Why is it better for you car to be in a lower gear to go downhill but also uphill?
In: 1
Depends on your speed and your goals and the traction and weather and how much room you have in front of you and the engine characteristics and all sorts of shit, I think this question is not very answerable unless it’s more specific
Usually to maintain a reasonable RPM, you enter lower gears going uphill
And when going downhill, you may be in a high gear if you wish to go fast or coast and use less fuel, but if you’re trying to go slowly and be more defensive you can enter a lower gear while going downhill to maintain more control and use engine friction as a means of engine braking to reduce speed and reduce strain on your brakes.
High gear going downhill is more fuel efficient but usually less control because the increased friction of the engine (higher rpm) in a low gear increases the drag of the drivetrain and slows you down, if you wish to brake or be in a more defensive posture.
Super steep downhill in a city and it’s busy and you have a heavy load and might need to stop quickly? Low or medium gear.
Gentle sloping massive downhill in the middle of the country with nobody around and lots of room? High gear, more fuel efficient, faster.
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