Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Think driving a car from the 60s and you’ll get the amount of constant steering correction needed to keep these arrows flying straight.
I suspect your 60s era specimen needed some front end work. Saying that I had a 1960 Chevy Apache pickup that was a squirrelly beast. Drove me crazy as it felt dangerous even in mild curves and on uneven pavement. All new ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. Finally one day I had inspiration, the bugger didnt have a sway bar. I bought heavy duty one off some 70s era 1 ton truck at junkyard. Wow, like driving a whole different truck, handled ever so much better. So if you get squirrelly old vehicle and all the steering joints are tight with front end aligned, then try a sway bar. Older vehicles didnt always have them as standard equipment. Car companies save a nickel wherever they could.
I had a 90s Ranger 4wd for while and that thing handled great for a pickup. So looking and it had both front and rear sway bar.
That reminds me of a video I saw years ago, of a truck driver trying to teach his girlfriend how to drive his truck. The first time, she pulled out of the truck stop just fine and headed for the interstate. As she was going around the cloverleaf, I think she tried to downshift, and missed the gear entirely. The truck came to a grinding stop. The guy was cool and tried to talk her through it. But after about two minutes of listening to other truck drivers heckling them on the CB, she got too frustrated. He had to take over and get the truck back in gear. But as soon as he got on the interstate, he had her swap right back into the driver's seat. It was kind of comical and painful to watch at the same time.
Of course these days even most 18 wheelers are automatic. Probably no new truck drivers are even going to know how to shift.
Yeah. If you don't know how, you won't even be able to get an 18 wheeler into first gear.
The secret is, the big truck has something called a clutch brake. You have to press the clutch all the way to the floor and hold it for a second or two to get the clutch to stop spinning so that the stopped truck will allow it to go into gear.
It can be tough for some people to learn.
Yeah. If you don't know how, you won't even be able to get an 18 wheeler into first gear.
The secret is, the big truck has something called a clutch brake. You have to press the clutch all the way to the floor and hold it for a second or two to get the clutch to stop spinning so that the stopped truck will allow it to go into gear.
It can be tough for some people to learn.
It was tough for me to learn, because my instincts were built for driving a “regular” manual. I graduated my CDL school with the highest grade in my little class, but boy did that throw me for a loop for about a week.
After the EV nonsense is dropped, I expect carmakers will be pushed back to manual in most vehicles, for more mpg and making simpler products. The fewer people who can drive stick will match less fuel available.
I may be priced out of driving then, but while I'm still a suburbanite I decided I might as well buy something with a stick and start learning.
When I was a youngster, I did not know anyone that owned an automatic. Stick shift was part of learning to drive.
It was different when I owned a right hand drive car that someone had brought from England. I sat on the right side and shifted with my left hand. That car was fun, a 1950 Riley roadster.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,747 posts, read 58,102,528 times
Reputation: 46237
I find it easier to drive a manual, than to PUSH HOME an automatic V or EV with a dead battery. (Since you can no longer bump start them). I just always park on a hill (for the las 50 yrs).
After the EV nonsense is dropped, I expect carmakers will be pushed back to manual in most vehicles, for more mpg and making simpler products. The fewer people who can drive stick will match less fuel available.
I may be priced out of driving then, but while I'm still a suburbanite I decided I might as well buy something with a stick and start learning.
There is absolutely less than a 0% chance that this will happen.
I taught my family how to drive, driving a stick, my son still does.
There is very little advantage to stick and automatic is superior in every way.
About the only advantage to stick is if you've got a dead battery and getting a push start.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
