The history of the transmission, or gearbox as it is also known, is almost as old as automobiles. Although many people have started to prefer automatic or semi-automatic transmissions today, there are still many ‘petrolheads’ who want to drive vehicles with manual transmission.
One of the long-standing debates among people who drive manual vehicles has always been the ‘optimal gear shifting speed’. We will try to find an answer to this question together with you.
Suitable gear shifting speed for automobiles; It may vary depending on environmental conditions, driving style and engine power.
First of all, let’s start our content by saying that there is no single answer to this question. Gear change cycle; It varies depending on the intended use of the vehicle, engine power, fuel type, road conditions, driving style and many different external factors. Therefore, it would be wrong to point to a single engine speed for optimal gear shifting. However, it is possible to achieve some ranges according to different conditions and brand data.
First of all, if we aim for a more economical ride, we need to stay away from high revs. Driving as calmly as possible, cruising at a constant speed after a slow acceleration and avoiding frequent braking will keep your fuel consumption below a certain level.
It is very important to avoid high revs for fuel economy.
During this slow acceleration process, gear changes without reaching very high revs have a great impact. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to tell an exact speed as gear changes vary from vehicle to vehicle.
However, with the development of technology, new models now warn their drivers about downshifting and increasing gears via the instrument panel for economical driving. Gear changes taking these warnings into consideration will provide you with a very economical drive.
On the other hand, unfortunately, we cannot see these warnings in every vehicle. For more economical gear shifting in such vehicles, shifting gears in the 2000 to 2500 rpm range, depending on whether the vehicle is gasoline or diesel, as well as the gear ratios and road conditions of the vehicle, will offer you the most economical driving. Of course, we find it useful to remind once again that what we say is different for every vehicle.
For performance driving, forget what you’ve heard so far.
When we move on to the performance front, the situation is much different. Although options such as increasing gears at maximum torque rpm or maximum power rpm are suggested, a much more complex path needs to be followed for the best acceleration. For best acceleration, you need to shift gears so that the maximum average torque is transmitted to the wheels.
So what is this maximum average torque and how do we calculate it?
To calculate this, you first need to access the torque and power curves of your vehicle. In addition, it is necessary to create a graph by combining gear ratios, tire size, maximum torque obtained in each gear and maximum speed data. The created “torque and speed graph transmitted to the wheels” will be an important compass for the most suitable gear change points for your vehicle.
For the best acceleration, it is necessary to calculate and follow the maximum average torque values.
The intersections on this graph give you the gear change points for best acceleration. In other words; If the amount of torque in the gear you will shift to is more than the amount of torque in the gear you are currently in, you need to increase the gear. This also applies to downshifting. Otherwise, it is not possible to transfer the torque you have to the next gear at the optimum level.
As can be seen from the shared graphics, the best gear shifting point is unfortunately not the speed at which the vehicle produces maximum torque. In addition, the optimal shifting speed for each gear varies.
As you can see, there is no memorization of this. These calculations, where even your tire size is important, may seem quite complicated, but it is possible to calculate the most appropriate gear speeds for your vehicle with a professional.
It is a fact that we love our vehicles very much and want to use them in the best possible way. Unfortunately, this is not as simple as it seems from the outside. As you can see, a lot of research and calculations are required. So what do you think about the most appropriate gear shifting speed? You can share your opinions with us in the comments section.
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