# Bumps and shakes while driving a stickshift car



## shyronnie (Oct 5, 2011)

Is it normal that whenever you're driving a stickshift car, there are always that "bump" and little shakes whenever I shift gears? I'm just wondering if that happens to everyone, no matter how good you are at driving manual cars. I do my best to emulate the feeling of driving an automatic car, but I always get that "bump" quite often.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Lifting your foot slowly up off the clutch and slowly down (not to slowly or it stalls)on the accelerator, until you get the feel for the car is the best way. Try not to snatch the gear stick in and out and practice finding the biting point of the clutch, it's all practice and patience.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

You need to understand that a stickshift is about performance and efficiency, quick shifts are best for both. Dragging on the clutch is for when you carry passengers


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

shyronnie said:


> Is it normal that whenever you're driving a stickshift car, there are always that "bump" and little shakes whenever I shift gears? I'm just wondering if that happens to everyone, no matter how good you are at driving manual cars.


Yes, even the best drivers cannot change as smooth as an automatic transmission.
They may think they have perfected it, but to passengers it is always perceptible.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Check that you don't have excess play/wear further out from the clutch - driveshaft(s) > wheels.


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

Could possibly be a bad engine mount letting the engine shift slightly when shifting gears...


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Get the revs up sufficiently for each upshift. Scrub off speed properly before downshift. Don't baby it though. For real driving pleasure, learn to heal and toe.


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## kendallt (Feb 21, 2007)

Most people will have some minor bumps and shakes when shifting, they'll typically get less as your experience grows. 
If severe, or just developed recently, I'm with Midnight, check for mechanical issues. Clutch linkage, engine/transmission mounts etc

With experience, not just with clutches themselves, but with the same vehicle with give you very smooth shifts. think of it as a teeter totter, in with the gas as the clutch comes up


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