Gearing down?

chetos · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:55 pm

I don't know if that's what it's called. I've always owned a stick and have been in the habit of letting a lower gear slow me down. I don't run the RPM's hard just enough to start slowing down and then I'll hit my brake to stop completely. In fact I don't even really watch my tach. I've always just listened and felt my engine. Is this ok to do in my KJ automatic?

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:26 pm

do you mean compression breaking?
if so then you will be fine because if a hill is so steep and long that it will do damage to the engine because you over reved it so you will have to break hard then you will not want to break hard or you will end up on your lid
hope that this makes sence

kolesy · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:27 pm

I used to down shift all the time in my passport whe I was slowing down. It really saves on brakes. Now I have an automatic KJ and It just feels like it is a lot more harsh on the tranny when you do that with an automatic. You cant control it like you can with the manual, releasing it all nice and slow you know. So I don't do it cause over time I think it will put an undo beating on the tranny.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:05 pm

kolesy wrote:

I used to down shift all the time in my passport whe I was slowing down. It really saves on brakes. Now I have an automatic KJ and It just feels like it is a lot more harsh on the tranny when you do that with an automatic. You cant control it like you can with the manual, releasing it all nice and slow you know. So I don't do it cause over time I think it will put an undo beating on the tranny.

It can cause more wear and tear on the tranny. Heats it up alot more too.

Jeger · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:18 pm

I can change a full set of brakes in little time with little cost. Rebuilding or replacing a tranny would take me much longer at much more cost. I would not downshift to slow down unless I was in fear of losing my brakes.

AdamIsAdam · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:18 pm

Brakes are cheaper than trannies.

Jeger · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:19 pm

AdamIsAdam wrote:

Brakes are cheaper than trannies.

Yeah, what he said.

waddy whiteguts · **Posted:** Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:34 pm

AdamIsAdam wrote:

Brakes are cheaper than trannies.

I've always said "Brakes are cheaper than clutches" (trannies too).

Gearing down for hill descents makes sense but in day to day driving downshifting to slow down will wear out your vehicle faster. Use the brakes, that's why they're there.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:57 am

Drove my Taurus 200K. Rebuilt the brakes once and never touhed the tranny. I always used compression braking. That said, the CRD seems to do it pretty well without actually shifting down.

kolesy · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:00 am

Quote:

Rebuilt the brakes once and never touhed the tranny. I always used compression braking

Thank you! I can see it if you just let the clutch fly out hella fast and let the wheels lock up but nince smooth down shifting, i can't see that damaging a manual tranny.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:13 am

Cowcatcher wrote:

Drove my Taurus 200K. Rebuilt the brakes once and never touhed the tranny. I always used compression braking. That said, the CRD seems to do it pretty well without actually shifting down.

That wasnt a DC tranny though.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:20 am

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Cowcatcher wrote:

Drove my Taurus 200K. Rebuilt the brakes once and never touhed the tranny. I always used compression braking. That said, the CRD seems to do it pretty well without actually shifting down.

That wasnt a DC tranny though.

True enough and the Taurus was an auto. Most think doing it with an auto is crazy but it is not and the Taurus was very free wheeling so it made sense there. With a little I have learned about the Liberty manual perhaps it is not wise with it since it seems to be a weak transmission. Again, the CRD auto just pretty well compression brakes when you take your foot out of it.

chetos · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:58 pm

[quote= Again, the CRD auto just pretty well compression brakes when you take your foot out of it.[/quote]

My 3.7 does this too. I'll use my brakes as normal driving isn't that big of deal with the 'compression brakes'.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:28 pm

I'll normally drop out of OD when I'm on a steep downhill and that seems to do fine. Coming down from Heber to Payson (AZ) is a drop of 2000ft in about 12 miles and I'll be doing 55 with OD off while everyone else is bombing down at 65-70 and slamming the brakes when they hit a curve; I'll cruise down and never touch my brakes. When I'm in town and coming off of the freeway I'll drop out of OD, and then when I get to around 40mph I'll drop into 2nd and finish off with the brakes. I know the auto trannies in the KJs may be lacking but I can't see increasing the rpms from 2k to around 3000-3500 adding much wear and tear. Now if I dropped into 2nd at 60-70 and took the rpms straight to 4-5k that would be a different story.

My two cents worth...

Gearing down?

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