Mechanic Reveals Simple Trick to Stop Your Car's Reverse Gear Grinding

Understanding Your Car's Reverse Gear: A Mechanic's Simple Trick to Prevent Grinding A common concern among drivers with manual transmissions is the occasional grinding noise when attempting to engage reverse gear. Juan José, a mechanic from Talleres Ebenezer, recently shed light on this phenomenon and offered a straightforward solution to mitigate it. According to José, the grinding sound is often a normal characteristic of manual gearboxes. He explains that unlike forward gears, which typically have helical teeth and synchronizers to ensure smooth engagement, reverse gears often feature straight teeth and lack a synchronizer brake. This design means that when shifting into reverse, three pinions must align directly, which can lead to a slight grinding or a less smooth engagement compared to other gears. "It's normal for it to sound a little more than when you engage other types of gears," José stated in his video. "Because the teeth of the reverse gear in the gearbox are straight. Therefore, as there is also no synchronizer brake, when we engage reverse gear, three pinions have to mesh." To alleviate the tension and ensure a smoother, quieter shift into reverse, José recommends a simple trick: with the clutch fully pressed, first engage any forward gear, such as second gear. While keeping the clutch pedal down, then shift directly into reverse. "By simply pressing the clutch, engaging another gear first, for example second, and then with the clutch still pressed, we go directly to reverse," José demonstrated. "We now have the gearbox completely braked, and the transition from one gear to another will relieve the tension, and we won't have any grinding or harshness." This method, he explains, allows the synchronizer of the forward gears to momentarily slow down the gearbox's internal components, preparing it for a seamless reverse engagement. This not only makes the driving experience more pleasant but also helps to preserve the lifespan of the gearbox by reducing unnecessary wear and tear.

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