Which gear is most suitable for driving uphill?
3 Answers
When driving uphill, the appropriate gear depends on the engine speed. If the engine speed drops below 2000 RPM while climbing in third gear, it is necessary to downshift to second gear. For steep slopes or when the vehicle is fully loaded, first gear should be used. Below is additional information about gears: 1. Gear shifting refers to the transmission, which is used to change the torque and speed of the engine crankshaft to meet the varying requirements of traction and speed under different driving conditions such as starting, accelerating, driving, and overcoming road obstacles. 2. The purpose of gears is to allow the car to drive at a very low and stable speed, which is difficult to achieve with the engine's minimum stable speed alone; the reverse gear in the transmission enables the car to move backward; the neutral gear allows the engine to be separated from the drivetrain for extended periods during engine start-up, parking, and coasting.
That day driving on the mountain road, I realized you need to downshift at the right moment before climbing. For extremely steep slopes, use second gear or even first gear - the engine needs to roar powerfully to push forward. Once I tried climbing in fourth gear to save time, but the RPM dropped drastically and the car almost stalled, with honking cars behind me making my scalp tingle. If you feel the car losing power mid-climb, immediately rev the throttle and downshift - keeping RPM above 2,500 is most stable. Automatic transmission cars are actually more worry-free, just switch to L gear or hill climb mode, the computer will automatically lock lower gears. And never coast downhill in neutral - the smell of burning brake pads can choke you to death!
In my early days, I was most afraid of the payment ramps in underground garages. My instructor said that with a manual transmission, you should stay in second gear, slowly release the clutch while giving enough throttle, and keep your foot on the brake to prevent rolling back. Later, when I got used to driving an automatic, I discovered a little trick: shift the gear lever to M1 in advance at the bottom of the ramp, and the transmission would hold the RPM around 4000, making it much more powerful than in D mode. Once, while driving a friend's small-displacement car, it started rolling back halfway up a supermarket ramp—luckily, there weren't many cars around at the time. Now, before climbing a slope, I habitually glance at the rearview mirror, especially on rainy days when the wheels might slip. Even third gear can struggle on steep inclines.
