# Shifting without using the clutch **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** transmissions, clutches, manual-transmissions, shifters\ **Created:** [June 1, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310 "2009-06-01T23:19:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stevehaness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stevehaness](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stevehaness)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/1 "2009-06-01T23:19:56Z")
I have a 2007 Jeep Wrangler 4-door with a 6-speed manual transmission. I can shift the truck fairly easily at certain speeds without using the clutch. Is this harmful over the long run to the transmission? And am I saving my clutch at all? ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/2 "2009-06-01T23:24:19Z")
Clutches are cheaper than transmissions. Sure if you are really good it slightly might be ok, but the clutch serves the purpose of reducing wear on the teeth of the gears in case your speed shifting is not quite perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/3 "2009-06-02T01:01:34Z")
. Is this harmful over the long run to the transmission? And am I saving my clutch at all? You are saving about 0.043% of clutch wear. If you do it perfectly every time, you might even reduce clutch were a little more. Of course if you miss just a few times you could be buying a new transmission. BTW transmissions are a lot more expensive than clutches. ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/4 "2009-06-02T01:24:49Z")
Just out of curiosity is there an option to not see peoples posts? Not yours, but wondering if you saw mine? If this were the first second or third time I might not wonder but so often It seems I see a repeat of what I said, in different words with additions but feeling whatever I posted is not even seen. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/5 "2009-06-02T03:02:39Z")
A lot of people post without reading the other reply’s first. When it’s busy, 3 or 4 posts will pop up at the same time, all saying the same thing, posted within seconds of each other… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/6 "2009-06-02T03:05:44Z")
And sometimes I’ll repeat points I agree with when it seems the OP is ‘counting votes’. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/7 "2009-06-02T03:18:12Z")
Just to add to everyone else, if your speed shifting is just a little off, your damaging the syncros and the dog gear. Cumulative damage will require a transmission rebuild. A clutch replacement is far cheaper than a rebuild. ---
**Author:** ![vtcodger2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@vtcodger2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vtcodger2)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/8 "2009-06-02T06:35:48Z")
I’m not a drivetrain sort of guy, but it seems to me that if you have the wheel and engine speed matched perfectly anyway, shifting with the clutch isn’t going to put much wear on the clutch. Using the clutch will protect the transmission when you are having a bad day or hit the wrong gear. In any case, I expect that most of the wear on clutches comes from starting from a standing stop. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/9 "2009-06-02T12:02:29Z")
Are you saving your clutch? No, about 99% of clutch wear is in starting from a standstill. Virtually 0 wear in shifting from gear to gear if you use the tach to balance engine speed with road speed when downshifting. Is it harmful to transmission? Yes, in effect you are slipping the trans out of a gear when you coast along and then drop engine speed slightly to slip it into the next lower gear. The slipping it out of gear causes some wear and eventually the trans may slip out of gear on its own without your input on the shifter. The syncro of the lower gear is getting a bit more work to allow the engaging of the lower gear. Over time you’ll get some gear grinding as you engage the lower gear. The damage will be cumulative and won’t show up for a long time. It is nice to know you can do this practice in case you ever have a failing clutch but not a good practice for general driving if you want to preserve your vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/10 "2009-06-02T12:19:26Z")
IF…(BIG IF) it’s done correctly then it’s not harmful at all…HOWEVER…The ONE time it’s NOT done PERFECTLY…the possible damage done to the transmission far outweighs any possible savings to the clutch. It’s NOT difficult to do…I just wouldn’t be doing it on a fairly new vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![markmast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@markmast](https://community.cartalk.com/u/markmast)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/11 "2009-06-02T15:38:20Z")
I would not make a habit of doing this since you risk damaging the synchronizers. Knowing how to shift without the clutch can be a useful skill. I once got my car to a mechanic that way after the clutch linkage broke. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/12 "2009-06-02T16:49:09Z")
Why would you risk trimming off the corner sof your gears and filling the tranny pan with metal shavings to do this…unless, of course, you were driving to the emergency room to get your broken left leg treated? ---
**Author:** ![stevehaness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stevehaness](https://community.cartalk.com/u/stevehaness)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/shifting-without-using-the-clutch/31310/13 "2009-06-04T15:40:42Z")
Thanksto everyone for your input!