I own a 2020 sti and I've had issues with making a smooth transition from 1 to 2. Thanks for putting it in a different perspective, this really helped.
@@KuhmKnight what helped me was shifting around 3 to 4k for 1st to 2nd gear, that and letting out the clutch as fluid as you can results in a smoother shift.
@@Sinkr0e yeah I need to start paying more attention to my tac, my dad told me not to worry about rpms and shit when he was teaching me how to drive and I've been focusing on sound instead. Driving home today I focused on my rpms and (most of the time) it felt alot better
@@KuhmKnight good, practice makes perfect and you’ll soon just be able to listen to the car and feel it. You’ll get frustrated like I did but just keep driving and you’ll get used to it. You get to a point where you don’t even notice your shifting/down shifting
The STI specifically has an absurdly high connect point. Feels almost like a 2-step connection clutch. While it took me a while to master - I noticed that as long as you're not afraid of the clutch, you will always sense the grapple point. From then on, just practice entering that first gear with less and less RPM, 'till the point where it feels like an automatic.
Sti is my first manual lmao. What a choice. Had it for a month, was too clueless to be scared of the clutch and got use to it. Came across this video down the rabbit hole of gutting my car lol.
@@willcxlby for sure you'll get it, my dad trying to scare me out of getting one bc hes a dodge tard warned me it was hard asf third to porsche and aston martin. Idgaf need for speed dream car + ratio + u drive a tacoma was driving to work day 4
Using that "rev at people" tip has greatly improved my shifting skill. Btw it would have been nice if you had a camera aiming at the tachometer and pedals
I definitely noticed you gotta rev it a little higher down shifting from 3 to 2nd so I got into the habit of double tapping the gas pedal when down shifting into 2nd and it’s been working well for me,smooth every time 2013 wrx
Tomorrow if all goes good im going to subaru and getting an sti. But i've never driven a manual car so i've been watching videos all day. Still nervous don't want to stall a millions of times. Heart is pounding.
Update: ending up going with a 2019 wrx because it’s my first car and way more affordable. also still practicing everyday and have downshifting down and feel more comfortable. I really struggled on 1st gear and stalled so many times but now I’m starting to get use to it. :)
@@D3ADxRATED hey man thats awesome just got my 19 wrx 4 months ago, love it so much. i cant believe your first stick car is a brand new wrx 19. pratice pratice.... :)
i have 26,000 miles on my still stock 2016 wrx. here is my tip to shift in a stock wrx. 1st gear launch: apply a little gas and lift off slowly on clutch. once it starts to grab and car moves, hold for 2secs and then release (clutch is like close to halfway point) avoiding 1st to 2nd gear jerks: from first gear, do not exceed more than 2500rpm to shift into 2nd. i keep seeing people and hearing people complain about jerkiness of the car from 1st to 2nd. hope this help new 2015-2019 wrx owners.
@@ghoulstein9557 i might make a short video about it. the sweetspot is around 2000 to 2500rpm to shift from 1st to 2nd. anything above that will cause the car to jerk.
Update, tried and and its waaaay better, pick up speed nicely and dont have that jerk motion. Basically after i grab 1st i just immediately put it in 2nd and goes smoothly with no problem. Thanks!
Make sure your RPM’s are at least in the 3k+ range if you wanna pull on it! Don’t ever floor it if you’re below 3k. “Rolling” into it you’ll be fine, but if you need to ask a pedal worth, always downshift first
It took me a lot of time to be smooth when I started to drive stick. But it’s very rewarding. When I did my friends 2018 WRX I felt like I never drove stick before it was so violent and non-cooperating.
Exactly! I've driven manual for a long time, but when I got my wrx I struggled with every shift. That changed when I started to mod it. My first mods were the transmission ones. In my honest opinion, a stock wrx is a waste of money and time. It's built well, but it feels incomplete, every bit of it, even the look. But a well modded wrx is a different story altogether. Same applies to sti's. The aftermarket for these cars is really the main and only reason to get them.
