Rough shifting in the manual SS

[armando416]

Does anyone else feel like the transmission in the manual makes for a kind of rough ride? Would upgrading to a better clutch possibly help with this? I drove a 2011 Mustang a couple months ago just to size up the competition, and it just seemed to shift far more smoothly. If I am very careful and deliberate in engaging the clutch, I can make it shift smoothly...but it just never seems to come naturally in this car.

Is it possible I just got a bad one? Or that I somehow messed it up with only 12,000 miles on it? I admit I did a lot of my stick-shift learning experience on this car, however I don't think I was ever so rough with it that I broke anything or wore anything out. Plus I learned pretty quick so maybe only 2,000 miles of that was rough driving.

Any advice would be appreciated...anyone else having this experience? Does the Camaro just not have a good clutch for beginners? I know it has a pretty springy clutch pedal which gives it a different feel than the Mustang or Challenger.

[Lucky SOB]

Uhh, I'm not sure. I've had people tell me the shifts are so smooth they feel like they're riding in an automatic.

[TJ91]

hey man every SS ive been in, they all shifted real smooth, maybe you do have a bad one. Bring it to the dealer and have em check, or ask to compare yours to one on the lot. Goodluck and keep us posted
PS thats the one thing i dont like about the V6 tranny, very clunky and rough

[mhood]

I guess I'm the only one who has a heck of a time with 2nd to 3rd quickly? It's a total crap shoot for me.

[GeorgeM]

Before buying the LS3 I owned an 08 Mustang GT and it was easier to drive and shift smoothly. Take-up on the clutch started early and was always the same. You could get used to it by just driving around the block.

Conversely, the Camaro seems to engage at different points, making it hard to drive smoothly. Take-up is high and abrupt, which makes it tricky. With 6,200 miles on my Camaro I still cannot drive it as smooth as the Mustang after just one day.

GeorgeM

[SlingShot]

I think your problems is the return spring on the pedal ... It has a very heavy feel to it.

[GEEo]

Originally Posted by Lucky SOB

Uhh, I'm not sure. I've had people tell me the shifts are so smooth they feel like they're riding in an automatic.

[TornadoSS]

armando416, what rpm are you shifting at, I found that if you shift 2500 or preferably 3000 rpm during normal driving it shifts pretty smooth. any lower than that its kinda jerky.
mhood, I have to confess, I have trouble with the 2-3 shift also in quick shift situations. Just need more practice!!!!

[jRZA30]

I, too, have done a lot my manual driving learning on my 2SS. However, it still seems to me that it shifts more smoothly into certain gears than others. For instance, shifting into 5th gear on mine seems to be the most fickle. On the other hand, I have had experiences where there were I have encountered no jerkiness at all. So I chalked it up to experience or lack there of. IMO, I think that it's just a matter of taming the beast.

[chopss]

could be a part in the clutch. when i first got the car it would never engage in the same spot and it was hard just to get to a roll without looking like your learning how to first drive a manual.
new slave cyl t/o bearing alot more predictable where clutch grabs but still not where i would like the clutch to be.

[mcarney]

Originally Posted by armando416

Does anyone else feel like the transmission in the manual makes for a kind of rough ride?
.

Yes, definitely. Kind of annoying sometimes. If my shifts are slow and deliberate than it feels smooth. If I shift a little bit faster, at a speed at which I consider normal, than the shifter feels kind of rough, especially 3rd.

[Msthomp]

when I first got the car, I was horrible at shifting and it was always jerky...I started doing deliberate rev matching and taking my time and it got better...now, I don't even really have to look at the tach, I can just feel it. I still have my days when it's a little jerky, but that's usually when there's another person in the car and I'm thinking too much about it. When I'm driving by myself, I'm more relaxed and can just slip right into gear without really feeling anything.

[chandler]

I have to agree that the Camaro has a sensitive clutch assembly. I have been driving manual cars for over 30 years on the street and the drag strip. I took my car back to the dealer and explained the inconsistant clutch engagement. First it engages very firmly, then the same shift engages like an automatic. And this is when shifting, lets say from 2-3, at the same speed and RPM. The dealer says "the clutch is operating as it was designed." It is kind of frustrating because you can't insist that it is broken. So, all this to say you are not alone. I love the car but the clutch does leave something to be desired.

[chilihed]

I have no problems with the clutch. It's the gearbox I have a problem with.