Anyone want to explain to me what double clutching is exactly and what its benefits are?

(cool, i just figured out how these smilies work haha, [:-][>:][&:][:@][8D][&o] )

 

I have only seen double clutching used on vehicles pulling large loads. Like construction site dump trucks and cement trucks and stuff..... you get the idea

What double clutching is, is engaging the clutch when you take it in and out of gear for example, when shifting from 1st to 2nd, you would .......
1.)hit the clutch pulling it out of 1st and put it into neutral (like right between 1st and 2nd),
2.) leave the shifter in that position, release the clutch
3) then hit the clutch again and bring it into 2nd

Now I have never used double clutching but I know several people who work in construction and that is how they explained it to me. The benefit, I believe, from double clutching is clutch slippage when it is being put under extreme loads.


hope that helps

 

Thanks for the info. It does help, however, I'm still curious because I've heard it's a racing technique [&:]

 

...back in the old days before gearboxes were all syncro'd, you followed the steps above but also hit the gas in neutral to bring the engine speed up to match the tranny,...[&:]

 

So I take it double clutching is not necessary or recommended for racing? =P

 

Not unless you're racing an "antique"!!![sm=smiley20.gif]

 

HAHA. I do have a 57 or maybe it's 56..I think 56, mercedez convertible in my backyard. It is kinda neat, red leather interior and the steering wheel and gear shift are ivory lol. It's in pretty good condition. It's not mine though, it's my best friends. He only drives it in the summer and he's planning to sell it to buy three cars lol. I convinced him to make one of the three an SRT-4. The other two are a mustang GT cobra and a honda S2000. His parents are rich, what can I say. The mercedez was his 16th birthday gift..

 

More info Carkid incase you are curious...

Heel and toe driving: (useful for cornering especially)

1. Left foot engaging clutch
2. Right foot (ball of foot) on brake pedal with side of foot hovering above gas pedal
3. when car is in the brief instance of neutral between shifts (left foot still on clutch, ball of right foot pressing brake) the rest of your right foot "blips" the gas to match RPM's... again, used for non-synch tranny's...

More on the subject:

Even in Synch'd trannys it has been recommended to briefly "blip" the gas pedal to accelerate the engine when performing a downshift

1. Clutch
2. while in "neutral" tap (blip) gas pedal to raise RPM's quickly
3. Downshift while RPM's are up
4. Release Clutch

This helps match the input and output speeds in the trans and eliminates that neck-snapping jerk from downshifting... this information comes from Skip Barber's School of Race Driving book (that might the actual name of the book too, can't remember)

 

Yeah SRT YA has the same explanation ive heard, and ive used the downshifting double cluching but dont like to casue its really not to needed.

 

I agree!! When to double clutch??? When your cruizin down the interstate and want to pass someone. Your in 5th gear and if you shove it into 3rd, your going to unbalance the chasis, so quickly pull out of gear, get the engine reved up and then clutch and slam it into 3rd while gettin on the gas, voila, nice smooth, hard acceleration. Without this technique you will end up chirping the tires as the engine catches up with the tranny. Happy motoring.