No, holding the clutch in all the way at stoplights doesnt wear on it. The double-clutching crap is useless, just powershift it.

 

Anything longer than a couple seconds at a stoplight... keep it in N and foot off the clutch.

Doesn't wear the clutch...but puts wear on the springs.

 

That's actually how I started to learn to do it.

But after some scary experiences with boiling fluid on track had to learn to 1) test the brake pedal with a quick double pump before entering hot and attempting to heel-toe, and 2) actually manipulate my feet in the classic heel-toe fashion to compensate for potential pedal sink and or to fit just about every standard pedal setup out there. Plus when I went from wide sneakers to driving shoes, the side to side action just wasn't happening anymore.

It's pretty cool to watch pedal work when drivers are racing. A good example of great pedal work is someone like Boris Said when he's driving a roadcourse for NASCAR, they usually show his feet dancing and shifting a few times during a race.

A lighter flywheel would make a good difference for rev matching and heel toe though.

 

But what about after a long period of time when you keep pressure on the thrust bearings for having the clutch in. Then when you have excessive crank end-play you will have no idea what caused it. The clutch isn't all you beat on when driving hard on it, or keeping it pressed alot, although thats borderline captain obvious.
For upshifting I agree, anyone who doesnt have sychros and double clutches is wasting time, especially when drag racing

 

Thanks for the input guys. Juts thought it might have an unforseen benefit. The heel toe makes more sense, as the have energy built up in the fwd momentum of the car has gotta go somewhere, and that can be hard on your synchros and clutch. I'll keeping the downshifting, but the double clutching is already making my crap knee hurt in traffic.

-C

 

Its absoulutely positively 100% worthless effort, and MUCH slower then normal shifting. Blipping the throttle should be the norm for any kind of agressive but precise shifting IF it is needed. At the 'strip, I would always barely lift the accellerator on the 1-2, and never let it off the floor for the 2/3 &3/4(for anything under 350hp or so) Even attempting to double clutch would take at least 5 times as long per shift. If you did it as fast as humanly possible it probably takes at least .5 off the ET. The last vehicle I drove(about 8,000 vehicles ago) that needed double clutching was a 1971 Brockway big rig my buddy used to let me 'play with'.

The double clutching in the movie Bullitt was recorded on a GT40 done intentionally for effect. The shifting sounds you hear are NOT comming from the Mustang.

 

Yah, I know,

Me and my old friends have been laughing at that, along with the 7 consecutive upshifts, for years.



I used to drive a lift truck with duallies and the whole bit. This sucker required double clutching.

Who in the heck thought a 3-speed forklift would be a good idea?? :bang: After an 8 hour shift loading trucks you just wanted to saw your left leg off.


-C

 

its not good for the throwout bearing either

 

I was just told not to do it :P

 

OK, for some stupid reason I started doing this recently. Maybe it was that Bullit movie

Yes, it is addicting. The hardest part seems to be not breaking the rears loose going into second. Oh well, it sounds cool.

 

Heel and toeing is the way to go for down shift cornering... I've been doing it for many years now..The pedel placement in this car is very good..so it can be done very easly..But!!! the bad part on this car is the RPM's dont drop like the older cars..But I hear it can be fixed with a different tune...Double clutching is useless and takes more time..But i must say, it still sounds really cool when done correctly

 

I own an 05 V6 Coupe w/ the factory installed Tremec T-50D 5 speed manual. Double clutching is a necessity if you are 'hustling' in your driving / driving quickly. Attempting to quickly upshift from 2nd to 3rd w/o a clean double clutch = grinding noises. Upshifting 2nd to 3rd via normal 'Granny' method (depress clutch, lift foot off gas, move lever 2nd to 3rd, release clutch & re-press gas pedal) is FINE for normal, everyday driving. Also, double-clutching w/ a heel-toe downshift is a necessity for fast downshifts as well. The Tremec engages gears w/ buttery smoothness & will easily match the ability of the driver for aggressive driving as long as double clutching is employed both up and down the gears. Attempting to drive fast in one of the new 'stangs w/o double clutching will quickly expose amateur mistakes in shifting. :nono: IE: Don't hustle the new stang & attempt to Granny shift. Granny shifting & depending on the syncros is fine for less spirited driving. Lt. Frank Bullitt had it right for chasing that Charger -- double clutch when in hot persuit.

