Thread: New. How to drive

Hi Jack

Welcome to the forum.

In my Defender the slow I change gears the smoother it is, also when changing from first to second I try to flip it a bit sideways so it goes into neutral in between.

Cheers
Simon

Its a Fender they all clunk, probablly not really your driving. Usually worn rear a fame ball joint or uni's.
Have fun.

When changing gears dont be to hasty to get the thing into the next gear depress the clutch fully then select the next gear slowy releasing the clutch pedal after the gear has been selected if your releasing the clutch to quickly it will jerk and clunk

You have to allow the synco's time to match the speed of the rest of the box so just change a bit slower and make sure youve got the clutch fully depressed.

As my old man used to say, "It's not a bloody crowbar" so you dont have to force it.

Dont worry about your age, your more mature than a lot of people already that are a lot older than you as there are people out there that wouldnt bother asking the question and wear the dog teath down on the syncro's and then complain about reliability.

Good on ya mate, get a landy fir your first car, something like a S3 will stop your mates from wanting to borrow it and will weed out who your real friends are as well as you will never be asked to run everyone around.

Just make sure you are slow and deliberate with the gear changes, defender ghearboxes don't like to be quick.

I know how you feel my daughter is just about ready to go for her licence, she has been learning in the defender, smooth gear changes were a challenge for her too, but she's got the hang of it now. The heavy clutch certainly doesn't help.

Stick with it once you get the hang of the defender nothing else will bother you.


Martyn

Hi Mate
Welcome aboard.
Learn how to double clutch,it allows everything the time in the box to speed match.The benefit to you is if you evere get a truck licence later you already know how to double clutch,many have trouble getting their heads around it!!!!!
Its easy,clutch in and out as the shifter goes into neutral,clutch in again shift into the next gear.Use it both for up and down shifting.
Have a practice it should fix your problem once you get the timing right!!!!!
Andrew

Just make sure when you double that you are in neutral before you release the clutch as this can damage the box if your halfway in the dog teeth on the syncro as it will try to then kick it out.

When I went for my truck licence they had to train me out of double clutching in the syncro boxed MR as we had to drive both.

I suggest you give it a go but if you just shift to neutral and give the stick a little sidways wiggle and then into the next gear or just stop for a split second between gears and slide it in smoothly you should be fine.

Just practice your clutch control as well as you could be getting off the clutch to quick as well or not depressing it far enough.

Good luck mate and drive heaps, the more practice you get now the better driver you will be when you dont have Dad with you.

The double clutching will become a nesecity if you end up with the bug bad enough to buy a Series 2 Landy
Andrew