2-3 shift path

[Boston Fit]

When you shift between 2nd and 3rd, do you go diagonally in one continuous motion, or do you follow the "H" pattern and go up-right-up? I've always gone diagonally, but I recently test drove a Subaru Forester that forced me to follow the H pattern - and it got me wondering what other people do.

(The same question could be asked of the 4-5 shift.)

[theholycow]

All my shifts are direct, straight line.

My wife follows the H and it irks me.

[ClutchFork]

I tend to follow an H though it is pretty fluid, not like I have to make deliberate stops and turns of the shift lever. I have driven Fords with Mazda transmissions for the past 27 years and they are pretty H-ish. When I first tried to drive my son's 2001 S-10 it baffled me, as I could not find third gear until I figured out that the Chevy (New Venture 1500) transmisison while an H pattern actually operates best in a zig zag pattern like an big W. If you just pull back and push forward it pretty much goes where it needs to go--provided the first step is a firm leftward push then forward into first, else you get third. The other thing that I think supported my doing more of an H in the Fords was the relatively strong centering spring, whereas the S10 did not seem to have much if any centering action, or pretty weak centering (except that strong push leftward to get first). I'll let Clutch Disk weigh in on it. He likes driving the S10 and when I offer to let him take my Ranger instead, he prefers not to. I must admit, the S10 is a lot of fun to drive.

[ClutchDisc]

Diagonal. I have to move it over to the right a little bit to get fourth on my 3-4 shift. Pretty much a W pattern.

[rml605]

I thought there was only one way to shift from 2-3 or do you mean DS to 2nd from 3rd? I'm confused.

[daleadbull]

All my shifts are direct, straight line.

Same here. When I first starting driving, I was never able to get a diagonal 4-5 shift, I kept missing and going into 3rd. But eventually I figured out the correct rightward pressure and it became second nature. Same thing with 3-2 downshift, now all my shifts are direct.

[RITmusic2k]

I push with the heel of my hand and let the stick take its own path. The centering spring is there to align it for me, so I don't get in its way. Prevents the possibility of a mis-shift into 1st or 5th - it's all part of shifter grip technique and best practices, etc.

[Shadow]

[Boston Fit]

rml605 - What I mean is that you can go between 2nd and 3rd in a straight (diagonal) line without interruption, or you can do it in three smaller zig-zag motions (up-right-up or down-left-down), making a pitstop at the neutral position along the way. That is true whether you are upshifting or downshifting.

Shadow - Your gated shifter looks like it is angled to allow for a diagonal motion or something close to it.

[Shadow]

Shadow - Your gated shifter looks like it is angled to allow for a diagonal motion or something close to it.

Not mine.....just a random pic of a Lambo shifter.

[tankinbeans]

I learned to make a diagonal b-line up to 3rd. When I first started driving 5 speeds, not my Kia or the Ford, I'd try to do an H pattern from 2nd to 3rd and I'd always overshoot and wind up in fifth. It wasn't until I drove my friend's car that I learned that I could just slide up and right.

About a year ago I test drove a Kia Spectra and that pretty much forced me to do an H pattern, oh and my other friend's Ranger similar to InlinePaul's.

[ClutchFork]

So far I am the only one selecting H in the poll. I paid attention driving home and noticed that while I don't go straight in, it is just a curve not a hard cornered H. Even watching my videos posted in the thread on videos while driving, it seems to have a slight reverse S-type movement in my 2-3 shift.

[Stelcom66]

When you shift between 2nd and 3rd, do you go diagonally in one continuous motion, or do you follow the "H" pattern and go up-right-up? I've always gone diagonally, but I recently test drove a Subaru Forester that forced me to follow the H pattern - and it got me wondering what other people do.

I follow the H pattern in my Subaru Forester. To me just seems normal, same with the Dodge Dakota.

[ClutchFork]

I follow the H pattern in my Subaru Forester. To me just seems normal, same with the Dodge Dakota.

How about you click H pattern in the poll selections at the top so I am not alone up there? So in doing the H pattern the actual question pertained only to the 2-3 shift. I don't go straight in to 3 but have a backward and very flattened S so figure I am following H since not going straight in.

[theholycow]

I follow the H pattern in my Subaru Forester. To me just seems normal, same with the Dodge Dakota.

How about you click H pattern in the poll selections at the top so I am not alone up there? So in doing the H pattern the actual question pertained only to the 2-3 shift. I don't go straight in to 3 but have a backward and very flattened S so figure I am following H since not going straight in.