@@TheShaddix I'm not disagreeing with you as far as mods go for these cars, but the stock STi is fantastic. I got my '19 two weeks ago and it's quite excellent even stock. The trans is a million times better than the WRX 6 spd (I test drove an '18 WRX too). I honestly found the earlier peaking WRX turbo to be unruly and annoying to modulate. The STi's power builds a little more slowly, but linearly, while being quite fast. The exhaust is almost disappointingly quiet, but I tell myself it's a stealth rocket. Sorry for the tangent.
This was an awesome video, addressed a lot of the things I'm struggling to get the hang of with my sti transmission. You convinced me to finally pull the trigger on this slew of shifter mods. Stock feels super spongey. Based on how yours sounds alone, they make a huge difference.
For your sti I'd for sure get both of the boomba mods, a heavy shift knob, a stopper, and a small bushing. You already have a pretty stiff trans. mount, so I wouldn't bother with that.
The grabbing point is so weird in the WRX, and even differs from each car. My clutch felt super light on my car, test drove a buddy’s 2018 limited and his clutch felt extremely heavy and the resistance was definitely noticable
Yep bought an 18 last week and I was starting to think I forgot how to drive a stick.... it makes me feel better to hear that I'm not the only one that thinks these things shift super loose
Been driving manual since 17 and I’m almost 27. Got a 2020 wrx and stalled it 4 times and burnt the clutch 2 times. I’ve driven a lot of manual vehicles, I’ve never met one that fights me every step of the way. I even came from a 2018 Impreza 5mt and they aren’t even remotely the same. It’s like comparing an eco car to a lambo. It’s not even close to talking about the same thing. The 4 hour drive home in her got me pretty acquainted with how to run her, but I seriously felt like a moron that first day. 10 days later after owning her and I’m not having any issues anymore especially after turning off hill assist. I had it turned off on my Impreza and it was causing problems in my wrx.
@@imoffendedthatyouareoffended i was just bitching about this again literally yesterday to someone. The hill assist makes a noticeable difference? Im gonna turn it off
@@jonliebler6179 for some reason its very temperamental in the wrx compared to the impreza, even if it says your on flat ground it still sometimes kicks in. now i never have that issue. the only thing ive been working on is throttle control when starting off. other than that hill assist seems to have made it way easier to take off than before.
that stopper is actually really useful. Im a new manual driver and I noticed in my wrx that theres kind of a "dead" zone at the very bottom when you push the clutch in and after I lift it a little bit i can start feeling it actually push back. I subconsciously put the clutch right before that dead zone and I notice my shift are smoother
I just got a 2022 wrx and I have no idea how to drive stick, and I found it so frustrating and this video really helped me understand what was going on and why I was having trouble starting. Thank you!
I’m thinking about getting wrx and I also just learned stick but have not driven on public roads yet. have u got the hang of things and feel it was a good purchase as ur first manual?
I agree - I’ve been driving manuals for at least 40yrs and my 2019 WRX has the worst normal daily drivability of anything I’ve driven before. It’s the only complaint I have with the vehicle. I like my music really loud and when driving in town must REALLY concentrate on throttle and clutch. It’s a PITA.
I agree!I have a 2017 STI with a factory performance exhaust and the loud noise makes it easier to shift.I can hear the revs.I also have a 2019 STI without a factory performance exhaust and I have to have the radio turned down to help with the shifting!
Thank you for mentioning that. I've only had my STI for 2 weeks but I feel the same way that I need to turn the stereo down sometimes to hear how the clutch and throttle correspond sometimes. Still struggling at times with perfectly smooth 1st gear starts.
Learning to drive my ‘19 STi was a big ass learning curve compared to how I drove my ‘12 VW Passat (Yes, it’s a 5-speed manual). I finally got it all down, but sometimes I still mess up man😂 One day my shifts are nice and smooth, and the next day they’re slightly clunky🤦🏻♂️ I still can’t shift that well in Sport Sharp mode lol.
I’m smooth in the sti driving daily But quick shifting I can’t get it in this car. My integra I had that shit down like a beast The sti grinds going into second. I have to really slow it down it’s weird.
Username 1991 same with me, but third gear. It’s like I get locked out and have to wait until the car is okay with me shifting into 3rd lol. I’ve definitely gotten a lot better overall after more than a year now.
