My tranny's wearing out so I'm trying to think of ways to preserve it a lil longer.
For double clutching, I'm stepping on the clutch, shift to neutral, let off clutch, blip gas to rev match (and hold), shift to next gear and let the clutch out. Is this correct? Is this helping me any for upshifting? Does anybody else do this for upshifting?
thx!
Jae

 

yeah, that's double clutching, but it won't help your clutch last, infact it will wear out more quickly. Double clutching will help the syncros last, but not the clutch. Just think, you are using it twice as often as you need to.

When I upshift, I just clutch, shift, and go. When I downshift I try to rev-match as often as possible. Makes for smoother shifting, and longer lasting tranny... I hope

 

for upshifting, there's no need to double clutch at all. if you time your clutch engagement correctly, the engine should drop to the correct RPM for the speed in the new gear right about the same time you let go of the clutch.

double clutching is for people who:
1. watched the Fast and Furriest too many times and think it's the Bible of Ricedom.
2. Drive a bus, semi, or other un-synchronized transmission.
3. like to downshift into 2nd at 60mph to get every last bit of high end power out of the car in a corner.
4. people who just think it's cool to stand on your clutch pedal all the time.

 

after I put the ACT clutch in, I have been more paranoid about wearing out my clutch so I have been more on my brakes...after all...they are much easier and less expensive to replace. Still,
I wonder...does it harm your clutch a lot to match rev down shift?

plus i need some tips on heel and toeing...just that I can't get it right...mebbe i am doing something wrong...

H

 

People downshift to second at 60mph? If I'm over 50mph I usually don't do it because it seems like a waste of time when you could probably just step on it in third and get a good response, and its a little scary jumping into such high rpms that quickly.

 

that's why you double clutch. do it right, and it'll stick you with a silky smooth downshift at 60mph into ~5500rpm in 2nd. I do that when I'm pulling off the highway and stuff to let the engine slow me down.

the thing you see the riceboys doing is downshifting, then slipping the clutch to match revs. that's BAD. extremely hard on the clutch. which is where the whole rev matching thing comes in.
1. shift to neutral (grab the stick and pull it into neutral with a blip of the gas)
2. blip the gas a time or to until the engine is around 6krpm
3. hit the clutch, pull it into 2nd, then let out on the clutch (all this should take less than a second)

now you're in 2nd gear at 60. no jerks, no wear on the synchros or clutch or anything else.

 

Double clutching is generally not neccessary, UNLESS you have trouble getting into gear. Then double clutching can be very helpful. Double-clutching when going into (or out of) reverse is probably a good idea too. Otherwise just match rpm when downshift. That definitely makes it easier for your clutch because it has to 'bridge' less rpm difference.

 

actually...

just letting the clutch catch up to your revs when you downshift causes a harder pull back and is extremely harsh on your clutch.

modern day synchros in our clutches i think are much more durable, and I think that double clutch down shifting is not as necessary. a successful clean matched rev down shift...that has the smoothest transition to the lower gear to match engine speed...is IMHO, the best way. I don't do this often...but sometimes its just necessary to slow down...

so is that bad if i do it...a matched rev downshift...or should i just stick with straight braking?!?!

and what's up with the forum and no heel and toe advice from my previous post!? hehehehe

take care.
Helicon

 

1. being on my 3rd transmission in a year, I'll vouch for the fact the synchros are weaker than you think.
you can still downshift, but dont' expect the synchros to last 150k+ doing stuff like that. my 1st and 2nd trannies wouldn't even go into gear on a 3krpm+ downshift unless I double clutched. this one is smooth as glass, but I'm not going to take any chances.

2. I can't heel & toe in this car. pedals are horribly placed and my feet are too wide to do it properly. no useful advice from me!

 

Matt,

I think its a good idea anyways as you say to double clutch down shift when necessary...why take a chance on my ACT, right?

about the heel and toeing...

i have to agree...i guess part of the reason of my inability to do it properly could be due to the size of my feet (hehehe) and how the pedals are placed...

Thanks anyways.
H

 

I haven't been very successful at heel-toeing either, I have size 12 feet and the pedals seem awkward for this type of thing. I love to be in 3rd gear going really nice and easy on one of those acceleration ramps curves around before you actually get onto the highway, going along at around 35-40 mph, and then going into 2nd gear. Its nice to surprise the people behind you who may have never seen a VE 5 speed take off like that before.

 

and i thought i'm the only one that enjoys burning people in the corners

 

OK , I understood heel toeing to be used only in cornering..prevents oversteer induced by a downshift on the corner exit.
Rev matching is ALWAYS good on any kind of down shift..double clutching really isn't necessary at all...that's why we have synchros. This is something that was common on non-synchromesh trannies that relied on the driver knowing what rpm to shift at every time up or down. And synchros are not all that, at least not by the looks of them. In fact, anyone who has ever seen the insode of one of our trannies will now think twice about powershifting ever again. The teeth on the brass portion are small, like 1/4" in width. but boy do they take a beating! It's amazing how much power all thos little parts in there can handle.

 

The way that I downshift is this:

1. Clutch in put car in the next desired gear
2. Blip throttle to raise the revs to match the next gear
3. Clutch out and continue driving

I don't see why this would cause a WHOLE lot more wear than any other type of upshift / downshift considering that there really isn't any load on the syncros (besides the normal driveline load) when the gear change occurs. IMHO the big problems occur when you force gear changes too quickly.

 

since lately i rarely drive late at night or hang out...my life just consists of work and sleep hehehe...

this leads to one special moment each day. my entering the freeway acceleration...hehe i love the feel. esp on the cool santa barbara mornings..i just blast it onto the freeway...after of course...warming up my car...

and u shoudl see the faces off the half awake commuters as this bat out of hell se max comes tearing along the 101. heheheh

h

 

i find that it is easier to keep my heel on the floor, put the left side of my right foot on the right corner of the brake and roll the outside of my foot onto the gas pedal to blip the throttle. this is side to side shifting but does the same thing as heel, toe shifting. you only need to do this when you want to come out of a corner with a lot of power not usually in dayly driving.

 

THANK YOU MATT!!! gosh... there are some idiots around here that are always man you need to double clutch.. i'm like, dude, you're an idiot. that was the dumbest term in that movie. one of my friends thinks double clutching is blipping the clutch while on full throttle, i.e. pressing in the clutch while moving to let the engine rev really high then he dumps the clutch...... i was like, dude your clutch won't last a month doing that... he still does thinking it is "double clutching" and helps out because it was said in fast and the furious.

 

double clutching is also considered blipping the clutch pedal while holding WOT

 

Santa Barbara drivers are morons.

 

i agree.. i dont see why (or the point of) we have to let the clutch Out, rev match, then clutch in, and go.

I do the same as Brian TII

 

that's.... really dumb...

 

i never said it was a good idea

 

i never said you said it was a good idea