Manually shifting an Automatic

Anybody manually shift their Automatic? I searched and found a few threads but not what I was really looking for. I was wondering about brake wear.

I've had mostly manual cars in the past and make it 80k or more before new brakes.

I don't down shift all the time and when accelerating I just put it in drive but when I'm on known road/routes and I know where the hills and stop signs are I wouldn't mind down shifting to save the pads and rotors...

Thoughts/experience?
Flame me for such a stupid question?

 

Always manually shift mine. Feels weird not to. Works great. I've trained the computer to change gears at 3000-3500 rpms to keep the speed up. 20 MPGs baby.

 

I do it often and I have not had any issues.

 

I don't know if you just talking keeping out of 5th, or starting in 1 and shifting all through the gears? You're going to try and save $80 on brake pads by possibly missing a shift on a $3k trans?

 

Negative

like I said, only downshifting.

 

Rev limiter will keep the engine safe. Also even if you put it in 1st from 60mph the computer may shift down to 3rd (Or maybe even 2nd) but it won't let you hurt the tranny/engine.

 

Just a thought--what about the bands in the tranny-are you adding unnecessary wear? Higher rpms and a harder shift.
BRAKES are cheap to replace-tranny work is NOT.

 

That's why I'm asking...

I was thinking about the smaller moving parts as well. Linkage and the actual shift lever...

 

The A750 is a beast. Torn out of the 4.7L V8 4 Runner.

 

What a stupid question!!!! No it's not, seriously.

All I have ever owned is manual transmissions and I do the samething in my Tacoma too. You're not going to hurt anything if you downshift before a light, stop sign, on a hill etc. I am not sure how much it's going to make a difference on saving your brakes, it might, it might not. All I know is that going down a hill, I hate the smell of burning brakes. But you should be safe.

 

It's not going to hurt the tranny to shift it

 

The stupid thing downshifts itself when you press the brakes on a hill. God, I wish I could disable that.

 

I do some. down shift and up shift. somes times if i get kinda board driving. or if it’s raining and i’m starting out going up hill from a stop i’ll down shift to 1st and shift my way back up to D, helps keep it from spinning.

 

The powertrain controller already downshifts to help with braking. There are some circumstances where I could see the point of manually downshifting (such as going down a mountain road where brakes might overheat), but in general I would rather wear cheap and easy to replace brake pads/rotors/shoes/drums than expensive and difficult to replace transmission parts.

 

you could install jake brake on it

 

Man, that might be a little rude, but could you imagine hearing the "brapbrapbrap" and looking over and seeing a dinky little Taco?

Of course, with the much smaller engine and such, I'm sure the noise wouldn't be quite as impressive.

 

Why do people think you are going to damage the tranny if you manually select a gear ?

That's stupid

 

I've always been a little hesitant to over-use the manual select in an auto box, because most autos I've driven do not make downshifts smoothly. It's no big deal for occasional use for maneuvering in a snowdrift or engine braking down a monster hill, but I avoid using it all the time to avoid needless strain from the choppy shifts that are its wont.

 

Wonder why they bother putting anything other than P - R - N - D on the selector



Maybe Toyota wants us to destroy our transmissions