I'm an idiot. Missed a shift and locked the tires. - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

SS376 · 08-02-2015, 07:14 PM

Hate having to admit this, but I embarrassed myself while showing off to a customer of mine. Hoping for some advice/reassurance/comments from anyone here who has had a similar experience.

For the first time in three decades of driving manuals, I screwed up and hit first instead of third. Dumb, yes. Feel like a grade A moron. I was in second, and went for third at maybe 45mph (so luckily not even going that fast), car bucked and the tires locked right up on me. Not even sure how/why I would do this. Just not paying attention I guess.

I hit the clutch immediately, in less than a second I would guess. No funny noises from motor, no check engine light, car feels fine.

Do you think I saved it by clutching right away. Damaged the rear end perhaps?

Tell me it'll be OK

cornerspeed92 · 08-02-2015, 07:21 PM

I hate being an idiot too, while at COTA in April i was still getting my braking points down. I downshifted too early and saw 7500RPM's

Im sure you'll be fine.

Moto-Mojo · 08-02-2015, 07:30 PM

I'm impressed with the synchronizers in these new car's tranny's. Not the first I've read of this. Back 'in the day' , the syncro would have had a hard time spooling up to allow engagement of 1st gear.

When I dlast rove a stick Camaro, the pattern was friggin tight - as opposed to yesteryear. Can't be hard to do. Don't beat yourself up too bad.

Strange Flavor · 08-02-2015, 07:31 PM

I did this yesterday except I went into 2nd instead of 4th. RPMs shot up really high but only for a second because I immediately pushed back on the clutch. Car kinda bucked and I was worried at first but everything sounded and ran fine after. Weirdest thing, never wants to shift smooth into 2nd driving normally but God forbid I miss fourth it goes in like butter.

Stock Boy · 08-02-2015, 07:32 PM

Did you see what your RPMs went up to? Car hits 45 or more in first gear, correct? This doesn't sound too bad at all.

Avenging Orange · 08-02-2015, 07:35 PM

Good reason to have the car tuned and skip shift eliminated. I never miss a shift now or hit the wrong gear. Or, maybe its just all in my head.

SS376 · 08-02-2015, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stock Boy

Did you see what your RPMs went up to? Car hits 45 or more in first gear, correct? This doesn't sound too bad at all.

I didn't see what the RPM's were. The tires locked up and I was on the clutch before I noticed anything else. I am thinking I might not have over-revved, but wonder about damage from locking up the tires like that?

SS376 · 08-02-2015, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornerspeed92

I hate being an idiot too, while at COTA in April i was still getting my braking points down. I downshifted too early and saw 7500RPM's

Im sure you'll be fine.

Thank you. You'd make a good therapist

motorhead · 08-02-2015, 07:40 PM

Anyone who has ever driven a stick has screwed up at one point. They are lying if they say they haven't. Don't sweat it. How you grab the shifter will greatly reduce the chances though. I don't know how you grab it ,but folks the grab the top and palm it are more likely to miss shifts.

Ice-Forever · 08-02-2015, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorhead

Anyone who has ever driven a stick has screwed up at one point. They are lying if they say they haven't. Don't sweat it. How you crab the shifter will greatly reduce the chances though. I don't know how you crab it ,but folks the crab the top and palm it are more likely to miss shifts.

It only took me a few time of missing an important shift - and getting embarrassed - to switch over...lol...Now I only palm/top the Hurst like that when cruising [only].

jdrop01 · 08-02-2015, 08:50 PM

Did this in my 98 Vette coming off a on ramp and jamming. Went from 3rd into 2nd and yup rear tires locked up and we went swirling around the freeway round and round taking out those metal reflectors along the way. Here's the aftermath so don't feel too bad! Trust me my heart was where my butt hole is lol.

SS376 · 08-02-2015, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdrop01

Did this in my 98 Vette coming off a on ramp and jamming. Went from 3rd into 2nd and yup rear tires locked up and we went swirling around the freeway round and round taking out those metal reflectors along the way. Here's the aftermath so don't feel too bad! Trust me my heart was where my butt hole is lol.

Ouch. That had to be a bad day.

lawman007 · 08-02-2015, 10:14 PM

Well, if you downshifted, which is what it sounds like to me, you'd only expect to slow down with high revs. With the technology in these modern cars engines and components, you really have nothing to worry about, enen stock. I think in the old days you might have had a problem, i.e. harmonic balancers exploding, clutch plates shattering that kind of thing. You just had a good scare.

To be honest, I am a very experienced manual driver and have had/driven a 1972 Chevy Nova coupe with a 307 V8 and a Saginaw 3 speed manual. Also a 1986 Ford Ranger V6 and a 5 speed manual transmission. Owned that till 1995, and drove a 1964 Chevy Corvair 4-speed which my Dad had several and varried. One was a coupe, one was a 4-door, and one was a Spyder(150hpTurbo). I never drove the 4-door, but drove the coupe plenty. I even drove the coupe to LA from San Diego with the parking brake engaged. I didn't notice it till I parked it. Then I'm like Oh so that was why I never got above 45MPH, Duhhh!!! I am now sure that Dad figured out that I drove all that way with the parking brake on. He never said anything...lol!
Troy Lawson

rontammy0 · 08-03-2015, 08:33 AM

With all these threads about guys missing shifts and v6s needing rebuilt my l99 is looking pretty sweet sitting in my garage..

I'm just kidding op ...at least you didn't damage your motor like other have. I remember when I burnt the clutch out of a work truck on my first construction job. I was only 19. I owned a manual car . I didn't want him to know I got stuck...after he said I would rather have pulled you out with the other truck then have to put a clutch in this one. After that I could only pick up material in one of those Volkswagen 1/2 car 1/2 truck things for a month. He laughed his ass every time I had to pick something up...that was a long month driving that thing. It was a manual and also diesel.

