# What's up with low gear?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 9, 2001, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324 "2001-04-09T05:28:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324/21 "2001-04-11T23:04:42Z")

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Coldfire wrote:

> [@](#):
>
> constantly and routinely downshifting in an automatic is a BAD idea, unless you’re driving something like an Audi or Porsche with tiptronic (a dual-purpose automatic with the ability to shift as well), or a similar device from another brand (BMW has them as well). If you do it with a conventional automatic, you’ll wear your clutch our sooner than normal.

Automatic transmissions have a **clutch?** :eek:

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**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324/22 "2001-04-11T23:21:41Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Coldfire \*  
> \*\*I was specifically referring to the low/high gearing option that most Jeeps/4X4s have. A Suzuki Samurai will have a simple stick for it (much like a manual gear lever), and a fancy 4X4 like a Range Rover has an electronic switch for it (I think). In any case, it basically cuts the ratios of all gears in half. Or doubles them, whatever. You get the idea. 😉  
> \*\*

Yeah, that’s the transfer case low range that’s already been explained. My Jeep had a vacuum-operated shifter (with a switch on the dash) for it.

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**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2001, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324/23 "2001-04-11T23:33:19Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tracer \*  
> \*\*Coldfire wrote:
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > constantly and routinely downshifting in an automatic is a BAD idea, unless you’re driving something like an Audi or Porsche with tiptronic (a dual-purpose automatic with the ability to shift as well), or a similar device from another brand (BMW has them as well). If you do it with a conventional automatic, you’ll wear your clutch our sooner than normal.
> 
> Automatic transmissions have a **clutch?** :eek: \*\*

[Yeppers](http://www.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission3.htm). Hydraulic, no less.

[Everything you never wanted to know about transmissions](http://www.howstuffworks.com/category.htm?cat=Transm)

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**Author:** ![jeel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@jeel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeel)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2001, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-low-gear/61324/24 "2001-04-12T16:56:17Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tracer \*  
> Automatic transmissions have a **clutch?** :eek:

Yep–Like **Gunslinger** said…actually a few different sets of clutches and bands…difference is…you don’t engage or disengage these clutches with your foot…the tranny does it for you. 😉

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