Question for my fellow manual drivers out there - Page 3 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

OHIOSS · 06-11-2015, 06:46 PM

I have a 2010 SS w/ 29K miles and the clutch is the same as yours. I have had other manual transmission vehicles and the clutch engagement would engage when the clutch pedal was much closer to the floor. I actually had the dealer check my clutch because I thought maybe it was set up incorrectly since mine engages when the pedal is almost all the way up like yours. The dealer checked and said everything was to spec so I guess it's that way on all of our cars. What I've had a hard time getting used to is realizing you don't have to push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor when I push it in to shift.

dantemcc · 06-11-2015, 07:18 PM

I never shift gears by pressing the clutch to the floor. Not in my car or my truck. I always shift just slightly pass the bite point and come up off it. I realized though, the harder I drive Bee, the easier and smoother the shifts are. I.e. if im going onto an on ramp to a highway and get into it.

BurnedRubber · 06-11-2015, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeless Man

If u have to start in second gear so u don't jerk it then u need to learn how to drive manual better. This was my first manual and it's fine for me.

don't listen to this guy, im sure you drive stick just fine. my 1-2 is the same way sometimes but i have just kind of learned how to eliminate the jerk. i never start in 2nd, im sure i could! but i prefer to just use 1st.

EastWood-SS · 06-11-2015, 09:21 PM

yes to all of the above. Clutch engagement at 3/4 up, sometimes rough to transition from first to second. I've found to just go immediately into second at low speed and it'll go smooth as butter. Or start in second. the car can handle it.

Spec · 06-11-2015, 09:41 PM

I often start in 2nd gear. When I start in 1st, I have to give it very little gas for me to go in normal traffic because if I don't I'm loud and fast and have to shift like I'm racing from 1st to 2nd then 3rd. Its a bit uncomfortable for normal driving... but sure, Killer when I give it WOT...

1st for me is for when I want to have fun and am feeling 'frisky'... lol. 2nd for when I'm in traffic at a light just trying to get some place... don't want to show off, and simply want to smoothly accelerate by not having to knock gears so damn fast..

No stutter tho from 1st to 2nd at any time, just the ole chirp from the rears. With the clutch so high and a mess of power, its hard to avoid that.

2010reddevil · 06-11-2015, 09:48 PM

Yeah my car also rides the engagement point towards the top 3/4 of travel. I've gotten used to it, but it still feels weird. I'd prefer it to be in the middle or top 2/3.

JCunningham · 06-11-2015, 11:28 PM

the car likes to be beat on. Iv had mine for 2 years and 10,000 miles and im still getting used to it. It does seam that everytime i start getting good at it its time to put it away for the winter.

Mortious · 06-12-2015, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow 1

Touché my friend - I do sometimes wonder why we're all out of sync!

Not to sidetrack this post, but there are some very interesting articles about that. I think the main thing right now is the overall cost for current cities like London to make the switch is just prohibitive.

Vroom_vroom · 06-12-2015, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow 1

Mine sometimes clunks between 1st & 2nd but not always. I find that once the fluid temperatures are up she's smooth as silk. As you guys are all saying; it takes some getting used to - especially as the stick is in my right hand & not the usual left in the UK (cos as you guys know- y'all drive on the wrong side of the road over there.......)

Actually we drive on the RIGHT side of the road......lol

DeeLight · 06-12-2015, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurnedRubber

don't listen to this guy, im sure you drive stick just fine. my 1-2 is the same way sometimes but i have just kind of learned how to eliminate the jerk. i never start in 2nd, im sure i could! but i prefer to just use 1st.

Yeah, I'm not listening to much of anything he has to say. I actually laughed when I saw his comment.

DeeLight · 06-12-2015, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherob

Right... because all manuals are the same.

This is my 7th manual vehicle, and in some cases it's just easier to start off in 2nd gear.

DeeLight · 06-12-2015, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeless Man

If u have to start in second gear so u don't jerk it then u need to learn how to drive manual better. This was my first manual and it's fine for me.

I drive a manual pretty well actually. I don't HAVE to start in second, SOMETIMES I choose to start in second, depending on where I'm located in traffic.
I started driving a stick shift in my teens and I'm in my 40's now. I was just offering up some advice that could possibly help someone out if they needed it.

But from your own words, this was your first manual and it's fine for you. SO I guess WE should now deem YOU the expert on how to drive every manual car by every manufacturer and if for some reason we DON'T start in 1st GEAR we are now designated, by YOU as not knowing how to drive right?-NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

Yellow 1 · 06-13-2015, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vroom_vroom

Actually we drive on the RIGHT side of the road......lol

CRISSIS · 06-13-2015, 08:45 AM

I drive a 2SS and agree the clutch catches about 3/4 of the way up AND has a lot of spring which takes some getting used to. That said, my car has a well defined catch point.

I drove a ZL1 the other day for a good chunk of time and I was surprised at how much shorter the clutch traveled in that car. It didn't have nearly as much spring and was much easier to control. That said, I didn't think it had as well defined of a catch point (more likely I just didn't have time to settle in), so I found my timing to be slightly off for most of the ride.

