum braking effect.
Without ABS changing down may lock up the rear wheels.
Without ABS changing down may lock up the rear wheels.
- 1,804
- Pennsylvania
- dayofwar2009
- PSN#2 Roob_OG
Yea, if your dumb and shift down to early. Thats a lot of stress on the drivetrain.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
The engine braking effect is different on every car and changes with how you tune it. If you are at the limits of the car, you will sometimes find that downshifting at a certain point in the corner, while braking and cornering, upsets the balance of the car. In that case, it's often preferential to delay the last downshift until the last possible second or sometimes not to downshift at all.
The opposite is also true. On some corners, particularly negative camber or flat corners, cars can tend to understeer a bit, even well tuned ones, in which case downshifting to upset the car into oversteer actually makes you faster and sets you up for a better exit.
- 1,804
- Pennsylvania
- dayofwar2009
- PSN#2 Roob_OG
Edit - Actually. I will just step out of this conversation.
- 2,073
- Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- mrvajj
Engine braking does not stop the car any quicker in real life, all it does is put unnecessary stress on the engine and drive train. You are far better off to simply select the correct gear just before you want to accelerate again and go for it. In GT5 it may make a difference, but as mentioned, if you've got ABS off you risk locking the rear of the vehicle and unsettling the balance of the car on the way into the corner (possibly the worst time to lose the balance of the car).
Brakes are for slowing, gears are for going.
Brakes are for slowing, gears are for going.
