<B> How many people here double clutch and/or heel-toe when they're normally driving?

Maybe it's my wannabe racer nature but, i find myself double-clutching and heel & toeing my way through turns, anytime i'm downshifting, etc.

And Double-clutching, i mean by: when slowing down, push the clutch in, shift into neutral, let the clutch out, push the clutch back in, downshift into next lower gear, match rev, let clutch out.
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Ever since I learned how to drive 14+ years ago, I always double clutched. So it's second nature for me, in fact it feels weird and I feel guilty to my syncros when I don't do it. As far as heel toeing, I do it occassionally when I'm really pushing it. The wife and baby usually don't appreciate me flying around corners.

 

I'm not sure I see the point in double clutching an all syncro mesh transmission. Heel and toe, yes.
Having road raeced motorcycles for years I don't get any great joy from manually changing gears. Just one more distraction to going fast. Little wonder that F1 cars have gone to "paddle shifters".
The only way to get past being a "wanna be", is to "just do it"; on a track.

 

I'm not really sure what you accomplish by doing this? I've been driving a 5 speed's since 1984, and what you are describing (double clutching) makes no sense to me! You're not driving a Mack truck, are you? Why don't you just eliminate the whole "shift into neutral, let the clutch out, push the clutch back in" part, and just downshift normally? Why spend more time in neutral than you need to?

 

<B> Double clutching entends the life of the tranny. When you become a budget racer, you like to keep the tranny working as long as possible and it helps to postpone any costly tranny rebuilds. It reduces the wear on the gears and synchros immensely if you consistently do it. I do it pretty much instinctively and i can do it just as fast as the average person can downshift. I was just curious who else does this?

I find myself actually heel-and-toeing and double clutching at the same time when slowing for a turn.

I think sometimes when i'm doing this, people think i'm revving on them cause they don't know what I'm doing. eh.</b>

 

Just started heel-toe myself this weekend. Next time I think I'm gonna learn where there's no traffic! Almost a costly lesson.

But that's how stick-shifting started too...

 

What is heel and toeing?

 

like i said i drive the auto like a stick so i double pedal when i downshift when taking turns a tad bit harder. hehehehehe. but i do heel toe when i'm bored in a stick.. just when i'm bored.

 

Double clutching - no. Heel-Toe - yes some. Main problem I have with heel-toe is the pedals. They really are too far apart (for me) to do it easily. One of my coming upgrades is going to be more suitable pedals for heel-toe.

I've also gotten pretty good at blipping the throttle coming off the brake and then going back onto the brake. Unfortunately, it is a rather poor substitute for a good heel toe.

2maxed - heel toeing is braking with your right foot as you approach a turn and, at the same time, using the rest of your foot to "blip" the throttle to execute a perfect downshift. Allows you to go into the corner as fast as possible AND get into the proper gear to come out of the corner.

 

Sometimes I will double-clutch for fun. Most of my time spent driving the Maxima is to and from work, and I am usually too tired to care most times...

 

I rev match and heel & toe (once I added pedal pads) normally, double clutch only when going to first. This applies to my race cars as well. No transmission problems in 15 years or so.

Dave

 

What type of pedals should I look for to help the heal-toe?

 

I just used the cheap clamp on pads from PEP Boys ($20). They made a night and day difference.

Dave

 

If I tried to heel/toe I would depress the brake, gas, AND clutch all at the same time...with the same foot!

 

I heel toe but I do it differently. I use the ball of my foot to hit both. I can't twist my foot to heel toe. It's a reach but I feel it works better. Has anyone noticed that the gas pedal has a wierd feel to it, it sticks a little at the top, and that it is set a little down from the other pedals. I think that sucks.

 

I heel and toe when I start on hills, so I dont rollback.

I double clutch sometimes, if it occurs to me, when downshifting.

I double clutch upshifting in the cold until the car warms up. It makes for a smoother shift when the temp is below 20F.

And a tip that I found has worked: If you are a little hard on the clutch (like I am) at some point the clutch may develop a slight chatter. Usually only noticeable in extreme cold. If you burnish the clutch (heel and toe the gas and brake and bring the clutch up almost to slip, while holding the brake pedal hard enough to keep the car from moving) it does reduce the effects somewhat--as long as you dont overdo it.

Of course I know I will get slammed by a lot of you for that.

 

<b>You know what they say about people with big feet...




They're clowns... Get it? Big shoes big feet clowns? oh nevermind... =) </B>