Manual Transmission Basics

While it's true that modern automatics, dual clutch transmissions, and CVT systems are faster than manual transmissions, there's something incredible about the experience of driving a manual. A manual transmission gives you complete control over your ride and makes the driving experience more enjoyable. However, there are a ton of important but confusing terms to know if you want to drive stick.

Manual Transmission Terms

In this article, we're going to talk about a few of the most important manual transmission terms and explain what they mean and why they're important. Check out the video below if you're interested in a more in-depth guide about the terms in this article.

What is Clutch Engagement?

Clutch engagement occurs when your clutch is pushed down against the flywheel and power is being transmitted from the engine, through the clutch and transmission, to the driveshaft. This occurs when you're driving and the pedal isn't being pushed in and allows you to put power to the ground.

What is Clutch Disengagement?

Clutch disengagement is when you push the clutch pedal in and the pressure plate separates. You only change gears while the clutch is disengaged.

What is Slipping the Clutch?

Also known as feathering the clutch, slipping the clutch is when you release the clutch pedal but you don't completely disengage it. The RPMs will go up and the car will start to move forward. But, the RPMs will stay consistent because power is getting through, but not completely. This is a perfectly normal part of driving a stick shift car.

Slipping the clutch happens almost exclusively in first gear and lets you drive off from a stop without stalling. When you hear people talk about the "biting point" or "balancing point" of a clutch, they're talking about slipping the clutch.

What is a Slipping Clutch?

A slipping clutch occurs when you have your foot fully off the pedal and the clutch is engaged, but the car is revving up and not moving forward. Clutch slipping can mean one of two things. Either the clutch is set up wrong, which isn't likely, or your clutch is worn out. If your clutch is worn out, there isn't enough material on the clutch and it will slip when you try to engage it. This means power isn't transferred to the ground properly and you can't move.

What is Riding the Clutch?

Riding the clutch is when you disengage the clutch to the biting point then keep it there so it doesn't fully disengage. You'll hear the RPMs go up and the car will move, but the clutch won't disengage like it should. Riding the clutch wears out the clutch quickly and can cause it to start slipping.

What is Double Clutching?

This is a commonly misused term in popular movies like The Fast and the Furious. Double clutching is when you press in the clutch to take the car out of gear, and then release it and press it in a second time to put it into the next gear.

Double clutching was originally used in vehicles with a manual transmission without synchronizers like commercial trucks. However, you can use it in cars with modern manual transmissions to help smooth out downshifts. It also reduces wear on the clutch, but it's not necessary in modern manual transmissions with synchros.

What is Heel-Toe Shifting?

Heel-toe shifting is similar to double clutching in that you're trying to keep your RPMs in the optimal range when downshifting. However, heel-toe shifting is more suited for the track than double clutching.

Heel-toe shifting occurs when you're coming into a corner and you start to press the brake with your toe. As you start to lose speed, the RPMs will start to drop. Then, slide your heel over to the gas pedal while you're pressing the clutch. Then, give the throttle some gas to get your RPMs in the optimal range for the downshift. This makes for a much smoother downshift and helps you keep your momentum through a corner.

Heel-toe shifting is hard and takes a ton of practice, so don't be upset if you don't get it on your first try.

What is Dumping the Clutch?

Also known as side-stepping or popping the clutch, dumping the clutch occurs when you take your foot of the clutch as fast as possible while revving the car up. You can dump the clutch by sliding your foot to the side or by lifting your foot off the clutch quickly. This gets your tires spinning really fast and can create a lot tire smoke.

This is mainly used in drag racing to grip up at the beginning of a run or in drifting to break the tires loose. This can damage your transmission if not done properly, so be careful.

What is a Clutch Kick?

Clutch kicking is very similar to dumping the clutch and occurs when you're driving and in gear already. You "kick" the clutch by pushing it in and releasing it very fast while moving. This gets the tires spinning and can help initiate a drift.

This is a potentially harmful manuever that should only be attempted after you're comfortable driving a stick. Clutch kicks can easily damage your transmission if you do it wrong.

What is Power Shifting?

The goal of power shifting is to shift as fast as possible without taking your foot off the gas. This is done by pushing in the clutch and shifting while your foot is fully engaging the throttle. Power shifting keeps you in the higher RPM range and gets you into the next gear as fast as possible.

This is very popular in drag racing because every second counts when trying to set a time. Just like heel-toe shifting and a few other terms we've talked about, power shifting takes practice to do correctly. It's very easy to damage your car while learning to power shift, so keep that in mind before attempting it.

If you find yourself looking to replace any damaged transmission parts in your Mustang from trying to learn how to power shift, we have what you need to get your ride ready to go again.

Get Out There and Try It Yourself

While it may seem overwhelming after learning all of these terms, learning how to drive a manual isn't nearly as hard as it sounds. Start by learning basic shifting. You can work your way up to more difficult techniques later. Driving stick is the best way to experience many of these old Mustangs and really makes the driving experience more enjoyable.

If you're interested in learning more, check out our article on automatic vs manual transmissions in Mustangs to see which is right for you.