Hello

I was curious I have a 1991 RS with a 5-speed.

Is it nessessary to double clutch when going from a high gear to the next lowest gear??
Or is it just a good idea to do it.



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Jamieson
85 Blue Super Charged Iroc-Z28 Camaro
79 TransAm
1991 RS
1999 Oklahoma Gathering
2000 SWMG

 

I dont see why it would be necessary. The transmission is synchronized, so why bother?

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L98, 3.27 9-bolt, Hooker shorty headers, custom 2.5inch Y-pipe, no cat, 3inch 2chamber flowmaster, JET AFPR, Ported MAF, Best ET: 13.86 @100mph. 1.99 60'
17 inch ROH "ZS" wheels. 17x8.5(front) and 17x9.5 (rear). Firestone Firehawk SZ50s. 245/45/zr17s and 275/40/zr17s. T56

On the way... Radar Blue 89 Formula, T56, Ram Jet 430, Ram Air, 17inch ROHs.

 

Real old cars had straight cut gears and you had to double clutch up and down the gear box.

Synchro was developed to elimiate the need to double clutch. The gears are cut at an angle and it uses synchro rings or cones to mesh the gears at the same speed. So there is no reason to double clutch these unless there's something wrong with the trans.

If you want try something with shifting though, learn to heel and toe your downshifts. It takes a bit of practice but it's really cool when you get it right.

 

You can double clutch if the synchros are worn out, which happens eventually. I just do it sometimes out of force of habit, especially going down into 1st gear, because synchromesh on 1st didn't exist on any car I could afford when I started driving. I drove a few British sports cars, which couldn't keep synchros for more than a couple of years.

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1985 Yellow IROC-Z 5.0 HO, T-5 3.73 Torsen, 4 wheel disks
PFCM pads, GTA wheels, Koni yellows, B&M Ripper, Dynomax

 

What exactly is meant by "heel and toe". Ive heard this several times but dont know what it means. Please elaborate. Thanks.

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L98, 3.27 9-bolt, Hooker shorty headers, custom 2.5inch Y-pipe, no cat, 3inch 2chamber flowmaster, JET AFPR, Ported MAF, Best ET: 13.86 @100mph. 1.99 60'
17 inch ROH "ZS" wheels. 17x8.5(front) and 17x9.5 (rear). Firestone Firehawk SZ50s. 245/45/zr17s and 275/40/zr17s. T56

On the way... Radar Blue 89 Formula, T56, Ram Jet 430, Ram Air, 17inch ROHs.

 

It's a way to brake and downshift at the same time so that you can leave your braking point a lot later than someone who has to take their foot of the brake to operate the clutch so that they can downshift to the gear they're going to need for driving around the corner and coming out of it.

So, you keep you left foot on the brake and downshift by declutching with the left side of your right foot (toe), making your gear change and then matching the revs for the downshift by using the right side of your left foot (heel) to blip the throttle as you let out the clutch. Remember to ease off the brakes a bit as the lower gear engages otherwise you might lock up the rears and spin.

You don't exactly use your heel or toe but that's what it's called.

The way the peddles are set up on an f-body it also helps to have big feet.

Sorry about writing a book but I could'nt make it any shorter and still explain it.

 

I just read that and realized that's it's totally *** backwards.

Sorry, I was trying to keep it short and not thinking about what I was saying.

Everything is as I've said except the obvious mistake being that I've got the clutch and the brake in the wrong place.

So, brake using the left side of your foot, declutch and downshift normaly, match the revs by blipping the throttle with the right side of your foot while still braking.

 

Heel & Toeing can be done if your feet are big enough by using your left foot on the clutch and putting the ball of your right foot on the brake and rolling the rest of your right foot over to match or bring up the revs before releasing the clutch. Pratice when driving on the streets (CAREFULLY PLEASE) and then apply on the Autocross tracks. Works great and feels fluid once mastered.

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Iroc Z28 with several mods for domination of autocross courses.