New FR-S Owner! A few questions, eager to learn

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jawn

Also, there's a bi-weekly meet in Fairfax, if you want to talk cars and throw darts.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39506

Damnit I want to talk cars and throw darts. Not fair.

[Mr_Hann]

1. Winter Tires

I ran performance winter tires - Falken Eurowinter HS439 for the last 3 or 4 years on a Subaru Impreza. Same location as you. Mind you, this is putting ~25,000 miles on my car every year. Don't drive on them like you would a summer tire, and they will last.

This will be my first year with RWD only, and I'm also debating between performance and studless. If you have a job that absolutely requires you to be there all the time, I would personally lean towards studless. And drive elderly when there is no snow on the ground.

2. Non-Winter tires

You don't need all season tires. I would use the stock ones till they die, and then go with a summer oriented tire. From my understanding and personal experience, I find more traction in both dry and wet with proper summer tires than I do with all seasons (From early March to early Nov)

3. Clutch spring / Clutch adjustment

All manual transmissions have their quirks, and learning the differences between them makes you a better stick driver. Suck it up, and learn with the growing pains of driving stick for the first time. If you're mentally conscious and aware of the pedal dance, you will become smoother with time. Patience young Jedi.

4. Tuning

Leave it alone for now. Focus on driving stick better, and enjoy the car for what it is. For sporty feel, you're piloting one very special machine.

[Fishbed77]

3 - If doing fine with the way it is then leave things alone. The guys that have the issues are frequently just more used to a heavier clutch and that is why they make the changes. Don't make changes just for the sake of making changes if you are happy the way it is.

Great advice regarding the clutch feel of the twins. It's not bad at all... just different. It's a compromise that facilitates less leg fatigue with a lot of shifting (city stop-and-go driving, constant shifting in the twisties, and long journeys) over precise clutch feel and perfect take-offs.

Just drive with the stock pedal feel and get used to it. The stock clutch feel demands that you refine your technique, and it will make a you a better driver because of it.

Despite the light clutch feel, on the whole, I find my FR-S is MUCH easier to drive than the majority of manual transmission cars, due to the precision of the shifter, and the fact the the clutch pedal doesn't wear your left leg out on long trips.

[Lync]

Thanks guys! I have some more questions on shifting. This is my first manual so I'm not sure if this is perfectly normal or if I should be concerned but Sometimes I feel like the transmission is pulling on the shifter. I guess its hard to explain but the shifter will move up and down (very small distances) and I'm not sure if that is normal or if its because I'm shifting incorrectly. Also sometimes when I try to shift into first I can't seem to get it into gear and than the transmission starts shaking the car/shifter and I end up having to come to a stop to start again.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Lync

Thanks guys! I have some more questions on shifting. This is my first manual so I'm not sure if this is perfectly normal or if I should be concerned but Sometimes I feel like the transmission is pulling on the shifter. I guess its hard to explain but the shifter will move up and down (very small distances) and I'm not sure if that is normal or if its because I'm shifting incorrectly. Also sometimes when I try to shift into first I can't seem to get it into gear and than the transmission starts shaking the car/shifter and I end up having to come to a stop to start again.

The pull is normal.
There should be little or no reason to shift into first while moving. If you do need to you should be moving only about 5 miles an hour and will have to keep the revs up to do it.

[jawn]

Originally Posted by Lync

Thanks guys! I have some more questions on shifting. This is my first manual so I'm not sure if this is perfectly normal or if I should be concerned but Sometimes I feel like the transmission is pulling on the shifter. I guess its hard to explain but the shifter will move up and down (very small distances) and I'm not sure if that is normal or if its because I'm shifting incorrectly. Also sometimes when I try to shift into first I can't seem to get it into gear and than the transmission starts shaking the car/shifter and I end up having to come to a stop to start again.

None of that sounds normal, but that could be the way you're describing it.

Alright, we have to unpack what's happening a little bit. If your car is fully in gear and there's some shifter vibration, this is fine and normal. Don't rest your hand on the shifter.

If your transmission is bouncing out of gear, that is pretty abnormal. You can tell your car is out of gear, because you'll be in neutral.

At what speed are you trying to shift into first? In most normal driving, I don't ever have to shift back into first while the car is moving. The synchros don't like it when you try to shift it into first while the car is moving at any appreciable speed, and you'll have to revmatch to get that downshift.

