Downshifting- How low do you go?

I just keep downshifting until I'm in low range.

 

If I'm in top gear in a 10 I would bring it down to 1000rpm and hit 8th then repeat to 6th. I like to stay slow enough and far enough back that I don't have to come to a complete stop. Unless it's an unusual long light that works pretty good

 

6th is the highest you should stop in, under normal circumstances.

As a trainer, I like seeing my guys bump down to 4th just to make sure they can.

 

Usually 3rd or 4th you can putt along pretty slow at a lower RPM and still have enough torque to gently take off again. If you have to stop, just clutch in and stepping on the brakes should get you stopped smoothly in under a truck length. Then just pick your starting gear and get ready to go once its safe.

 

Depends if your driving a large car with jakes.

 

I’m from the old school of letting the gears do the work for both accel and slowing.
I have been known to go all the way down to 2nd before touching the brakes in a 13 speed. I don’t like doing brakes. Haven’t in 25 years. Still 75% in 689463 miles on my ‘67 with no steer axle brakes and rarely use the Jake. Lol!

When I put a million on a 6speed I did the same finally hit brakes when back in 1st. Did two brake jobs in 17 years on that straight truck running 33,000 gross.

takes practice to time the stops accordingly but if you set your mind to just sit back and cruise instead of being in a hurry it can be done.
Autos are different. They are designed to eat brakes at a high rate.

emergency situations and heavy fubared traffic different scenarios sometimes apply. Then its do whatever it takes to stop.

 

I go to 6th sometimes 5th and just push the clutch in. Not gonna spend the time to shift 3 more gears when I could just push on the brake pedal. At speeds that low you're not burning anything up