Stewbob112 I have 19 sti as well my issue is just 2nd. So I just slow the 1-2 and bang the rest. Never have an issue. Just 1-2 grinds on quick shifting. I know you’re supposed to slow the 1-2 down do to driveline shock in the awd system. But I slow down a good amount to avoid grinding. 3rd I don’t have an issue. How is your hand technique? Do you change hand grip position each gear? I do. Helped me to never miss a gear. The sti is crisper than the wobbly wrx one. So it’s crisp going into 3 thru 6.
Stewbob112 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jBl7lQnAAuI.html This video basically sums up what I’ve been taught. Although if you’re too fast and push straight up for the 2-3 shift. You may money shift if you’re lighting fast. My remedy for that is basically this Hold your hand out. Fingers horizontal. I tilt my wrist about 10-15 degrees to the left. I push in the slightest my wrist tilted slightly aiming to 3rd. Not too much just barely. Cause you can put in 5th. But I’d rather put it in 5th by mistake vs 1st. That hand technique has worked flawlessly.
I noticed the clutch engages up high (on my stock) sti. It's not necessarily a point but a small range. 1-2nd is fine as long i'm quick. When moving slower (driving in slow traffic or driving slowly when police are present) the 1st to 2nd shift requires a small amount of gas (between the shift) when going into 2nd to counteract the engine braking. I have even noticed that I can shift without pushing the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. (but I still push it to the floor). I have pretty much mastered low speed maneuvering and creeping with the clutch... riding the clutch slightly is pretty much a necessity when moving slow in a parking lot or backing into a space. When backing in, I just leave the clutch half way engaged and blip/rev the gas a lil, If I need to give it more gas i let the clutch pedal out more... doesn't burn the clutch or anything... STI clutch seems to be very tolerant.
I just got a 2023 WRX a week ago and I'm still getting the hang of the clutch. Lol. I have 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th down pretty good but for whatever reason, 1st to 2nd is the trickiest to get. I had a 2020 Civic Si Coupe before the WRX and the rev hang in the Si was so bad so I'm still getting used to the no rev hang in the WRX (I like no rev hang so much better. Part of the reason I got rid of the Si is because of the rev hang. It drove me nuts) but it's so much better to drive than the Si. If I let the clutch out at the perfect time, it's fine but I still let it out too late sometimes. It's a lot different than driving a standard Civic but I love it.
I just got a 2017 WRX, I have driven a standard for a few years. Driving this thing in the low gear, usually 1st to 2nd, I feel like a new driver, hahaha I have had it about a week. Some days, I'm alright, but other days, I'm still janky with it. I just came to watch this video to see what the heck I'm doing wrong. I guess I need to find an empty parking lot later tonight to practice more. I have only stalled it twice driving it home from the dealer the first day. But I work a lot so I don't get to practice much. Just the short drive to and from work. But like I said, I'm still jerky from 1st to second. Or even sometimes when I downshift. I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this. I feel so stupid driving around and the whole car is jerking hahahaha
Thanks man. I was totally joking with the rev part btw, not sure if that came across as such or people took it seriously. I never rev at normal cars, waste of gas!
I have a 2001 bugeye STi and yes, the clutch is the same as these newest version. The grab point feels like it's at around 1/5 down or 4/5 up. Subaru must think it's faster to shift if you don't have to press all the way down to the floor, although I still press it all the way to the floor just to be on the safe side. 1st and 2nd gear is a bit tricky to get smooth, but not a huge problem once get used to them.
I just bought my first Subaru today and got it home 🥺😭💙 i was doing fine with all the shifts but i had super trouble with the starts. this video helped me understand the starts so much with finding the grab point and letting it out slower as i hit the gas instead of trying to release it fully as i feel the throttle start to grab. on the way home i stalled 6 times at the same light and panicked so hard, i was so smooth and did so well the whole way, then i got to that light and i fucking torched it 😭thank you so much
Your main issue was/is that the grab point in these cars is so damn high off the floor. By the time you actually get to it you end up at too high of rpm.
