In this episode of the Driving Instructor Masterclass, we’re taking a look at gears – everything from how to change gears smoothly, understanding gears and what gears are used in different situations. We’ll also be looking at how an automatic gearbox works too – even if you drive an automat...
What are gears Gears in a car are used for transmitting the power from the crankshaft (the rotating axle that takes all the power from the engine) to the driveshaft running under the car – this basically powers the wheels. The gears are a key skill in driving – without them, you won’t be get...
Understanding gearsWhen you first start out, you’ll be using first and second gear – these are the ones that’ll get you going and keep you going along at a slower speed. Gears are all about control and the lower gears give you more control and power to get you going to start with. Think of 1...
How to change gears in a carSo you’re moving along in 1st gear, you take your foot off the gas, clutch goes in and you move the gear lever into second gear. Your foot them comes off the clutch and you put your foot back on the gas. This is the same for any gear change you wish you make – you ...
What gears to use in different situationsEvery car is different but as a rule of thumb, if you imagine there is a 0 in front of your gear number, this is the speed you’ll get before you need to go up to the next gear. For example, if you’re in gear 2 you’ll get the speed of between 20-29mph, ...
What is the difference between cars with 5 gears and cars with 6?The gear ratios are usually closer together in a 6-speed gear box over a 5-speed gearbox. The idea for this is to improve fuel economy by making the engine run closer to the ideal Revs Per Minute (the lowest RPM an engine can run and ...
Visualise those gear patternsWhen you change gear on the gearstick you will notice the odd numbers are at the top, and the even numbers on the bottom – and the gears work in a top to bottom format (1 top, 2 bottom, 3 top and so on). It’s worth getting used to these gear patterns before even tur...
What is your examiner looking for in your test?In your driving test your examiner will be expecting to see you confidently use gears and keep control of the car with your gear selections, as well as selecting the appropriate gears for your speed. You need to show that you understand how gears work ...