If you hear any grinding while you're shifting, you're either doing something wrong, or something is broken.

[MokSpeed]

Originally Posted by Packofcrows

I think he is basically saying that before OP pours $$$ and time...etc into his car, to first make sure he will keep it, to make sure it is the car he wants, to make sure that he is pleased with his car.

Best advice you can offer in regards to modding the car. Especially true if you're buying new.

[Lync]

Originally Posted by jawn

None of that sounds normal, but that could be the way you're describing it.

Alright, we have to unpack what's happening a little bit. If your car is fully in gear and there's some shifter vibration, this is fine and normal. Don't rest your hand on the shifter.

If your transmission is bouncing out of gear, that is pretty abnormal. You can tell your car is out of gear, because you'll be in neutral.

At what speed are you trying to shift into first? In most normal driving, I don't ever have to shift back into first while the car is moving. The synchros don't like it when you try to shift it into first while the car is moving at any appreciable speed, and you'll have to revmatch to get that downshift.

If you hear any grinding while you're shifting, you're either doing something wrong, or something is broken.

It might just be vibration, but it definitely feels more of a pulling motion. It doesn't 'bounce' it out of gear or anything I just notice the feeling once in a while.

When I notice the issue shifting into first is usually if I'm already rolling slowly (like around a corner or if I'm cruising in neutral to a stop light but it turns green). In any case I'm probably moving at around 5 mph when I notice this.

[jawn]

Originally Posted by Lync

It might just be vibration, but it definitely feels more of a pulling motion. It doesn't 'bounce' it out of gear or anything I just notice the feeling once in a while.

When I notice the issue shifting into first is usually if I'm already rolling slowly (like around a corner or if I'm cruising in neutral to a stop light but it turns green). In any case I'm probably moving at around 5 mph when I notice this.

Yeah, the gear lever's going to move around a bit. There's a mechanical linkage between the shifter and the transmission so it'll transmit some vibrations. Again, don't rest your hand on the shifter.

In normal street driving, you really should only need first when you're basically not moving. At 5mph, it really shouldn't fight you on it, but I don't know how violently it is you shift. Faster and harder can be a little counter-productive. Make sure you have the clutch fully engaged.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by GTX

Zik? Is that u bro?

No.
This is a reasonable member that asked well phrased and intelligent questions, listened to the responses and thanked people. Most certainly not you ...I mean Zik.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jawn

Faster and harder can be a little counter-productive. Make sure you have the clutch fully engaged.

This^^^
A gentle caress is all that you need to shift. You do not need to grab that knob and hammer it around no matter what the movies may show you. Just use the palm of the hand, the sides or tips of your fingers to guide where it wants to go next anyway. If you have to force it then there is something wrong with the car or your technique. The vast majority of the time there is nothing wrong with the car.

[Lync]

How am I supposed to copy Fast and The Furious that way?

But yeah, I don't think I'm rough with the shifter. Its probably just inexperience on my part with either not pressing the clutch fully down or trying to shift into first when I should go to second? Guess it will just take me some time to practice Thanks for the answers!

[Lync]

So someone just made a post on the FT86 subreddit who explained what I was experience way better. Here's the link to the thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/ft86/commen...ef_source=link

And heres the text:

This is my first manual car so I'm not sure 100% what is okay and what isn't.. Its a new 2016 so i dont get what can be wrong. Now that I've gotten better I'm noticing the gears getting stuck especially first to second. I can switch from first to second and it won't let me into second until like a moment after. Very rarely when I pull out of first I'll feel grinding in the shifter. More common when I'm accelerating hard and trying to shift into second it like locks out for a few moments. Also, switching gears is very clunky in the shifter, kind of like I have to force it in but with very minimal force. It even does it when the car is warm and driven for an hour. Any ideas? Should I bring it in? Thanks in advance! It's kind of pissing me off and don't know much about manual transmissions to know what the problem is

The car only has 2k miles on it so I hoping its nothing wrong, should I take it into the shop? It was pre-owned but how much damage can someone do in 2k miles? Its also certified so would a messed up tranny be covered under warranty?

[xFury]

Hey man, new FRS owner here also, got it a few days ago.

I noticed the little tug also while on first, when going slow, guess it's seems normal. Doesn't happen in the other gears, only first, especially moving from a stop. I had my hand on it and that's when I noticed it.