@@TheShaddix drove it to a shop today after getting it insured, so it could be inspected and uh 😅 definitely stalled it a few more times. these GA hills are not taking it easy on me but i’m learning slowly how to manage
I was too scared to drive my 2018 wrx home from the dealership ..where I live(St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada) has more hills than San Francisco, no joke...I made my Dad drive her home hahaha...Every Day driving to work my blood pressure goes up driving through downtown, more specifically all the hill stops...doesn't help that people here will stop about 6 inches off your rear bumper.. I basically do a burn out and lay down rubber at all the intersections on the hills...just seeing a red light raises my blood pressure lol...and I have driven both standard cars and trucks, dirt bikes and motorcycles...I GOTTA GOT PRACTICE MORE ...I feel a bit better now I though it was just me sucking at it
@@pennymercer4158 no i totally get it, i live in North GA, US. the start of the Appalachian Mountain range, I definitely roll as much as I can haha. I’ve gotten better on my starts but i totally agree it can be nerve wracking, especially the way people just don’t pay attention and want to hug your ass
omg dude you got me good with the tunnel comment and revving at people!! love your personality, been driving my 16 WRX for about a year now but i figured it was time for a refresher for an XP boost.
im so glad i subbed to you. ive been driving a manual for years but your color correction, the way you speak, and of course your car, just forces me to watch you lmao. thanks for uploading, really enjoy your content.
Definitely a shallow clutch on the STI. I have been driving my 2018 for two years. Not a big enough problem to mod the car to make it easier to drive/shift. It is a racing clutch (meaning you don't have to push the clutch to the floor to shift; only to start.)
I found that awd takes a little time to get use to. You never want to carry the car with low rpm unless your going slightly downhill for better mpg. The drivetrain is vulnerable to damage if not driven right. And never shock the diff haha or you will have a bad day.
The only issue I have is 1st to 2nd shifts, it’s so annoying. I almost have to skip the clutch just to try to shift smoothly. I just add some gas and don’t let out the clutch right away, helps a bit.
i 100% agree with you that the clutch engagement was so hard getting used to. i almost got rid of my 2016 wrx just for that reason. sometimes i still to this day am not 100% smooth with my shifts. might try and get a boomba shift plate and stopper in the future. all i have is the factory (sti) short shifter, a heavy shift nob and bushing.
The plate will totally change your mind just by itself! That was my first mod. The stopper will solve the grab point issue completely. You can just buy a bolt at lowes with a rubber cap to act as a stopper, the stock location has a small hole under the rubber pad. You'll get a sense of what difference it makes.
@@deej628 no problem man, thanks for reminding me to make this video. If you have ac on, nothing changes really, your rpm is slightly higher but won't reflect on your shifting. I noticed these cars really don't like ac being on, you can notice the power decrease every time ac kicks in. I try to never use it.
@@deej628 If you haven't already, just grab all the mods that I listed, I promise it'll change your driving completely. Of course, tuning the car helps too as that eliminates the rev hang which is another annoyance (forgot to mention in the video...).
Then you're doing it right. That puts you into the rare group of people who know what they are doing. Btw, you have no clue how worn your clutch is until it starts to slip. Just like brakes, it functions the same until the very end.
Dude I didn’t know how to drive stick and still am not great at it and I had to start on wrx as a Subaru dealership. I feel a little better knowing that they r a bit more difficult than other manuals
I think many new cars have high bite point. However, I'm not entirely sure it is actually good to put an artificial block to shorten the range. Also for me, having a consistent seat position is a key to driving smoothly
The block is there to reduce the pedal travel after the engagement point to the floor, not to reduce the actual clutch/flywheel operation in any way. Once the clutch is disengaged from the flywheel the rest of the pedal travel is useless. The block stops it short before reaching the bracket. It reduces the overall "dead" travel by about 60-70%.