Given a bit more seat time I'm sure the the shorter travel would have meant much quicker (no-lift) shifts...

06-11-2015, 09:21 PM	#32
EastWood-SS Born To Run Drives: 2013 BRM SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: . Posts: 474	yes to all of the above. Clutch engagement at 3/4 up, sometimes rough to transition from first to second. I've found to just go immediately into second at low speed and it'll go smooth as butter. Or start in second. the car can handle it. __________________ Just Lettin' the Night Roll... 2013 Blue Ray Metallic 1SS/RS Dual Mode Exhaust + Fuse Pull / CAI inc. CAI/ 1LE Strut Tower Brace/ ACS T4 Splitter/ SunRoof/ BA Audio/ Performance Shifter/ White Rally Stripes

06-11-2015, 09:48 PM	#34
2010reddevil Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS Victory Red 6M Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Gulf Coast, TX Posts: 1,424	Yeah my car also rides the engagement point towards the top 3/4 of travel. I've gotten used to it, but it still feels weird. I'd prefer it to be in the middle or top 2/3. __________________ 2011 2SS 6A Red Jewel Metallic, Vararam Tune CAI, Magnaflow 3" Competition c/b, Speed Engineering 1-7/8 LT's, Circle D 5C, M/T 275/40R20 S/S, HPTuners tune by Ryan@GPI 12.3 @ 112 ACM as of 12/22/19 Gone on 12/28/19 R I P 2010 2SS 6M Victory Red/Black (old ride) CAI intake, Speed Engineering 1 7/8" LT's, X4 base tune, Flowmaster Outlaw axle-back. 12.6 @ 115 SAR as of 9/19/15 Gone but never forgotten.

06-11-2015, 11:28 PM	#35
JCunningham Drives: 2017 2SS M6 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: WNY Posts: 7,070	the car likes to be beat on. Iv had mine for 2 years and 10,000 miles and im still getting used to it. It does seam that everytime i start getting good at it its time to put it away for the winter. __________________ real ZL1 wheels and brakes, 285/305 Michelin Pilot Super Sports, Pray ported Intake manifold, Soler Throttle Body, Rotofab intake, EFI Tuning Flex fuel kit, full American Racing Headers Exhaust, 1 7/8" w/ cats H pipe and mufflers. Full 1LE suspension, with BMR adjustable sway bars and links, GM aluminum cradle bushings, Hurst shifter with lighter reverse spring, TWM shifter knob, Tick level 1 transmission. I should have bought a ZL1

06-11-2015, 06:46 PM	#29
OHIOSS Russ Drives: Yukon Denali, Charger, CamaroSS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,811	I have a 2010 SS w/ 29K miles and the clutch is the same as yours. I have had other manual transmission vehicles and the clutch engagement would engage when the clutch pedal was much closer to the floor. I actually had the dealer check my clutch because I thought maybe it was set up incorrectly since mine engages when the pedal is almost all the way up like yours. The dealer checked and said everything was to spec so I guess it's that way on all of our cars. What I've had a hard time getting used to is realizing you don't have to push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor when I push it in to shift.

06-11-2015, 07:18 PM	#30
dantemcc Drives: 2017 1SS 1LE Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: atlanta Posts: 1,069	I never shift gears by pressing the clutch to the floor. Not in my car or my truck. I always shift just slightly pass the bite point and come up off it. I realized though, the harder I drive Bee, the easier and smoother the shifts are. I.e. if im going onto an on ramp to a highway and get into it.

06-11-2015, 09:41 PM	#33
Spec Account Suspended Drives: 2010 Camaro 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 4,018	I often start in 2nd gear. When I start in 1st, I have to give it very little gas for me to go in normal traffic because if I don't I'm loud and fast and have to shift like I'm racing from 1st to 2nd then 3rd. Its a bit uncomfortable for normal driving... but sure, Killer when I give it WOT... 1st for me is for when I want to have fun and am feeling 'frisky'... lol. 2nd for when I'm in traffic at a light just trying to get some place... don't want to show off, and simply want to smoothly accelerate by not having to knock gears so damn fast.. No stutter tho from 1st to 2nd at any time, just the ole chirp from the rears. With the clutch so high and a mess of power, its hard to avoid that.

06-13-2015, 08:45 AM	#42
CRISSIS Drives: '14 ZL1 'Vert - Black, #742 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: MD Posts: 139	I drive a 2SS and agree the clutch catches about 3/4 of the way up AND has a lot of spring which takes some getting used to. That said, my car has a well defined catch point. I drove a ZL1 the other day for a good chunk of time and I was surprised at how much shorter the clutch traveled in that car. It didn't have nearly as much spring and was much easier to control. That said, I didn't think it had as well defined of a catch point (more likely I just didn't have time to settle in), so I found my timing to be slightly off for most of the ride. Given a bit more seat time I'm sure the the shorter travel would have meant much quicker (no-lift) shifts...