Credit for this FAQ goes to Dave and his original post can be found here; https://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/3510872.page
The purpose of this information is to provide the details of iRacing's real-world counterparts so that the cars can be driven using the same (or as close to the same) method as you would in real life. Note that some real-life vehicles may have automatic style floor-mounted shifters for which we must use one of the shifter types available to us as sim racers. For instance, users might want to use a floor-mounted stick sequential to simulate the Art Carr-Winters shifter, as found in the Pro Trucks.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Operate Different Shifters
Paddle Sequential Shifters
Steering wheel shifting controls are found on many modern sports cars and open-wheel racers. Use the right paddle for upshift and the left paddle for downshifting. Cars that have a sequential transmission cannot be shifted with an H-Pattern shifter.
Stick Sequential
Functionally similar to Paddle Sequential Shifters, but mounted on a stick in the cockpit instead of on the steering wheel. Most race cars are pulled towards you for upshift and pushed away from you for downshift. Cars that have a sequential transmission cannot be shifted with an H-Pattern shifter.
Synchromesh H-Pattern
Your typical "stick shift" manual transmission. The timing of the shifting process in iRacing feels a little different to a real car. iRacing transmissions do not shift instantly - Your shifting inputs tell the iRacing what you're trying to do, and iRacing tries to do what you ask. When you move the shift control, you are telling iRacing that you are beginning to engage the gear, not that it has already been engaged. If you release the shift control before the shift completes, you may not have even left the current gear yet or may end up in a neutral between the two gears.
Timing your shift by holding the clutch in until the gear completely engages before letting the clutch out may require some practice. You will often need to hold the shift control for a little while as the shift goes through to completion before releasing, if you let go too early the sim will interpret that as you let go of the shift before the shift completes, possibly leaving you hanging in neutral. If you find yourself often missing gears or being rejected from shifts, you are most likely shifting too quickly and releasing the clutch before the gear has fully engaged.
You may pre-select gears by moving the shifter into the position for the next gear before you intend to shift. The load on the transmission will hold the car in its current gear, and the gear change will not begin until you release load the transmission via a blip on a downshift, a lift for an upshift, or press in the clutch to engage the next gear.
Dogbox H-Pattern
Similar to Synchromesh H-Pattern, except now the clutch is no longer required for downshifts or full-throttle upshifts due to the dog teeth engagement of the gears. Drivers will still need to lift partially off the throttle on upshifts and blip on downshifts. You may still pre-select gears as you would in a Synchromesh H-Pattern.
Direct Drive, Dogbox - 1 and 2 Speed
Simply select between forward and reverse gears by directly selecting the desired gear. iRacing will only allow the car to shift between forward to reverse when it is at a complete stop.
List of Gearbox, Shifter Types, and Method
| Semi-Automatic Sequential Gear Lever: Paddles or Stick Sequential Upshift - Full throttle (no lift necessary) No clutch required Release the gear lever once engaged Downshift - No clutch required No blip required (will not downshift until RPM is correct) Release the gear lever once engaged The clutch is required to start moving the vehicle from a stop, unless anti-stall clutch is engaged, |
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| Automatic Dual Clutch – Manual Shift Gear Lever: Paddles Upshift - No lift required There is no clutch pedal Release the gear lever once engaged Downshift - No clutch required No blip required Release gear lever once engaged |
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Dog-Box Sequential - with throttle cut Gear Lever: Stick Sequential Upshift - Full throttle (no lift necessary due to throttle cut) No clutch is required (if in correct RPM range) Release the gear lever once engaged Downshift - No clutch required (if in correct RPM range) Blip required (heel/toe or left foot brake and blip throttle) Release the gear lever once engaged |
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Dog-Box Sequential - without throttle cut Gear Lever: Stick Sequential Upshift - Lift (off the throttle) No clutch required (if in correct RPM range) Release the gear lever once engaged Downshift - No clutch required (if in correct RPM range) Blip required (heel/toe or left foot brake and blip throttle) Release the gear lever once engaged |
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Dog-Box H-Pattern Gear Lever: H-Pattern Upshift - Lift (off the throttle) No clutch is required (if in correct RPM range) Downshift - No clutch required (if in correct RPM range) Blip required (heel/toe or left foot brake and blip throttle) |
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Synchromesh H-Pattern Gear Lever: H-Pattern Upshift - Lift (off the throttle) Clutch required. Downshift - Lift (off the throttle) Clutch required with optional blip (heel/toe or left foot brake and blip throttle). |
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| Dog Box – 1 and 2 Speed Gear Lever: Stick Sequential (see note at the very top of page) Upshift - No lift required There is no clutch pedal Release the gear lever once engaged Downshift - No clutch required No blip required Release the gear lever once engaged |
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| Direct Drive In real life, these cars have no clutch, transmission, or reverse gear. It should actually be push-started but iRacing models it as if it were a 1-speed dog box, without neutral or clutch pedal but with reverse. Gear Lever: Stick Sequential (see note at the very top of page) |
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Automatic – Manual Shift Gear Lever: Stick Sequential (see note at the very top of page) Upshift - No lift required There is no clutch pedal Downshift - No clutch required No blip required |
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