How to downshift at traffic lights / intersections?

[mentallyillbluesman]

Release gas and then as I roll, go from, e.g. 8 to 6 to 4 (without load)?

[xFetusx Block11Radio.ca]

you should be shifting down as you slow down , but you can down shift whilst at the lights, just put it into the gear you want (low) and/or can pull away in w/out stalling . you dont start shifting down as you are trying to drive away from the lights .

[mentallyillbluesman]

I know. I'm talking about taking my foot off the gas as I approach the lights, then as I roll, shift down in steps.

[Vellari]

Technically yes; it's called engine breaking, so you don't have to waste air pressure actually using the brakes.

However, in the game due to compressed map scale there often isn't enough room to roll for this to be effective, have to actually use the break pedal anyway.

[Sandhill]

You can shift down in steps or 16th to 1st, as the situation and your preference dictates, obviously do not release the clutch on a downshift when the gear is not appropriate to your speed, don't over rev your engine, is that what you are asking?

[mentallyillbluesman]

Okay.
When using the brake pedal, you brake and when you're done braking, shift, right?

[Vellari]

Originally posted by mentallyillbluesman:

Okay.
When using the brake pedal, you brake and when you're done braking, shift, right?

Or what ever means it takes to slow down enough for the gear you are shifting to be in the suitable rev range. Yes, typically it means actually braking, depends on how quickly you need to slow down (again ingame scale typically means, rather quickly).

[mentallyillbluesman]

And what about not downshifting until after you stopped?

[Vellari]

Originally posted by mentallyillbluesman:

And what about not downshifting until after you stopped?

Doesn't really matter. Staying in high gear won't "engine break" as much, but again mostly irrelevant for game purposes.

Personally, if I know I need to make a complete stop, I go straight to neutral and just break normally to stop. If not a complete stop, clutch down, go to whatever gear is appropriate for said turn (it depends on truck/gearbox/load weight but usually about 4L for a 90 degree turn) and slow down to that speed, clutch up.

[Thogmar]

Originally posted by Vellari:

Originally posted by mentallyillbluesman:

And what about not downshifting until after you stopped?

Doesn't really matter. Staying in high gear won't "engine break" as much, but again mostly irrelevant for game purposes.

Personally, if I know I need to make a complete stop, I go straight to neutral and just break normally to stop. If not a complete stop, clutch down, go to whatever gear is appropriate for said turn (it depends on truck/gearbox/load weight but usually about 4L for a 90 degree turn) and slow down to that speed, clutch up.

This guy has your answer. Although it's actually illegal in many (most? all?) states to coast a truck in neutral, but in cars and games it's the smoothest method.

[mentallyillbluesman]

But I wanna do what's most realistic... does the majority of players use coasting in neutral?

[Reese]

In my limited experience, I have only ever coasted in an automatic, due to transmission issues. In game and irl in a manual, I downshift with no clutch, rev-matching all the way down. I hear trucks are bad for ruining clutches which is why they clutch-less shift, both up and down. The whole time having the engine brake on. I don't use the brake pedal until I'm already going less than 40kmh or so.

Is this realistic? I don't know. But from the information I've gathered and have been told over the years, this is how you drive a truck.

[Vellari]

Originally posted by mentallyillbluesman:

But I wanna do what's most realistic... does the majority of players use coasting in neutral?

It's mostly just a byproduct of the 1:20 scale of the map/time. It's more convenient.

IRL when you're coming up to an intersection you have 300-400 meters time to slow down, downshift and do all the "right stuff". In the game you have a fraction of that.

And since the truck behavior and ones ability to go through gears isn't any faster than in real life...there simply isn't enough time or room on the game map to do all those things.

Ps. I think most people use automatic gearboxes anyway (which to be honest, is the more "realistic" method for modern trucks).

[Sandhill]

That's a self contradictory question, what the majority of players do has no relationship to what is realistic. IRL drivers would not coast in neutral, who cares what folks do in the game?

[Underscore_101_3]

idk what others do, but irl i usually make gear changes down (skipping gears in between) untill i come to a full stop, and only put it in neutral if it feels like it's gonna be along wait.
Just pressing the clutch is also kinda putting it in neutral, so i may keep the clutch pressed, while keeping the shifter in an apropriate gear and hope for the best :-)
In the game however traffic lights don't work with sensors, so no chances of them getting green quick, so if it just turned red i may put it in neutral well before, if it's red from quite a distance and i expect it to go green quick i'll just adjust my speed and keep it in gear and hope for the best :-)

edit: the above when a full stop is expected, not for cornering of course, but parts of it may apply :-)

[mentallyillbluesman]

Originally posted by Underscore_101_3:

idk what others do, but irl i usually make gear changes down (skipping gears in between) untill i come to a full stop, and only put it in neutral if it feels like it's gonna be along wait.
Just pressing the clutch is also kinda putting it in neutral, so i may keep the clutch pressed, while keeping the shifter in an apropriate gear and hope for the best :-)
In the game however traffic lights don't work with sensors, so no chances of them getting green quick, so if it just turned red i may put it in neutral well before, if it's red from quite a distance and i expect it to go green quick i'll just adjust my speed and keep it in gear and hope for the best :-)

edit: the above when a full stop is expected, not for cornering of course, but parts of it may apply :-)

When you downshift til you stop, do you use the brake pedal between shifts?