I Give a Little gas early almost prematurely about to 2k rpm. Right before I get to 2k I'm letting Clutch rise up from floor for 1st gear take offs my Clutch is picky.. otherwise I feel alot of bite
I dont want to nitpick but rev-matching when done properly doesn’t put any more wear or tear on the drivetrain. It’s way better than pushing the clutch in and downshifting and then letting the clutch out and not blipping the throttle. In fact, it puts less wear on the flywheel and clutch disc than starting from a stop in 1st.
well, you missed the point I was making. Rev matching is a must, always, and there is no situation where one should not rev match. What I was saying is if you always downshift through gears while coming to a stop, every time, especially with an intent to engine brake, with rev matching of course, the clutch will wear out faster than if you don't. For one, you can't rev match 100% with a manual car, you just get very close, so it'll slip the clutch a bit to compensate for that difference. Same applies to dual clutch cars too, you'll wear out the clutches if always downshifting. Some people do this all the time just to engine brake.
I put my car in neutral and glide to a stop!I Iearned to dvive on a standard and have been driving them for over 50 years!I learned on a 1966 Chevy truck with three on the tree!
My mazda 6 did this going into 1st gear to quick it woukd stall out i learned over time letting off the clutch smooth not slow that it wouldent stall out small trick but after i was used to it it made driveing it easyer
That will only burn out your clutch. The actual proper way is the right amount of gas applied and letting out the clutch pedal as fast as you can while being smooth, especially on a hill.
thank god lol, i got my car this past christmas and thought it was just me. I also own a fully built 350z and i LOVE the clutch in it. the WRX clutch im not to fond of. not yet i guess lol LOVE the car tho
🤣😂🤣Awesome video brother!! I Almost died laughing at 4:44 "Lower your windows." You are so straight faced and technical/responsible until BAM!! I Knew exactly what you were doing the moment you said tunnel. I bought a 2023 WRX (my first) a few months ago, and have since modified it a bit (Magnaflow Catback, Perrin Cold-Air Intake, etc.) so everytime I'm driving home and my girlfriend's in the car she yells at me because I "Lower my windows." XD She has no idea why I do it (well she gets the idea) but I had to immediately send this to her to prove I'm not "hooning" I'm driving properly. ;) HAHAHa Awesome!
I’m having trouble driving my 2021 sti, like shifting wise, shifting smooth, like do I dump the clutch right after I shift? Or get to the grabbing point while giving lil gas? But when I did that I started over reving for no reason
You either are giving too much gas or not enough. Also, you need to be releasing the clutch quickly enough to catch the right rpm or it'll drop too low.
Touché- my typing needs help. I coming off selling my ND Miata, such a good driving experience. Hoping this ‘17 WRX is a as much fun and more practical (goes without saying). The funny thing is I am already looking at getting another ND2 Miata to accompany WRX in my garage. 😂
Been watching your videos for a while and they keep getting better, keep it up! Did you have a hard time finding a compatible shift knob for the Boomba STS?
Most knobs fit this shifter if the opening is large enough. You can always grind it out a bit too which I had to do on a lathewerks knob. The shifter is identical to stock, just a mm or so thicker on the reverse lockout. So far I have tried about 20 shift knobs and this grimmspeed one is hands down the best looking and feeling, at least for the price. There are better looking shift knobs no doubt (burnt titanium, etc), but they don't weigh enough and that's super important.
@@TheShaddix Looks like the problem is the recessed opening in the Grimmspeed was a smidge too small for the Boomba reverse lockout. I had to add a (ground down) nut+washer to have enough clearance. Problem solved!
@@DonToye Are you talking about the regular gs knob or the stubby one? Mine has a huge opening, no chance of any issues occurring with fitment. I did also have the taller version before but sold it. I don't remember how large the opening was, but I had no issues. You probably screwed it on too low.
@@TheShaddix It's the taller one actually (sku 038006). Hmm...interesting that you didn't have any issue. I screwed it on normally to handtight plus another 1/2 turn or so. Any less it would be a little too loose. In any case, the 'nut mod' seemed to work out.
I have a 2019 WRX and the bite point is exactly the opposite of yours. If you're not putting a bit of gas on it as soon as you start letting off the clutch, you get that big thwonk. Maybe they tried to fix that from the 2018s and overcompensated
I've heard of this from many people about grab points being either too far or too close to the floor. The grab point also ends up shifting as the car warms up, you can see once you start to drive and it's warm it'll grab somewhere in the middle. Then, when it's cold it's really close to the floor again. They call it a wandering grab point and no one knows what the cause is.
