Downshifting Question
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Use common sense. If you're running down the road 70 MPH it's not a good Idea to go to 4th or 2nd.
However if you're tooling around town and speeds permit you can go from 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd all day long without worries.
owners manual is telling you not to be a douche about it.
However if you're tooling around town and speeds permit you can go from 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd all day long without worries.
owners manual is telling you not to be a douche about it.
Race Director
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 16,574
Likes: 13
From: Winfield IN
Use common sense. If you're running down the road 70 MPH it's not a good Idea to go to 4th or 2nd.
However if you're tooling around town and speeds permit you can go from 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd all day long without worries.
owners manual is telling you not to be a douche about it.
However if you're tooling around town and speeds permit you can go from 5th to 3rd or 4th to 2nd all day long without worries.
owners manual is telling you not to be a douche about it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 31
From: Allentown PA & Elk Twp NJ HPDE Addict
Racer
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: Woodstock Ga
I try to double clutch on every downshift, but definitely when skipping a gear downshifting with a large gap in RPM from current gear to where I'm aiming to end up.
If you haven't been, start double clutching. I guess I was boneheaded and only figured out the proper way to double clutch and started doing it a few months ago. Now I shudder at the unnecessary synchro wear all this time... Anyway, It's such a huge difference for me, even though I always rev matched anyway. The shifter just kinda sucks itself into the correct gear when going for the downshift when you doubleclutch, so effortless.
For reference to double clutch properly as I understand it:
1. Depress clutch pedal
2. Shift to neutral and release clutch pedal
3. Blip throttle to proper RPM for desired gear.
4. Depress clutch and shift into desired gear.
I'm still a noob and have to think about doing it right, but man what a difference. Even with our modern synchronized tranny where it isn't totally necessary, it makes the downshift feel like butter...
If you haven't been, start double clutching. I guess I was boneheaded and only figured out the proper way to double clutch and started doing it a few months ago. Now I shudder at the unnecessary synchro wear all this time... Anyway, It's such a huge difference for me, even though I always rev matched anyway. The shifter just kinda sucks itself into the correct gear when going for the downshift when you doubleclutch, so effortless.
For reference to double clutch properly as I understand it:
1. Depress clutch pedal
2. Shift to neutral and release clutch pedal
3. Blip throttle to proper RPM for desired gear.
4. Depress clutch and shift into desired gear.
I'm still a noob and have to think about doing it right, but man what a difference. Even with our modern synchronized tranny where it isn't totally necessary, it makes the downshift feel like butter...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 31
From: Allentown PA & Elk Twp NJ HPDE Addict
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
Heel and toe is the skill you want to learn. Do a google search and you'll find videos that'll amaze you concerning pro driver's feet on the pedals. Bottom line is it's not that hard to learn, and once mastered you'll find it makes driving more fun....just like anything, repetition repetition and you'll have it mastered
Heel toe downshifting is one of the most fun things you can do when done right. There is nothing like being on the brakes real hard and hitting that perfect downshift just to let off the brakes and get on the throttle a second later.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 218
Likes: 53
From: RI
There are lots of videos that show his footwork.
I always thought that he's probably a pretty good dancer, too. <g>
dan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 65
From: Rochester Hills MI
i heel toe every time i come to a stop. ive pretty much perfected it so that it just comes naturally now. i thought it was pretty easy to learn, but im a skateboarder, so maybe the foot coordination thing helped a bit.