EZ.

 

If your car is grinding hitting 2-3 fast w/o double clutching your transmission needs repair.

Nobody double clutches on upshifts. (ask some professional drag racers about this.) Double clutch downshifting is only necessary if you are skipping gears or something and there is a large ratio differential, and you want to save the synchros a bit. Otherwise just match revvs (referred to in this thread as "heel and toeing") as you shift down, if you like.

As far as having the clutch disengaged while waiting for lights, etc... the effect on thrust bearing wear may be nominal, but consider that some cars have a bypass on the clutch start switch so they can be started clutch out, to avoid potential bearing damage. I play it safe and generally hit neutral when rolling to a stop.

wrt. to the t/o bearing; it does not rotate on the input bearing retainer, and only the bearing itself rotates when the clutch is disengaged. It is designed with this purpose in mind and no excess wear should occur.

 

I have no idea what you are talking about so I guess I rely on the synchros...

 

All true. Remember that double clutching is a downshifting technique. Done correctly it will make for smoother downshifts and will prolong the life of your synchros. It sure doesn't hurt the clutch either because it doesn't have to work at all when it's in neutral in the middle of the manuver. And Doug, it does shorten clutch life when you leave your car in gear at a light and have the clutch pedal in. That power's got to go somewhere when the tranny is engaged and it goes right to the clutch. If you have a habit of resting your left foot on the clutch pedal while driving you're also going to shorten the life of your throwout bearing. My first car had a non synchro first gear and double clutching was a necessity in traffic. The throwout bearing lesson came from my beloved ex wife. You learn these things, like setting the parking brake
at stoplights on hills and not releasing it until the clutch begins to disengage while starting to avoid rolling back into the car behind you. I learned that one in San Francisco with a cable car on my derriere.

Heel and toe is useful when you're doing some spirited driving in the twisties. It enables you to brake while you select the proper gear for exiting a corner. Part of your right foot is using the brake while the other part blips the throttle to prepare the transmission to receive the lower gear you have selected. It's most useful on a road course but it's still fun on the street, although with the torque available in a Mustang it's not really necessary, just fun to do.

When you get really esoteric you combine heel and toe with double clutching. You'll amaze your friends and you'll feel even more connected to your car. Try it. You might even like it.

I remember a trip from San Francisco to Idaho in my at the time girlfriend's BMW 325i. Great car, but that's OT and another story. Anyway, while we were on some back roads she commented that my feet seemed really busy when we were entering corners and she asked what I was doing. I tried to keep the explanation simple but her eyes glazed over. And that's why God made synchros!

 

Stupid question, but its somethin my fiancee and I have argued about before:

She *ALWAYS* parks her car with it in first gear, parking break NOT engaged (unless on a steep incline). I always park with the car in neutral, parking break engaged. Ovbiously, both methods keep the car from rolling away, but isn't her way hard on the clutch/tranny? Her dad always told her parking with parking break on can cause the lines to snap or something...

FYI, she has a 2001 Toyota Echo, incase anyone asks. Not a pretty car, but it does VERY nicely on gas! (30+ MPG)

 

I have owned a lot of Mustangs (see my sig) and I always park with the car in first gear. I do this mainly because I am too lazy to put the parking brake on every time.

I've never had transmission problems. I don't see why it would be hard on the transmission unless the car got bumped by another car or something.

Also, in reference to heel/toe downshifting, I read an article that said to use the upper part of your foot on the brake, and then rotate your heel around to put it on the gas. I tried that and it seems impossible to me.

I can, however, do the opposite and use my heel on the brake, then rotate my toes over to hit the gas.

 

Practice makes perfect. It was very difficult for me when I started to do it but over the years my foot just moves that way now.

Again, here is how to properly do it: http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving..._heeltoe.shtml

Th reason for the toe on the brake is because you can feel more and have more control of the braking and impending lockup or thresh-hold with your toes as opposed to stomping with your heel. Leave the heel stomp for blipping the throttle.