Do you double-clutch?

[epp_b]

Do you double-clutch? Why or why not?

I do sometimes, just for fun and to save wear on the synchromesh

Just for clarity's sake, this poll is not the same as "Do you/Do the presenters heel-and-toe" or "does XYZ match revs". Double-clutching is an entirely additional technique.

[MXM]

I don't see how double clutching is fun. It's MUCH slower (keeping engine disconnected from wheels for another press of the clutch) it requires extra move, and really, do I care about synchro wear? It will most likely last longer than gearbox itself, so.. meh.

[maxorido]

No, because there is no point in doing so. If your doing that for fun, sounds like you need to take your car to the track or buy a kart and have some real fun.

[llpc60]

Originally Posted by MXM

I don't see how double clutching is fun. It's MUCH slower (keeping engine disconnected from wheels for another press of the clutch) it requires extra move, and really, do I care about synchro wear? It will most likely last longer than gearbox itself, so.. meh.

how much you want to bet I can downshift/double clutch FASTER than you normaly downshift?

the syncros never outlast the gearbox either...fuck... dont you people drive manual cars?

and you need an extra option for

"yes - its much smoother than just rev matching"

[the Interceptor]

I had never heard of double-clutching before this poll, and I just read elsewehere what it is. I don't quite see the point of it though. When I shift gear, I try to match the engines revs to the gearboxes revs in the gear I'm approaching. Doesn't that do the same to the cars parts without double-clutching?

[Adunaphel]

No because i don't see the point. I drive normally form day to day, and apart from some faster-than-normal shift-action when gunning it down an onramp, i shift pretty leisurely. So there's no real wear on my gearbox. That and the fact that i drive 2km from my house to the motorway on a 70kph-road, drive 30km on there, drive 2 addition km on another 70kph-road, so 90% of the time the box is locked in 5th gear. Only fast downshifts i do are full-throttle downshifts from 5 to 4 when an overtaking lorry goes back to where it belongs.

[llpc60]

intercerptor : no

and double clutching is only for downshifting unless you have no syncros at all

edit: and for people who always drive with the revs way up there. i cruise at 4k+ shift at 5-7k all the time (95% of the time. miatas powerband are sexy) id be fucked without double clutching because downshifting always gets me way high in the revband and sycros have to do tons of work (without double clutcjing)

[Paul]

I think double clutching is use for endurance racing, and no, i don't double clutching.

[MXM]

Originally Posted by llpc60

how much you want to bet I can downshift/double clutch FASTER than you normaly downshift?

Does it matter how fast I shift? I'm just saying it's slower to "clutch in - neutral - clutch out - revs - clutch in - next gear - clutch out" than "clutch in - next gear - revs - clutch out". No matter who does it, second method will be faster. It increases your free-roll time, as simple as that.

Double de-clutching is for old cars, old trucks and worn-out synchros

[AiR]

Man, I am the only one to vote for option #7! I feel so alone

[GraemeH]

If i'm driving for the fun i try to be smooth, so yes i do. But most of the time i don't on the upshifts, i'm just smooth with the clutch and careful to match revs.

On downshifts i don't double clutch, i just always always heel-toe to match the speeds. The last time i didn't, even when pulling up in a car park or something mundane like that, must have been in the first month i was driving.

The reason i don't double clutch on the upshifts is just that it doesn't really improve the smoothness and stability of the car, whereas on the downshifts, hell-toe-ing to blip the throttle prevents weight transfer which keeps the load on the front tyres even and smooth when braking into a corner, so i see a point, you can go into/round a corner faster (not that i drive fast anyway).

The double clutching on the down shifts seems like an unnecisary step if i'm already matching the speeds by blipping the throttle.

[llpc60]

Originally Posted by MXM

Does it matter how fast I shift? I'm just saying it's slower to "clutch in - neutral - clutch out - revs - clutch in - next gear - clutch out" than "clutch in - next gear - revs - clutch out". No matter who does it, second method will be faster. It increases your free-roll time, as simple as that.

Double de-clutching is for old cars, old trucks and worn-out synchros

its not as simple as that. the higher the RPM, the more the syncros have to work, the more they have to work, the longer it takes for the gear to engage. now for double clutching, you barely need to letoff the clutch for the free moving parts in the gearbox to engage, and all the syncro work will already be done.

its been proven too...double clutching is not at all slower. just depends if you know what youre doing or not.

[Vitamin J]

No, I don't because I don't drive a 1960's car.

[watto]

No. I don't feel the need to, I'm a pretty light user on my gearbox/clutch anyway, the only time I do hard changes is onto the freeway or overtaking someone...

[bobo_1314]

My friend does some amateur car racing at his local car club, and he actually did a survey on who uses double-clutching in racing situations. He even asked the most experienced guy there (a retired pro racer), and he said there's no point in doing double-clutching these days b/c the gearbox is well-made. However, he encourages people to use the heel-toe technique when downshifting to rev-match.

[MXM]

Originally Posted by llpc60

its not as simple as that. the higher the RPM, the more the syncros have to work, the more they have to work, the longer it takes for the gear to engage. now for double clutching, you barely need to letoff the clutch for the free moving parts in the gearbox to engage, and all the syncro work will already be done.

its been proven too...double clutching is not at all slower. just depends if you know what youre doing or not.

I don't see how letting synchro do the work could be any slower than doing it yourself with help clutch and engine. Unless you're skipping gears.

you barely need to letoff the clutch for the free moving parts in the gearbox to engage, and all the syncro work will already be done.

Oh, maybe you're not really double-clutching then? Just blipping the throttle and it's really synchro that does the work?

[fbc]

I'll occasionally double-clutch a downshift, just for the fun and satisfaction of it. Usually I'll just blip the throttle to rev-match when downshifting.

[epp_b]

"yes - its much smoother than just rev matching"

You're right, but I don't think I can edit the poll.

No, because there is no point in doing so. If your doing that for fun, sounds like you need to take your car to the track or buy a kart and have some real fun.

Yeah, but... $$$$

[chaos386]

I don't do it, mostly because there are a lot more things in a car that will wear out before the syncros. What's really fun to do is to find a long, deserted road and practice shifting without using the clutch. It works kinda like double-clutching, but without the clutch part.

[Vitamin J]

You don't usually double-clutch downshifts, guys. You use it to upshift, quickly. I had to do that when my synchro in 3rd on my race car was toasted and wouldn't let me shift in from 2nd very fast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_clutch