Driving a stick...

[merc123]

Saves wear and tear?

 

[LI98GTStang]

StangLou,
I don't rev match when coming to a stop. I only do this (and not every time either), after slowing down whether its because of a sharp turn coming up or I slowed for traffic and/or a red light and then need to pick a lower gear to pick up speed again. Again, I try to stay consistent with saving wear on the clutch and the other components by not downshifting gear by gear to stop every time.

 

[TomBadger]

Best way to learn to drive a stick...borrow a friend's (not too close of a friend) POS import. Drive it til you smoke it. When the clutch doesn't work any more and it looks like carbon horse-hair (if ya didn't grind the gears into a pucilanimous pulp first) then you assess what you did to make it this way. Buy your true-blue-american-muscle-horse and don't do what you did to that import. Take it easy and enjoy some true american muscle. Import clutch kit...$80. 04 Mustang...$25,000. Smoking the crap out of an import POS...priceless.

 

[merc123]

I hate true blue. I want sonic blue

 

[mwdguy]

they had this same discussion on the 3si.org forums (3000gt/stealth)
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=190162

read the post by chunsangp on the First page
hes does a much better job of explaining what im trying to explain above

PS. the double clutching im talking about, has NOTHING to do with the fast and the furious....

Double Clutching is something truckers do. Even then it is done so as to not engage the clutch brake. You dont depress the clutch fully. What you are doing simply gives yourself a workout.

 

[Snarf]

Double clutching is fun, I agree, but I only do it in the same instances Stang Lou said, like when I'm exiting a sharp turn, or to get around traffic..

IE- downshifting for the sake of better acceleration, not for braking purposes.

Great thread btw. maybe it shold be a sticky? Good source of infor for noobie and seasoned manual drivers alike

 

[merc123]

It has been very helpful. As far as double clutching I think that is going to be one of those things I ask more about after I get used to driving a stick.

 

[decoy562]

So, basically, when I am sitting at a red light, I should not have the car in gear and the clutch pushed in because of wear? I should just keep it in neutral and take my foot off the clutch?

 

[Snarf]

So, basically, when I am sitting at a red light, I should not have the car in gear and the clutch pushed in because of wear? I should just keep it in neutral and take my foot off the clutch?

Righto

 

[StangLou]

You got it

 

[decoy562]

Ok, I'm gonna have to train myself to do that from now on!

 

[Rustang Cobra]

Double clutching is fun, I agree, but I only do it in the same instances Stang Lou said, like when I'm exiting a sharp turn, or to get around traffic..

IE- downshifting for the sake of better acceleration, not for braking purposes.

im with you guys
i only double clutch and toe heel when im in the aggressive driving mood

for daily driving it is completely uneccessary

but im saying that if u want to downshift, double clutching is the smoothest method putting the least amount of wear on your clutch and tranny

in regards to that question about emergency braking, (i dont double clutch unless i know i have time, its just a matter of what scenario your in)

but your car will brake a lot better at 40mph in 2nd than it will in 4th, just try it out

go 40mph in 2nd and let off the gas
then go 40mph in 4th and let off the gas
(having the rpms higher means the engine is braking harder)

ill try and find you a video of my friend toe heeling and double clutching while driving his porsche boxter, its pretty cool if you know what hes doing

 

[Snarf]

I suck at heel-toe'ing. My feet are huge and I have a hard time flexing them gently, lol. I just need to practice it more I suppose.

I'd love to see that vid of the boxer getting worked!

*Edit: What do you guys think, should we try to get a sticky on this thread? alot of good info here. Just an idea

 

[merc123]

I would go with a sticky. I would love to see the video as well. I have big feet so heel-toe will be very hard for me. I also wear hiking boots that don't really flex that much.

 

[StangLou]

Yeah I never got the heel toe thing down. I wear a size 16 shoe so its more like my foot can cover all three pedels . Not the best shoe size for racing I guess . Its even hard to powerbrake with my huge arse feet lol. If I dont pay really close attention to where my feet are, my left foot will stay on the clutch to long and let me tell you, that makes for one nasty smell!

 

[merc123]

I've been practicing. I air-shift my automatic. I'll push the clutch in and put it in N at redlights and what not. I've been pretending taking off at a redlight and downshifting for turns. It's pretty interesting.

 

[drichard]

I hate true blue. I want sonic blue

True Blue rocks

 

[edwardohaskillo]

Jim's directions for heel-toe downshifts.

I find the mid point on the floor between the brake and gas, and put my right heel there. When I'm gassing, I flop my right foot over to the right w/o lifting my heel from the floor.

When I brake, I let off the gas, and straighten my right foot into the straight and upright position, and lift my foot a little bit off the floor. That puts my foot in position over both pedals.

I brake with 1/2 the brake pedal, covering 1/2 the gas pedal with the same foot at the same time. Need more brake? Roll the foot toward the brake. Need more gas? Roll the foot toward the gas.

When downshifting, blip the rpm to approx 1500 above what ever rpm you were in before. Quickly ease off clutch pedal while rpms are still up. It'll take a little practice. No more than a day or two. But when you find the way to make harmony you'll know it.

Next week:
Jim's guide to heel-toe kissing!

This guide isn't much good for men with large feet.
But then again next weeks guide won't help them much either!

 

[mwdguy]

but im saying that if u want to downshift, double clutching is the smoothest method putting the least amount of wear on your clutch and tranny

but your car will brake a lot better at 40mph in 2nd than it will in 4th, just try it out

PLEASE tell me how pushing the clutch in twice (totally unneccesary BTW) is putting LESS wear and tear on your clutch etc. Double clutching is USELESS unless you have a tranny without syncros or a clutch brake like a big rig.

 

[forpit2000gt]

Yeah I never got the heel toe thing down. I wear a size 16 shoe so its more like my foot can cover all three pedels . Not the best shoe size for racing I guess . Its even hard to powerbrake with my huge arse feet lol. If I dont pay really close attention to where my feet are, my left foot will stay on the clutch to long and let me tell you, that makes for one nasty smell!

That's a big damn foot.......