You have to let the clutch out in neutral while your revving to speed up the input shaft to actually rev match, you know your doing it right when you can do it the same without even using the clutch but what do I know
Maybe back in the day with old cars/semi trucks. Not with anything modern as it has synchros. What you described would pretty much take all the fun out of driving.
If purchasing a stock 2021 Subaru STI where can I buy all these parts listed that you recommend Shaddix? I'm new to stick shift, but I want to learn how to master this skill as it's an essential part of driving and makes the user feel more engaged when driving a vehicle.
You can easily look for them online as they are widely available from many sites including ebay, amazon, etc. The clutch stopper is made by me so you'd have to email me via my site for that if you want it.
great video man! would you say a stage 1 tune will help with the smoothness? my wrx is completely stock and im pretty knew at driving manuals so im not very good at it. shifting and starting seems to feel different every time
Tune removes the rev hang which helps a lot, but don't expect miracles. The smoothness is all about the grab point and timing of throttle application and the amount of it. The grab point also tends to shift for whatever reason, so when the car is cold it's closer to the floor, then it's further out. Hit me up for a clutch stopper, it'll help you a ton.
TheShaddix do you sell the clutch stoppers? And how do you install them? Just got an sti after learning on a Camaro and getting into first gear is so challenging but every other gear I’m getting okay at
Love the video man! Got a 2017 wrx about a month ago and I'm loving it and want to treat it as well as I can. My question is as far as the mods for better shifting you were talking about, keeping in mind that I don't have endless money, what would you recommend I start with???
The biggest bang for the buck for shifting (for me) was the shift stopper (can get a replica for 10 bucks or so), the boomba shift plate (plus a metal bushing), and a heavy shift knob. You'll be happy with those.
STI and WRX clutch are legit fucking opposites lol I drive a WRX and drove my friends STI and I couldn't get use to it in the 20 minutes I had with it lol
I've driven a few sti's. What you experienced is the grab point distance. Older sti's (2015-2017) have a very high grab point making it super difficult to get a feel for when it actually grabs. It's right near the point of full pedal release. That clutch stopper I made solves the issues and I made one for a buddy with an sti and it changed his perspective completely. The grab point was changed in 2018+ sti's from factory. Wrx grab points seem to have stayed the same: super high up and unpredictable. It also depends on how warm the car is... When it's cold, the grab point is close to the floor, and then it shifts further away as the clutch heats up. Go figure...
Great video and thanks .. 1 question please, when I'm in gear does it get lock tight? What happened was sometimes let's say I'm in 1st gear and stepped on clutch but I forgot and thought I was in neutral so I move it a bit and try to go left and up again.. by doing that, will I do any damage to it? Thanks
It’s like no matter how much I watch and practice Im overthinking or something, I can’t shift from 1st to 2 or even 2 or 3rd smoothly just constantly shaking.
Don't feel bad man. These cars are terrible at shifting compared to pretty much everything else. Even with all my mods and whatever experience I have accumulated over the years with this car, I still don't enjoy this manual in particular. Driven tons of other cars and they all felt better. Unfortunate considering this car is super nice otherwise.
@@matthewlai6636 lay on the driver’s side floor with a light and look at the top of the clutch pedal, you will see a threaded rod with a lock nut....loosen the lock nut and rotate the rod to adjust your pedal height
Shaddix, I also noticed the goofy grab point for clutch release and gear engagement. I was wondering and was curious if you sell the clutch pedal stopper you made? I am curious about how it works and how to properly install it.
I don't find it necessary to rev match daily driving on the streets. As far as down shifting at lights, engine braking helps to slow you down as your coming to a stop.
You don't need to rev match on the upshifts as long as you don't let the rpm drop too low for the next gear. But you do need to rev match on your downshifts, no exception, otherwise it just wears out your clutch as it compensates for the difference in speed between clutch and flywheel, not to mention the jolt you get which is unpleasant. I've seen people drive like that and it's terrible to be in the same car with them. And if you're the type to downshift during every stop and not rev match, then that's just a bad habit. Rev matching is meant to reduce friction as much as possible. Most new manual cars have that feature so you don't need to do that yourself.
