How to Downshift for Overtaking Without Jerking?
1 Answers
Reduce speed before downshifting. If you downshift without reducing speed first, jerking is inevitable. Jerking occurs when the gear ratio and throttle are mismatched. Properly reduce your speed, depress the clutch, and as you release the clutch, simultaneously apply the throttle. This ensures quick acceleration without jerking. With good coordination between the throttle and clutch, and by releasing the clutch slowly, you can avoid jerking altogether. Below are specific methods for downshifting to overtake without jerking: 1. The moment you upshift, the engine speed drops immediately while the vehicle speed remains constant. Additionally, as the transmission gear ratio decreases, the torque output from the engine to the wheels also decreases. After completing the upshift, you accelerate by pressing the throttle, but due to the reduced torque output, the acceleration is relatively slow. Conversely, the moment you downshift, the engine speed increases immediately while the vehicle speed remains constant. At the same time, as the transmission gear ratio increases, the torque output from the engine to the wheels also increases. 2. After completing the downshift, you typically reduce speed by easing off the throttle (so-called deceleration downshifting). Due to the increased torque output, pressing the throttle at this point generates significant acceleration, allowing the vehicle to speed up quickly. This meets the requirements for overtaking, as overtaking demands instant high acceleration. The acceleration produced by upshifting and pressing the throttle is far less than that produced by downshifting and pressing the throttle. Although the latter may cause the engine speed to exceed the normal range temporarily, it quickly returns to normal after overtaking.