08-02-2015, 07:14 PM	#1
SS376 Drives: 2013 1SS LS3 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 807	I'm an idiot. Missed a shift and locked the tires. Hate having to admit this, but I embarrassed myself while showing off to a customer of mine. Hoping for some advice/reassurance/comments from anyone here who has had a similar experience. For the first time in three decades of driving manuals, I screwed up and hit first instead of third. Dumb, yes. Feel like a grade A moron. I was in second, and went for third at maybe 45mph (so luckily not even going that fast), car bucked and the tires locked right up on me. Not even sure how/why I would do this. Just not paying attention I guess. I hit the clutch immediately, in less than a second I would guess. No funny noises from motor, no check engine light, car feels fine. Do you think I saved it by clutching right away. Damaged the rear end perhaps? Tell me it'll be OK

08-02-2015, 07:21 PM	#2
cornerspeed92 Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,188 View My Garage	I hate being an idiot too, while at COTA in April i was still getting my braking points down. I downshifted too early and saw 7500RPM'sIm sure you'll be fine. __________________

08-02-2015, 07:30 PM	#3
Moto-Mojo Fast Cars and Old Guitars Drives: 2015 2SS RS (L99, baby!) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: N. CA Posts: 3,973	I'm impressed with the synchronizers in these new car's tranny's. Not the first I've read of this. Back 'in the day' , the syncro would have had a hard time spooling up to allow engagement of 1st gear. When I dlast rove a stick Camaro, the pattern was friggin tight - as opposed to yesteryear. Can't be hard to do. Don't beat yourself up too bad. __________________ “I don’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.” - Groucho Marx

08-02-2015, 07:35 PM	#6
Avenging Orange Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clermont, IN Posts: 3,297	Good reason to have the car tuned and skip shift eliminated. I never miss a shift now or hit the wrong gear. Or, maybe its just all in my head. __________________ 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419. Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!!

08-02-2015, 07:40 PM	#9
motorhead Drives: Love the one you're with Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Downtown Charlie Brown Posts: 11,850	Anyone who has ever driven a stick has screwed up at one point. They are lying if they say they haven't. Don't sweat it. How you grab the shifter will greatly reduce the chances though. I don't know how you grab it ,but folks the grab the top and palm it are more likely to miss shifts. Last edited by motorhead; 08-03-2015 at 06:55 AM.

08-02-2015, 07:31 PM	#4
Strange Flavor Drives: 17 Fifty SS, 11 2SS, 91 LSX C1500 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Louisiana Posts: 193 View My Garage	I did this yesterday except I went into 2nd instead of 4th. RPMs shot up really high but only for a second because I immediately pushed back on the clutch. Car kinda bucked and I was worried at first but everything sounded and ran fine after. Weirdest thing, never wants to shift smooth into 2nd driving normally but God forbid I miss fourth it goes in like butter.

08-02-2015, 07:32 PM	#5
Stock Boy Drives: 2014 1LE Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 479	Did you see what your RPMs went up to? Car hits 45 or more in first gear, correct? This doesn't sound too bad at all.

08-02-2015, 08:50 PM	#11
jdrop01 Drives: 05 GTO Join Date: May 2015 Location: Weatherford, Texas Posts: 390	Did this in my 98 Vette coming off a on ramp and jamming. Went from 3rd into 2nd and yup rear tires locked up and we went swirling around the freeway round and round taking out those metal reflectors along the way. Here's the aftermath so don't feel too bad! Trust me my heart was where my butt hole is lol.

08-02-2015, 10:14 PM	#13
lawman007 Panama-Gulf War Vet Drives: '11 SW 1LT/RS 6M Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: From Carmichael, CA to Matthews, NC 01/2021 Posts: 769	Well, if you downshifted, which is what it sounds like to me, you'd only expect to slow down with high revs. With the technology in these modern cars engines and components, you really have nothing to worry about, enen stock. I think in the old days you might have had a problem, i.e. harmonic balancers exploding, clutch plates shattering that kind of thing. You just had a good scare. To be honest, I am a very experienced manual driver and have had/driven a 1972 Chevy Nova coupe with a 307 V8 and a Saginaw 3 speed manual. Also a 1986 Ford Ranger V6 and a 5 speed manual transmission. Owned that till 1995, and drove a 1964 Chevy Corvair 4-speed which my Dad had several and varried. One was a coupe, one was a 4-door, and one was a Spyder(150hpTurbo). I never drove the 4-door, but drove the coupe plenty. I even drove the coupe to LA from San Diego with the parking brake engaged. I didn't notice it till I parked it. Then I'm like Oh so that was why I never got above 45MPH, Duhhh!!! I am now sure that Dad figured out that I drove all that way with the parking brake on. He never said anything...lol! Troy Lawson __________________ Last edited by lawman007; 08-02-2015 at 10:30 PM.

08-03-2015, 08:33 AM	#14
rontammy0 Account Suspended Drives: 2011 2SS/ RS INFERNO ORANGE L99 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Alliston Ontario Canada Posts: 9,057 View My Garage	With all these threads about guys missing shifts and v6s needing rebuilt my l99 is looking pretty sweet sitting in my garage.. I'm just kidding op ...at least you didn't damage your motor like other have. I remember when I burnt the clutch out of a work truck on my first construction job. I was only 19. I owned a manual car . I didn't want him to know I got stuck...after he said I would rather have pulled you out with the other truck then have to put a clutch in this one. After that I could only pick up material in one of those Volkswagen 1/2 car 1/2 truck things for a month. He laughed his ass every time I had to pick something up...that was a long month driving that thing. It was a manual and also diesel.